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3  l&istore  of  Bomi* 


Copy  No ^85 


Properly  of 


Date. 


FRIENDS,   ROMANS, 
COUNTRYMEN: 

Help  Yourselves! 

This  book  has  not  been  subjected 
to  the  custom  and  formalities  of 
copyrighting.  Persons  who  C07i- 
sider  parts  of  it  worthy  of  repro- 
duction are  requested  to  make 
suitable  acknowledgment 


IV. 


EXPLANATION  OF  PICTURES  ON  "JACKET" 

The  "jacket"  or  paper  cover  which  encloses  the  cloth  cover  of  the 
book  is  made  up  of  the  following  pictures: 

At  the  top,  a  panoramic  view  of  Rome  taken  about  ten  years 
ago  from  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery,  showing  the  castle-like  spires  of  old 
Shorter  College,  the  city  clock  and  the  Floyd  County  court  house; 
to  the  left,  the  Oostanaula  River,  and  in  the  "foreground,  the  Etowah. 
This  picture  was  obtained  through  courtesy  of  the  Central  of  Geor- 
gia Railway  Company. 

At  the  bottom  are:  Rome  in  1864,  shortly  after  Gen.  Sherman 
had  captured  the  town;  the  Confederate  Soldiers'  section  in  Myrtle 
Hill  cemetery;  the  North  Rome  Baptist  church;  Broad  Street  and 
a  column  of  Boy  Scouts  ready  for  a  hike. 

On  the  front  are:  The  grave  of  the  first  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson, 
in  Myrtle  Hill;  the  chapel  of  the  Berry  Schools;  entrance  to  the 
old  Rome  driving  park  and  fair  grounds,  near  DeSoto  Park;  Rome 
boys  enjoying  a  freshet;  Col.  Thos.  W.  Alexander,  commander  of 
the    Berry   Infantry. 

On  the  back  strip  is  a  silhouette  of  Col.  Jos.  Watters,  a  planter 
and  state  senator  in  the  thirties. 

On  the  back  are:  Gen.  Charles  Floyd,  father  of  Gen.  John  Floyd, 
for  whom  Floyd  County  was  named  (in  the  uniform  of  the  St. 
Helena  Guards,  of  Charleston)  ;  Gen.  Charles  Floyd  assisted  in  re- 
moving the  Indians  from  Cherokee  Georgia  (he  is  wearing  in  his 
hat  a  crescent  bearing  the  words  "Liberty  or  Death,"  which  is  in 
posession  of  Wm.  G.  McAdoo,  a  grandson  several  degrees  removed)  ; 
Donald  Harper,  of  Rome  and  Paris  (France)  ;  the  Baptist  par- 
sonage; Steve  Eberhart  (or  Perry),  mascot  of  Floyd  County  Camp 
368  of  Confederate  Veterans;  Maj.  Philip  W.  Hemphill,  one  of  the 
four  founders  of  Rome;  left  to  right,  little  Misses  Elizabeth  Mor- 
ris, Eleanor  Fuller  and  Juliet  Graves;  entrance  to  the  Battey  vault, 
in  Myrtle  Hill. 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  HISTORY 

Biography  is  the  only  true  history. — Carlyle. 

History  casts  its  shadow  far  into  the  land  of  song. — Longfellow. 

Succeeding  generations  should  tote  their  own  historical  skillets. — 

COLEGATE. 

History,  like  true  intelligence,  consists  in  old  ideas  wrought  over. 
— Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 

Each  generation  gathers  together  in  history  the  imperishable  chil- 
dren of  the  past. — Bancroft. 

Out  of  monuments,  names,  traditions,  private  records  and  passages 
of  books  we  do  save  and  recover  somewhat  from  the  deluge  of  time. — 
Bacon. 

This  I  hold  to  be  the  chief  office  of  history,  to  rescue  virtuous  actions 
from  the  oblivion  to  which  a  want  of  records  would  consign  them. — 
Tacitus. 

God  is  in  the  facts  of  history  as  truly  as  He  is  in  the  march  of  the 
seasons,  the  revolutions  of  the  planets  or  the  architecture  of  the 
worlds. — Lanahan. 

History  maketh  a  young  man  to  be  old,  without  wrinkles  or  gray 
hairs,  privileging  him  with  the  experience  of  age,  without  either  the 
infirmities  or  the  inconveniences  thereof. — Fuller. 

An  historian  ought  to  be  exact,  sincere  and  sympathetic,  free  from 
passion,  unbiased  by  interest,  fear,  resentment  or  affection,  and  faith- 
ful to  the  truth,  which  is  the  mother  of  history. — Nai'OLEON. 


THE   CLOCK  TOWER. 


A  HISTORY  OF  ROME 
AMD  FLOYD  COUNTY 

State  of  Georgia  —  United  States  of  America 

INCLUDING  NUMEROUS  INCIDENTS  OF 
MORE  THAN  LOCAL  INTEREST 

1540  —  1922 

Volume  I. 

By 
George  Magruder  Battey,  Jr. 

AUTHOR  OF   -yO.OOO   MILES   ON   A 
SUBMARINE  DESTROYER" 


/ 


ATLANTA,   GA. 

The   Webb   and  Vary   Company 

19   2   2 


DEDICATION 
To  the  Boy  Scouts 
and  the  Girl  Scouts  of 
Rome  and  Floyd  County,  whose 
youthful  enthusiasm  and  helpful,  un- 
selfish spirit  of  service  promise  so  much 
for  the   development  of   civic  enter- 
prise and  the  advancement  of  in- 
terest  in    the   wholesome    life 
of   the   Great    Outdoors, 
this  book  is  affec- 
tionately dedi- 
cated by 
THE  AUTHOR. 


VIII. 


Introduction 


OW  AND  THEN  a  queen  pawns  her  jewels  to  advance  the 
cause  of  civilization,  and  thus  gives  back  part  of  what  her 
admiring  subjects  have  offered  up.  Similarly  has  a  queen  who 
wears  no  tiara  or  crown  thrown  herself  into  the  breach  and 
made  possible  the  completion  at  this  time  of  the  History  of 
Rome.  Her  rocking  chair  is  "in  soak"  because  she'  believes 
the  enterprise  is  worth  while.  If  we  will  redeem  the  chair 
out  of  sales  from  the  book,  she  will  feel  amply  repaid,  and  can  sit  down 
again.  It  will  be  possible  through  a  little  unselfish  sacrifice  on  the  part 
of  each  and  all  of  us. 

One  thousand  copies  of  the  book  are  included  in  the  first  l)inding. 
More  than  half  of  these  have  been  mailed  to  subscribers  who  spoke  for 
them  in  advance.  Additional  sheets  have  been  printed  so  that  other 
Romans  may  have  copies  who  desire  them.  Extra  copies  will  be  bound 
in  accordance  with  the  demand,  so  that  the  total  issue  will  be  just  what 
Romans,  former  Romans  and  a  select  company  of  "innocent  bystanders" 
make  it.  The  compiler  hopes  that  many  will  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  to  invest,  for  the  double  reason  that  the  book  contains  a 
wealth  of  material  which  everybody  should  have,  and  a  subscription  does 
just  that  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  town  and  section.  He 
does  not  urge  any  support  in  the  expectation  of  making  a  profit,  for  he 
has  put  far  more  into  it  these  two  years  than  he  can  possibly  get  out, 
except  in  mental  satisfaction.  He  wishes  to  sell  the  book  not  on  personal 
or  sentimental  grounds,  but  on  the  l)asis  of  whatever  value  the  purchaser 
may  see  in  it.  No  doubt  the  edition  will  be  cjuickly  exhausted,  because 
material  has  been  included  which  is  expected  to  stimulate  a  heavy  demand 
outside  of  Rome.  Then  there  will  be  no  more  copies,  for  the  number  is 
strictly  limited. 

The  excuse  for  this  work  was  found  in  the  fact  that  the  historians 
have  systematically  neglected  the  section  known  oi  old  as  "Cherokee 
Georgia."  The  compiler  went  back  to  his  birthplace  Oct.  21,  1920,  to 
supply  whatever  of  the  deficiency  he  could,  realizing  that  he  had  had  no 
previous  historical  experience,  but  believing  that  the  subject  was  worthy 
of  a  literary  masterpiece.  He  found  a  fertile  field  in  which  to  labor  ; 
the  legend  of  DeSoto's  visit  in  1540,  the  Indian  occupation  and  removal, 
the  deeds  of  valor  in  war,  the  constructive  enterprises  following"  the 
war's  wake,  all  supplied  an  inspiration  that  was  irresistible.  On  begin- 
ning his  work,  he  saw  the  truth  of  the  statement,  "The  South  makes 
plenty  of  history,  but  writes  very  little  of  it."  His  task,  therefore,  con- 
sisted in  laying  a  foundation  as  well  as  erecting  a  superstructure,  and  he 
realizes  the  imperfections  that  such  conditions  necessarily  impose,  and 
is  fully  conscious  of  his  inability  to  handle  the  material  as  it  deserves.  He 
only  hopes  that  the  work  may  be  considered  from  cover  to  cover,  and 
thus  criticized,  rather  than  that  any  insignificant  error  of  omission  or 
commission  may  be  allowed  to  obscure  the  whole  in  the  estimation  of 
the  individual. 

It  is  manifestly  impossible  here  to  devote  much  attention  to  the 
entire  Northwest  Georgia  section.  Floyd's  sister  counties  will  no  doubt 
eventually  write  histories  of  their  own.  However,  there  are  numerous 
references  to  happenings  elsewhere  which  are  connected  with  cliaracters 


IX. 


or  events  in  Floyd,  and  in  certain  instances  the  material  is  quite  general 
in  its  character  and  application. 

Since  the  greater  part  of  Rome's  history  existed  in  tradition  and  in 
scrap  books  and  old  records,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  go  back 
as  far  as  possible,  and  rescue  the  fragments  of  early  Rome  before  they 
are  lost  in  the  dust  of  the  past.  The  story  of  Rome's  part  in  the  removal 
of  the  Indians  has  never  been  adequately  told,  nor  has  the  picture  of  con- 
ditions just  before  the  Civil  War  lieen  fully  presented.  The  subject 
of  Rome's  part  in  the  war  of  1861-5  is  all  but  ignored.  The  duty  is  man- 
ifestly to  revert  to  the  dim  beginnings,  to  give  "right-of-way"  to  the  '"'old 
settlers,"  to  suggest  that  the  present  generation  keep  newspapers  and 
records  liberally  so  our  contemporary  history  may  not  suffer  likewise. 

So  much  material  has  been  developed  that  the  necessity  of  a  second 
volume  is  api)arent.  Volume  I  contains  half  of  the  complete  narrative, 
a  great  many  pictures  and  a  vast  amount  of  miscellaneous  data.  Its 
faulty  arrangement  is  due  to  the  uncertainty,  up  to  the  last  moment,  over 
what  was  to  be  used.  Volume  11,  which  it  is  intended  should  be  pub- 
lished when  conditions  are  more  favorable,  will  contain  many  additional 
pictures  and  such  biographical  sketches  and  miscellaneous  items  as  could 
not  be  included  in  the  first.  These  two  volumes  will  in  a  measure  tell 
the  romantic  tale. 

The  history  started  with  a  series  of  articles  in  the  Rojne  News,  fol- 
lowed by  "Rambles  Around  Rome."  It  has  been  augmented  from  many 
sources,  and  particularly  from  the  files  of  the  old  Rome  Courier,  which" 
was  the  forerunner  of  Rome's  daily  newspaper,  The  Tribune-Herald. 
Both  of  these  present-day  newspapers  have  been  unflagging  friends  of 
the  history.  In  the  collection  of  material,  chiefly  of  a  statistical  nature, 
the  most  consistent  individual  has  l)een  Richard  Venable  Mitchell,  of 
Rome.  I\Ir.  Mitchell,  has  worked  with  splendid  spirit  and  without  hope 
of  reward  ;  Romans  are  certain  to  appreciate  the  accurate  data  he  gives, 
them  in  his  lists  of  the  natural  resources  of  Floyd,  and  of  the  state,  city 
and  county  officials,  various  important  and  interesting  dates  and  a  vast 
quantity  of  odd  information.  ]\Irs.  Harriet  Connor  Stevens  has 
contributed  liberally  of  her  time  in  order  that  some  of  the  Cave  Spring 
pioneers  might  be  remembered.  ]\Iiss  FVances  Long  Harper  has  also 
helped  substantially  at  Cave  Spring.  In  forcing  the  history  upon  public 
attention,  the  most  valiant  supporters  have  been  H.  H.  Shackelton,  presi- 
dent of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  ;  Robt.  H.  Clagett,  editor  of  the  Rome 
News;  W.  S.  Rowell,  editor  of  the  Tribune-Herald,  and  Lee  J.  Langley, 
writing  for  both  papers. 

Thanks  are  due  Hooper  Alexander,  of  Atlanta  ;  W.  R.  L.  Smith,  of 
Norfolk.  Va. ;  Mrs.  Mabel  Washbourne  Anderson,  of  Pryor,  Okla. ;  S.  W. 
Ross,  of  Tahlequah,  Okla. ;  Judge  Henry  C.  Meigs,  of  Ft.  Gibson,  Okla., 
and  C.  F.  Hanke,  chief  clerk  of  the  Indian  Office,  Washington,  D. 
C,  for  much  of  the  Indian  data.  (The  biographies  of  the  Indian  leaders 
are  omitted  for  further  investigation  of  conflicting  material).  Substan- 
tial assistance  has  been  given  by  Miss  Tommie  Dora  Barker,  librarian  of 
the  Carnegie  Library.  Atlanta,  and  by  Miss  Carrie  Williams,  of  the  ref- 
erence department:  Mrs.  Maud  Barker  Cobb,  state  librarian,  the  Capitol, 
Atlanta:  Duncan  Burnett,  librarian  of  the  library  of  the  University  of 
Georgia,  Athens;  Dr.  Lucian  L.  Knight,  director  of  the  State  'De- 
partment of  History,  the  Capitol,  Atlanta,  and  Miss  Ruth  Blair,  of  the 
same  department.  Dr.  Knight's  valuable  books  have  been  consulted 
freely  and  credit  generally  given  in  each  instance.     Appreciation  is  like- 


X. 


wise  expressed  herewith  of  aid  rendered  by  the  Daughters  of  the  .Vmeri- 
can  Revolution  and  the  United  Daughters  of  the  Confederacy,  and  of 
the  interest  shown  by  Henderson  L.  Lanham,  president  of  the  Board  of 
Education  of  the  City  of  Rome,  by  Prof.  B.  F.  Quig-g,  City  Superintendent, 
and  Prof.  W.  C.  Rash,  County  Superintendent,  in  a  plan  for  teaching-  local 
history  in  the  public  schools.  While  nothing  definite  has  been  done,  the 
suggestion  that  a  condensed  school  history  be  written  out  of  the  His- 
tory of  Rome  is  being  considered,  and  already  has  the  moral  support 
of  at  least  one  large  Eastern  publishing  house. 

!Most  of  the  maps  are  from  Rand-McNally  &  Co.,  Chicago. 

The  artistic  pictures  of  the  Berry  Schools  were  taken  by  D.  W.  Dens- 
more,  faculty  member,  and  a  number  of  pictures  of  landmarks  by  R.  V. 
Mitchell.  Several  pictures  and  some  text  do  not  appear  because  they 
have  been  lost  or  misplaced ;  a  few  typographical  errors  herein  like- 
wise prove  the  intensely  human  character  of  the  work  of  man. 

Loans  negotiated  through  the  assistance  of  John  M.  Graham  and 
Wilson  M.  Hardy  greatly  helped  the  work  at  the  outset,  and  $100  received 
near  the  close  from  a  group  of  Rome  business  men,  headed  by  E.  R. 
Fishburne,  averted  an  almost  certain  postponement.  Air.  W'alter  D.  Carr, 
of  Silver,  Burdett  &  Co.,  Boston  publishers,  loaned  the  cuts  of  John  Ridge 
and  Major  Ridge.  To  all  others  who  have  helped  wnth  friendly  advice,  data 
or  money  the  heartfelt  thanks  of  the  compiler  are  herewith  given.  Rome 
will  thank  them  in  her  ow'n  way.  The  list  is  a  long  one,  and  it  cannot 
be  extended  here ;  it  will  appear,  perhaps,  in  the  proposed  Vol.  H. 

There  is  a  great  deal  that  is  left  over  for  another  volume  simply 
because  no  funds  were  in  sight  to  print  it.  Ample  warning  of  this  situa- 
tion was  given  from  time  to  time.  If  Romans  make  Vol.  II  possible  by 
an  underwriting  plan,  or  if  a  single  Roman  desires  the  opportunity  of 
doing  that  much  for  the  town  he  loves,  the  compiler  will  dig  into  his 
files  again.  Undoubtedly  some  Roman  who  wishes  a  send-off  here  below 
and  a  welcome  above  will  remember  Vol.  II  in  his  will. 

The  rules  governing  the  history  campaign  were  very  simple.  Prac- 
tically everybody  who  showed  as  much  as  a  passing  interest  has  been 
given  some  notice  in  the  book,  either  for  themselves  or  their  ancestors. 
Those  who  have  ignored  letters,  personal  or  circular,  or  both,  or  have 
refused  to  "weep"  while  w^e  "mourned,"  have  erected  a  temporary  barrier 
between  us.  Fortunately,  there  have  not  been  many  of  these,  alth>ough 
more  have  sat  on  the  fence.  They  will  have  another  chance  if  they  want 
it — for  Vol.  II.  No  considerations  of  friendship  have  caused  us  to  over- 
look a  flagrant  neglect  of  Rome  and  the  history  by  those  wlio  in  our  opin- 
ion could  have  helped.  At  the  same  time,  we  feel  friendly  and  hold  the 
door  open — for  Vol.  II.  We  consider  it  a  duty  to  speak  plainly  so  Romans 
will  understand,  and  that  we  may  do  better  next  time.  Let  us  make  \'ol. 
II  surpass  Vol.  1. 

The  original  plan  called  for  sections  of  text  devoted  to  the  Berry 
Schools,  Shorter  College,  Ilearn  Academy,  the  Georgia  Sch(wl  for  the 
Deaf  at  Cave  Spring,  and  the  Floyd  County  and  Rome  public  schools. 
Failure  of  the  leading  institutions  in  this  group  to  pay  a  cost  price  for 
the  printing  (due  largely  to  the  general  economic  conditions)  has  put 
these  sections  over  for  further  consideration. 

A  few  words  about  quoted  articles.  Most  of  the  items  with  dates 
from  1920-22  affixed  are  from  The  Rome  News,  i)rior  to  that,  after  1886. 
from  The  'JVibune  of  Rome  or  The  Trilnitie-Hcrald.  and  from  1850  to  1887 


XI. 


frum  The  Runic  Tri-Wcckly  Courier  or  Weekly  Courier.  An  understand- 
ing of  this  scheme,  it  is  believed,  will  assist  the  reader. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  history  will  please  the  sul)scribers  as  well  as  prove 
of  some  use  to  them  as  a  work  of  reference.  A  reading  glass  for  aged 
eyes  is  recommended  where  type  and  pictures  are  small.  In  practically 
ail  cases  the  biographies  have  been  submitted  to  the  families  for  correc- 
tion and  ap])roval.  A  committee  of  Romans  has  kindly  gone  over  most  of 
the  other  data.  Anecdotes  are  told — on  our  own  clan,  too — which  we 
hope  will  be  received  in  good  part,  for  there  is  no  intention  to  offend 
anyone.  Romans  are  noted  for  speaking  the  truth  fearlessly,  and  since 
we  arc  all  in  one  big  family  and  are  blessed  with  a  sense  of  humor,  we 
can  well  afford  to  perpetuate  the  stories  of  our  members  for  fireside  en- 
joyment. A  colorless  story  of  Rome  would  be  of  no  good  and  would  find 
few  willing  consumers. 

With  this  much  said  by  way  of  introduction,  we  salute  our  sub- 
scribers and  friends,  wish  them  a  merry  Christmas  and  a  happy  New 
Year,  and  unreservedly  place  our  literary  fate  in  their  tender  hands. 

GEO.  M.  BATTEY,  JR. 
81  W.  14th  St., 
Atlanta,  Ga., 
Friday,  Dec.  1,  1922. 

P.  S. — Sinc-e  the  above  was  written,  the  decision  was  reached  to  include  in 
Vol.  I.  no  biojjfraphical  sketches.  It  was  believed  best  to  hold  over  for  considera- 
tion for  Vol.  II.  all  the  300  sketches  rather  than  to  print  only  a  few  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  many.  A  little  extra  financial  support  would  have  made  possible 
the  inclusion  of  all.  Since  it  was  not  forthcoming,  it  seemed  best  to  file  this  other 
valuable  material.  The  recent  vote  by  mail,  by  the  way,  was  overwhelmingly 
in  favor  of  holding  the  biogi'aphies  for  another  time.  The  several  persons  who 
advanced  money  for  sketches  will  be  reimbursed  or  given  extra  copies  of  the 
present  volume,  as  they  prefer.  We  assure  them  and  all  others  that  we  regret 
our  inability  to  use  this  excellent  data,  which  can  only  be  improved  with  age. 
We  will  keep  it  intact  in  the  confident  hope  that  Romans  will  make  its  publication 
possible  at  some  day  in  the  near  future. 

G.  M.  B. 


XII. 


Contents 


Frontispiece:  THE  CLOCK  TOWER— By  Virginia  Robert  Lipscomb,  Girl  Scout. 

Part  I, 

Chapter  Page 

I.  The  Spanish  Cavaliers  and  Their  Quest  for  Gold 17 

DeSoto  lands  at  Tampa  Bay. — Reaches  the  Savannah  River. — Meets  an 
Indian  princess. — Takes  the  princess  along  as  a  hostage. — She  escapes. — 
Arrival  at  Nacoochee. — Receives  Indian  dogs  for  his  men  to  eat. — His 
route   discussed. — Spends   30   da,ys  at   Chiaha. — Enjoys    pearl   hunt. 

II.     John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 22 

Hostile  Cherokees  in  massacre. — Sevier  puts  them  to  flight  and  burns 
their  towns. — Gen.  Floyd  defeats  the  Creeks  in  Alabama. — Early  laws  of 
the  Indians. — The  "Widow  Fool"  and  the  ferry. — Wm.  Mcintosh  killed. — 
Sequoyah's    alphabet. — Missionaries    imprisoned. — Pressure   on    the    Indians. 

Pari  II. 

I.  Rome's   Establishment   and    Early   Days Zi 

Three  travelers  decide  to  establish  a  town.- — A  fourth  pioneer.- — County 
site  removal  from  Livingston  to  Rome  authorized  by  legislature.- — The 
homes  of  Ross  and  the  Ridges. — The  gander  pulling  and  other  early 
amusements. — The  Green  Corn  dances. — Geo.  Lavender,  trading  post  man. — 
Pioneer    days    at    Cave    Spring. 

II.  The  Great  Indian  Meeting-  at  Rome 43 

The  Cherokees'  biggest  pow-wow  at  Running  Waters. — Speeches  by  the 
Ridges,  Ross  afnd  the  United  States  agents. — The  Indians  withdraw  to  the 
woods. — Government  men  continue  to  speak. — Mr.  Schermerhorn's  determi- 
nation to  have  a  treaty. — Major  Currey  reports  to  Washington. — Ross  fac- 
tion supreme. — Ridge's   men   listed. 

III.  John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard--       53 

"Home,  Sweet  Home"  author  bears  letters  to  prominent  Georgians. — - 
Loves  an  Athens  belle. — Departs  for  Indian  country. — Is  arrested  with 
John  Ross  and  guarded  at  Spring  Place. — "Big  John"  Underwood,  Rome 
grocer,  one  of  his  captors. — Payne's  own  account. — His  arrest  causes  sen- 
sation.— "Old   Hickory's"    contribution. 

IV.  Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 75 

"Rome  Indians"  in  the  Payne  "picture." — Maj.  Currey  explains. — 
Frelinghuysen,  Everett,  Polk,  Calhoun,  Bell  and  White  active. — "Lumpkin 
Press"  lambastes  Guard. — Legislature  protests  and  Co).  Bishop  resigns. — 
Payne's  anonymous  letter. — A  tragedy  at  the  Vann  house.- -The  Indians 
removed    and   the   Ridges  and    Boudinot    slain. — A    Payne   memorial. 

V.  Growth   from   Village   to   Town 91 

Pioneers  establish  bank,  inn,  newspaper,  churches,  schools  and  stage 
lines. — John  Ross  converted  to  Methodism. — Alfred  Shorter  casts  lot  with 
the  new  town. — William  Smith  and  the  scuttled  steamboat. — E^arly  political 
campaigns. — Lumpkin,  Miller,  Underwood,  Hackctt  and  Wright. — Pickett's 
visit   to   Rome. — The   Nobles,   iron   kings,   aijpear. 

VI.  Views  and  Events   Leading  U])  to  War 113 

The  slavery  agitation  and  efforts  to  halt  "gentlemen  from  the  North." — 
Warnings  sounded  by  Dwinell  and  Stovall. — Mass  meetings  and  resolu- 
tions.— Trade  boycott  against  the  North. — Rome  Light  Guards  active. — 
Stephens,  Iverson  and   Hill  speak  in   Rome. — Secession   strongly    favored. 

VII.  Lincoln's    Election    Foretells    Hostilities 125 

Feeling  at  fever  heat. — Mayor  thanks  voters  for  "sober  election." — Dr. 
Word  elected. — Guns  for  Light  Guards  arrive. — Judge  Wright  on  the  in- 
auguration   of   Jefferson    Davis. 

XIII. 


Part  III. 

I.  Opening-  of   the  Ci\"il    War — First    Manassas LV 

Floyd    companies    depart.-    Cannon    and    chvirch    bells  announce    war. — 

Casualty   lists. — Incidents   of  the  battle. — Capt.    Matrruder  and   Jeff  Davis. — 

Death    of     Col.     Bartow. —  An     illuminatinE     letter     from  Richmond. — War 
profiteers  rapped  by  the  "home  gruard." 

11.  A   Rome   Rno-ine   Chases   the    "General" 147 

Andrews'  "Wild  Raiders"  steal  state  road  engine  in  dash  to  burn 
bridges  and  tear  up  track. ^Fuller  joins  in  thrilling  pursuit. — "Wm.  R. 
Smith"  takes  up  chase  at  Kingston  and  aids  capture. — Fugitives  abandon 
engine.- — Are    caught    in   woods. — Some   are    hanged    and    some    escape. 

HI.  Activities   of  the   Folks   at   Home 153 

Women  establish  charity  organization. — The  Wayside  Home. — A 
young  "Rebel"  with  smallpox  spreads  terror. — Hospitals  removed  from 
Rome. — Hard   times    described   back   of   the   lines. 

IV.  Streight's   Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 161 

Federal  commander  tries  foray  of  destruction. — Is  engaged  by  Forrest 
with  inferior  force,  and  surrenders. — "Rebel"  leader's  strategy  denounced 
by  captive  officers,  who  see  Rome  for  first  time. — Admiring  women  snip 
locks  of  Forrest's  hair. — The  "Battle  of  Rome,"  and  John  Wisdom's  famous 
ride. — Forrest   dodges   Rome   picnic. 

V.  Sherman's   Army   Captures   Rome 175 

Three  forts  are  silenced  and  Davis,  Vandever  and  Corse  establish 
headquarters. — "Miss  Lizzie's"  adventure  on  Shorter  Hill. — Sherman  enters 
Rome  twice  and  pursues  Hood,  who  crosses  the  Coosa  at  Veal's  ferry. — 
Hood  flits   through   Texas   valley. — Only   a   fiddle   is   needed   as   Rome  burns. 

VI.  Sherman's  Movements  asTuld  by  Himself 181 

The  campaign  outlined. — Movements  around  Dalton,  Resaea,  Cassville, 
Dajlas  and  Rome. — Sherman's  narrow  escape. — Why  Johnston  refused 
battle. — Corse  at  Allatoona. — Sherman  on  Fourth  Avenue.--His  message 
from  Rome  brings  orders  to  march  to  the  sea. 

VII.  Extreme  Desolation  I^ictured  in  Diary 197 

Bridges  burned  by  retreating  Confederates. — Church  pews  used  for 
pontoons. — Famine  and  despair.— Citizen  killed  by  scouts. — Letter  tells  of 
Romans'    plight. 

\'HI.  Depredations  of  the  Independent  Scouts 205 

John  Gatewood  invades  northwest  Georgia. — Jack  Colquitt's  band. — 
John  and  Jim  Prior  take  seven  scout  scalps. — "Little  Zach"  Hargrove 
to  the  rescue. 

Anecdotes    and    Reminiscences 211 

Miscellaneous    421 


Map 


s 

The  Heart  of  Cherokee  Georgia 2)7 

The    World T 127 

The   United    States   of   America 155 

Rome  in  1890 165 

The  State  of  Georgia 387 

The  Countv  of  Flovd 621 


XIV. 


PART  I. 


THE  DIM  BEGINNINGS 

1540-1834 


CHAPTER  I 
The  Spanish  Cavaliers  and  Their  Quest  for  Gold 


M 


\XY  years  before  the  Eng- 
lish settled  the  first  perma- 
nent colony  in  America  at 
Jamestown,  Va.,  in  1607, 
there  existed  a  wild  stretch  of 
country  at  the  southwestern  end  of 
the  Appalachian  Mountain  chain, 
encompassing'  what  is  now  Rome 
and  Floyd  County,  Ga.,  and  which 
was  inhabited  only  by  tribes  of  In- 
dians who  lived  in  wigwams  made 
of  bark  and  skins,  and  huts  of 
rough  pine  and  oak  finished  in  red 
clay  mortar.  The  waters  of  this  re- 
gion, leaping  through  the  moun- 
tain gorges  in  slender,  silken 
streams,  purled  their  way  into  the 
valleys  and  found  outlets  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  or  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
They  were  alive  with  fish,  especial- 
ly the  upland  streams  with  trout, 
and  it  used  to  be  said  that  had  the 
Indian  possessed  a  hat,  in  many 
places  he  could  have  scooped  up  a 
hatful  at  a  time. 

Large  black  bears  went  grubbing 
over  the  mountain  tops  in  search  of 
worms  and  roots,  occasionally 
shambling  into  the  fertile  valleys 
below  ;  hungry  wolves  leaped  free- 
ly through  the  forest  trails  ;  deer 
penetrated  the  thickets  and  slaked 
their  thirst  at  the  sparkling  brooks  ; 
panthers  and  Avildcats  slunk  se- 
renely fr(im  feeding  ground  tc^ 
cavernous  lair ;  snakes  of  huge  size 
and  great  number  infested  the 
rocky  fastnesses,  the  sun-baked 
river  banks  and  the  grassy  plains  ; 
wild  turkeys  clucked  along  the 
leafy  bowers  and  smaller  birds  of 
l)eautiful  plumage  dotted  the  trees 
of  hillside,  valley  and  swamp. 

Upon  this  primitive  stage  at 
some  uncertain  date  had  a])peared 
the  Indian,  successor  to  the  ill- 
fated  Mound  Ikiilder  of  North 
America.  Agile,  bloodthirsty  and 
possessing  a  keen  appetite,  the  In- 


dian pursued  by  foot  and  in  his 
swift  canoe,  with  his  trusty  bow 
and  arrow,  the  animals,  birds  and 
snakes,  killed  them  and  ate  the 
fiesh,  sometimes  cooked,  some- 
times raw,  and  made  the  skins  into 
rugs,  wigwam  covers,  robes,  ])a- 
l>oose  bags  and  numerous  orna- 
ments for  his  person.  Idie  Indian 
painted  his  face  and,  his  body  with 
a  mixture  of  oil  and  clay,  dressed 
himself  in  a  wampum  l>elt  from 
Avhich  depended  a  wildcat  skin  or 
kilt  of  limljer  grass  or  hair,  and 
with  a  headdress  of  feathers  which 
hung  down  to  his  waist  he  joined 
in  the  big  tril)al  hunts  or  fared 
forth  to  fight  enemy  tribesmen. 
The  Indian  women,  or  squaws,  did 
the  routine  work  about  the  hut  or 
wigwam  settlements,  took  care  of 
the  children  and  strung  beads  and 
wove  various  materials  into  bas- 
kets, rugs  and  articles  of  clothing, 
and  cultivated  snirdl  patches  of 
grain. 

From  the  time  when  Christopher 
Columbus  discovered  America  in 
1492  and  took  possession  in  the 
name  of  the  King  and  the  Queen  of 
Spain,  the  Indian  was  forced  to 
count  on  tlie  paleface  as  a  po- 
tential foe  \\ho  needed  his  himt- 
ing  grounds  and  his  towns  for  col- 
onization ])urposes.  The  Spanish 
are  regarded  as  the  i)ioneer  ex- 
plorers of  America  through  their 
expeditions  to  Florida,  the  Land  of 
Flowers,  whicli  embraced  vastly 
more  territory  than  tlie  State  of 
Florida  of  the  present  day.  juan 
I '(Mice  DeLeon  explored  the  coast 
of  the  Florida  Peninsula  in  151.\ 
])enetrate(l  into  the  interior  in 
search  of  the  Fountain  of  J'crpet- 
ual  Youth,  engaged  the  savages 
and  was  killed  with  a  poisc^ied  ar- 
row. l'\)llowed  the  cruel  Narvaez 
to  the  west  coast  of  the  peninsula, 


18 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


where  he  set  an  example  for  the 
savages  hy  loosing  hloodhounds  on 
the  aged  mother  of  an  Indian  chief, 
which  tore  her  to  pieces  ;  then  he 
cut  off  the  chief's  nose  and  sent 
him  to  Cuba  as  a  slave.  The  In- 
dians avenged  this  atrocity  by  driv- 
ing Narvaez  to  his  ships  ;  a  storm 
hit  the  vessels  and  Narvaez  and  all 
but  fiiur  '>\  his  men  were  lost. 

Next  in  importance  was  Hernan- 
do (Ferdinand)  DeSoto,  who  in  his 
search  of  the  Chiahan  Kldorado  in 
the  hope  of  filling  the  treasure 
chest  (if  the  King  oT  Spain  is  sup- 
posed to  have  spent  nearly  30  days 
on  the  present  site  of  Rome. 

DeSoto  had  fought  successfully 
in  the  Si)anish  wars  of  conquest  in 
Central  America  and  Peru,  when 
called  by  the  king  to  cut  a  path 
through  Florida,  to  work  the  gold 
mines  and  the  pearl  fisheries  which 
earlier  explorers  had  assured  the 
king  existed.  Having  recently  mar- 
ried Dona  Isabel  de  Bobadilla, 
member  of  tlie  Spanish  royal  fam- 
ily and  his  social  equal,  wdiose 
father  was  his  superior  in  wealth 
if  not  in  manhood,  DeSoto  set  sail 
from  Spain  on  April  8,  1538,  tak- 
ing with  him  his  wife,  600  soldiers, 
200  horses  and  a  herd  of  swine  for 
food.  DeSoto's  "noble  vSix  Hun- 
dred" carried  arquebuses,  match- 
locks, one  cannon  and  a  falconet 
(small  cannon  in  general  use  at 
that  time).  The}'  had  plenty  of 
ammunition,  and  led  by  tethers 
a  pack  of  fierce  bloodhounds.  Plen- 
ty of  iron  chains,  collars  and  wrist- 
lets were  carried  to  put  upon  In- 
dian prisoners.  Swine  and  cattle 
furnished  a  large  part  of  the  food, 
-while  pack  mules  bore  the  provis- 
ions. The  personnel  was  made  up  of 
mechanics,  l)uilders  and  smiths 
monks,  laymen  and  Catholic  priests 
in  robes.  (Juite  a  number  of  the 
fighters  wore  light  armor  which 
readily  shed  the  sharp  darts  of  the 
red-skins.  They  landed  at  Havana. 
Cuba,  but   after  a   sliort  stay  pro- 


ceeded up  Florida's  west  coast, 
leaving  Dona  Isabel  behind  as  gov- 
erness of  the  island.  On  Friday, 
May  30,  1539,  DeSoto  landed  at 
the  present  Tampa  Bay,  where  he 
took  possession  of  Florida  as  Ade- 
lantado  (governor),  and  where  he 
wrote  the  city  fathers  of  Santiago 
de  Cuba  wdiat  was  supposed  to 
have  been  the  only  letter  he  sent 
l)ack  on  his  long  and  heart-break- 
ing journey. 

DeSoto  immediately  asked  the 
Indians  where  gold  and  precious 
stones  could  be  found ;  they  point- 
ed northward.  He  fought  and  dip- 
lomatized his  way  to  the  present 
Georgia-Florida  line,  encountering 
numerous  physical  difficulties ; 
thence  he  proceeded  northwest- 
ward when  told  by  a  captured 
scout*  of  a  i)rovince  ruled  over  by 
a  beautiful  Indian  princess,  called 
Cutifachiqui.  where  his  beasts 
might  l)reak  their  backs  under  the 
load  of  pearls  and  gold.  The  home 
of  the  princess  is  supposed  to  have 
been  at  Silver  Bluff",  Barnwell  Co.. 
S.  C,  25  miles  sovitheast  of  Au- 
gusta, Ga.,  on  the  Savannah  river, 
where  George  Golphin  later  lived. 
Here  DeSoto  was  jjresented  with 
a  handsome  string  of  large  pearls 
by  the  Princess  Cutifachiqui ;  he 
(lug  heaps  of  pearls  and  relics  out 
of  Indian  mounds,  which  the  In- 
dians did  not  like,  but  they  main- 
tained an  appearance  of  acquiesc- 
ence. On  leaving,  he  forced  his  gra- 
cious hostess  to  accompany  the  ex- 
])edition  as  a  guide  and  protection 
against  any  possible  attacks  by  her 
tribesmen.  The  indian  maid's 
knowledge  of  trails  and  w'oodcraft 
enabled  her  to  escape  in  a  few 
days  and  return  to  her  settlement. 
DeSoto  pressed  northward  in 
forced  marches  to  relieve  his  weary 
and  starving  horses  and  men,  and 
to  seize  or  unearth  gold  for  the 
king. 


♦Juan    Ortiz,    who   had    been   left    by    Narvaez 
and   had  since  lived  among  the  Indians. 


The  Spanish  Cavaliers  and  Their  Quest  for  Gold 


19 


While  accounts  differ  as  to  the 
route  DeSoto  took  through  North 
Georgia,  the  authorities  generally 
agree  that  after  leaving  Cutifachi- 
qui,  DeSoto  went  to  the  site  of 
Yonah  Mountain,  in  Nachoochee 
Valley,  White  County,  where  he 
mined  a  while  and  the  Indians  gave 
his  troops  many  dogs  to  eat ;  also 
that  he  crossed  the  North  Georgia 
mountains  to  the  Connasauga  Riv- 
er, thence  followed  the  Oostanaula 
River  to  the  junction  of  the  Etowah 
River,  where  the  Coosa  forms,  to 
Chiaha  province  and  town,  the 
modern  site  of  Rome  ;  also  that  he 
followed  the  Coosa  southwestward 
into  Alabama,  whence  in  time  he 
I)ushed  on  across  West  Tennesssee 
and  discovered  the  Mississippi  Riv- 
er, in  which  he  was  buried  after 
dying  of  fever  in  1541. 

It  is  possible  to  mention  these 
differences  of  opinion  only  in  brief 
here.  James  Mooney,  a  careful  stu- 
dent of  the  subject,  held  that  De- 
Soto followed  the  Chattahoochee 
River  headwaters  down  the  val- 
leys of  Habersham  County,  sight- 
ed Kennesaw  (Kensagi)  Moun- 
tain in  Cobb  County,  instead  of  the 
Connasauga  River,  (passing  near 
the  site  of  modern  Atlanta),  and 
instead  of  visiting  Chiaha,  visited 
Chehaw,  a  Creek  town  in  Alabama 
below  Columbus.  It  may  be  signifi- 
cant that  Atlantans  do  not  claim 
that  DeSoto  passed  near  their  land. 

An  understanding  of  the  tojiog- 
raphy  of  the  country,  the  aims  and 
necessities  of  the  expedition  and 
the  reasonable  probabilities  arc 
prerequisites  to  a  reconciliation  of 
the  viewpoints.  Some  aid  may  be 
found  in  the  reflection  that  DeSoto 
often  divided  his  force;  inuloubt- 
edly  he  let  the  main  Ixxly  follow 
the  rivers  in  tlic  valleys,  while 
prospecting  parlit-s  i)enetrated 
through  the  mountains.  Thus  it  is 
possible  that  his  main  force,  with 
the  heavy  equipment  and  pigs, 
started    down    the    headwaters    of 


the  Chattahoochee  in  Habersham 
County,  bore  to  the  northwest, 
crossed  the  headwaters  of  the  Eto- 
wah and  followed  the  Etowah  to 
Rome,  discovering  and  exploring 
the  huge  Indian  mound  on  the 
Tumlin  i)lace  three  miles  south  of 
Cartersville;  also  that  the  mining 
group,  after  exploring  the  moun- 
tains nearly  to  the  Tennessee  line, 
came  to  the  Connasauga  River  and 
followed  the  Oostanaula  River 
down  to  Rome,  where  he  joined 
the  other  unit.  Chiaha  Town  was 
described  by  the  early  chroniclers 
of  the  expedition  as  an  island.  That 
impression  might  easily  be  made 
on  an  explorer  crossing  the  creeks 
north  of  Rome  whose  headwaters 
nearly  touch,  and  passing  on  down 
the  peninsula  to  the  water  on  all 
sides. 

It  is  quite  possible,  moreover, 
that  382  years  ago  a  canal  con- 
nected the  Oostanaula  and  Eto- 
wah rivers,  passing  through  North 
Rome  and  making  an  island  of 
the  narrow  neck  of  land  between 


FERDINAND  DeSOTO,  Spanish  cavalier  who 
it  is  generally  accepted  visited  the  site  of 
Rome  in  1510,  searching  for  gold  for  his   king. 


20 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


the  streams  at  their  junction.  An- 
other theory  is  that  the  DeSoto 
district  (now  l)etter  known  as  the 
Fourth  ward),  which  is  sui)i)osed  to 
have  been  where  the  Spanish  camp- 
ed, was  once  an  ishind,  havinit>-  l)een 
cut  off  by  a  break  in  the  Oosta- 
naula  near  the  mouth  of  Little  Dry 
Creek.  which  found  its  way 
throui^h  the  lowlands  and  entered 
the  Coosa  above  Horseleg'  Creek, 
formings  a  l)ody  of  land  of  not  less 
than   250  acres. 

JJoth  of  these  suppositions  hnd 
encouragement  in  freaks  of  nature 
Avhich  are  oliservablc  in  the  life- 
time of  the  average  man.  Less  than 
a  decade  ago  Perkins  Island,  in  the 
Etowah  River,  near  the  foot  of 
Fifth  Avenue,  was  yielding  sand  to 
a  concern  which  for  many  years 
had  sold  to  contractors  who  were 
erecting  the  most  substantialbuild- 
ings  in  Rome.  In  1920  suit  was  filed 
in  the  Superior  Court  of  Floyd 
county  by  the  Perkins  heirs  against 
Mrs.  J.  Lindsay  Johnson  to  prevent 
her  from  removing  the  sand.  Mrs. 
Johnson's  answer  recited  that  the 
island  had  stood  opposite  her  East 
Rome  farm,  separated  from  the 
mainland  by  a  narrow^  body  of  wa- 
ter. Accretions  of  sand  and  silt  had 
filled  up  this  channel  and  made  the 
island  part  of  the  mainland ;  there- 
fore, as  she  claimed,  the  former 
island   1)elonged   to   her. 

Another  island  A\hich  has  be- 
come ])art  of  the  mainland  in  like 
manner  was  at  Nixon's  sand  bar, 
Coosa  River,  just  below  and  across 
from  the  mouth  of  llorseleg  Creek. 
There  are  no  examples  as  con- 
spicuous as  these  in  which  new 
islands  have  been  formed,  but  ex- 
am])les  are  common  elsewhere, 
nota])ly    in   the    Mississippi   Valley. 

Certain  historians  wdio  do  not 
believe  DeSoto  camped  at  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Rome  locate  the  island 
down  the  Coosa  in  Alabama,  near 
the  Georgia  line.  However,  Pick- 
ett, Jones,  Knight  and  others  hold 


that  Chiaha  settlement  and  the 
])resent  site  of  Rome  are  identical, 
and  that  the  route  proceeded  down 
the  Coosa.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
that  DeSoto  resisted  the  suppli- 
cations of  his  men  to  turn  back 
toward  his  ships  and  first  landing 
place,  and  insisted  on  striking  re- 
peatedly northward  in  search  of 
gold.  Although  he  follow^ed  a  zig- 
zag course,  his  trail  was  generally 
northwestward,  allowing  for  a  con- 
siderable zag  toward  Mobile,  where 
he  won  a  great  battle  with  the 
Indians.  At  Chiaha  he  dispatched 
two  cavaliers  on  a  ten-day  journey 
northward.  There  appears  to  have 
been  no  point  in  his  going  below 
Columbus,  where  in  July  it  is  much 
hotter  than  the  North  Georgia 
mountains. 

The  Indians  all  along  the  route 
had  told  DeSoto  of  the  rich  prov- 
ince of  Chiaha,  the  Eldorado  of 
his  dreams.  To  the  principal 
towns  of  this  province  De- 
vSoto  had  sent  scouts  to  de- 
mand of  the  chiefs  a  tw^o  months' 
supply  of  maize  (Indian  corn).  On 
June  4,  1540,  DeSoto  entered  Chia- 
ha Town  via  the  valleys  of  the 
west  bank  of  the  Oostanaula  Riv- 
er, camped  his  cohorts  along  what 
has  for  many  years  been  known  as 
the  DeSoto  Road  of  the  DeSoto 
District  of  Floyd  County,  and 
crossed  the  Oostanavda  River 
(prol)ably  in  canoes)  with  his  ad- 
vance guard.  Here  he  w\as  warmly 
received  by  the  young  chief,  who 
spake  substantially  as  follows  as 
he  handed  DeSoto  a  long  string  of 
perfect  ])earls  :* 

Mighty  Chief:  Into  this  beautiful 
and  beloved  country  which  our  fathers 
have  hunted  for  the  beasts  and  birds 
of  the  forest  and  handed  down  to  us 
a  long  time  ago,  and  in  which  we  wor- 
ship the  Spirit  of  the  Sun  with  all  the 
strength  of  our  natures,  we  welcome 
you    as    friends    and    brothers.      Stay 


♦This  speech  is  supposed  to  be  more  nearly  typ- 
icaJ  of  Indian  nature  and  disposition  than  the 
polished  versions  of  the  chroniclers,  which  are 
unmistakably    Spanish. 


The  Spanish  Cavaliers  and  Their  Quest  for  Gold 


21 


with  us  as  long  as  you  desire;  live  in 
our  houses,  fish  and  hunt  with  us  in 
our  choice  places,  and  accept  our  gifts 
offered  you  from  our  hearts.  Tell  us 
at  once  your  mission,  that  we  may 
serve  you  with  the  fidelity  of  the  stars. 
You  have  asked  of  my  good  people 
supply  of  maize  to  sustain  your  power- 
ful tribe  two  months.  Here  you  will 
find  20  barbacoas  (barns)  bursting 
with  our  best  grain.  Welcome !  May 
your  people  and  my  people  enjoy  a 
peaceful  friendship  that  will  be  as 
strong  as  the  mountains  and  last  as 
long  as  the  sun  shines  warm  and  the 
rivers  of  Chiaha  run  cold. 

Through  an  interpreter  DeSoto 
thanked  the  chief  cordially,  then 
gave  to  him  some  trinkets  and 
coins. 

"Chocklestee !— Sit  down !"  in- 
vited the  chief,  and  turning  to  a 
group  of  copper-colored  warriors, 


he  said  :  "Talahi— chetawga — chis- 
(|ua !"  The  men  ran  to  a  picketed 
enclosure  and  brought  many  fowls 
and  dogs  for  the  hungry  Spaniards 
to  eat,  after  which  the  young  chief 
announced  that  DeSoto  would  stop 
at  "akwenasa"  (my  home). 

DeSoto  is  supposed  to  have  spent 
26-30  days  in  Chiaha,  after  which 
he  went  through  Alabama  and 
Western  Tennessee  and  discovered 
the  Mississippi  River  at  Chicka- 
saw Bluff,  below  Memphis.  He  died 
shortly  after  and  was  buried  in 
the  Mississippi  to  prevent  the  In- 
dians from  destroying  his  corpse. 
His  wdfe  died  in  Cuba  of  a  broken 
heart,  following  her  husband  short- 
ly. She  had  had  no  word  from  him 
since  his  departure. 


CHAPTER  II. 
John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 


I 


\'  SEPTEMBER,  1793,  an 
event  was  catalogued  in 
which  the  site  of  Rome  was 
l)rought  to  the  attention  of 
the  country.  Gen.  John  Sevier*  de- 
scended upon  Cherokee  GeorQ-ia 
from  Tennessee,  chasing  with  his 
800  men  1,000  Indians  who  had 
scalped  and  killed  thirteen  people 
at  Cavett's  Station,  near  Knox- 
ville,  and  had  retreated  southward. 
Gen.  Sevier  swept  out  of  his  path 
such  resistance  as  was  offered,  and 
burned  a  number  of  Indian  towns. 
Presently  he  arrived  at  Oostanau- 
la,  near  the  forks  of  the  Coosa- 
wattee  and  Connasauga  rivers,  and 
after  burning  this  village,  divided 
his  force.  With  half  he  proceeded 
dow^n  the  Oostanaula,  while  Col- 
onel Kelly  and  Major  Evans  were 
detailed  to  take  the  other  half 
down  the  Etow^ah  river,  and  to  de- 
stroy such  towns  as  they  found. 
On  Oct.  17,  1793,  the  Battle  of  Eto- 
wah was  fought. 

The  Kelly-Evans  force  discov- 
ered the  main  body  of  the  fleeing 
Indians  at  a  rocky  bluff  across  the 
Etowah.  Some  say  this  was  where 
the  Southern  Railway  now^  crosses 
the  river,  about  a  mile  above  Rome, 
while  others  hold  it  was  quite  a 
distance  farther  down  the  stream. 
The-  Indians  had  felled  numerous 
trees  and  behind  these  had  sought 
protection,  while  a  few  hid  in  the 
rocky  fissures  of  the  bluff".  Many 
others  had  been  strung  out  down 
the  river  bank  to  protect  a  ford. 
A  clever  ruse  dislodged  the  In- 
dians and  brought  about  their  de- 
feat. The  two  officers  took  their 
force  below  the  crossing  point.  Col- 
onel Kelly  and  several  others 
plunged  their  horses  in  and  swam 
across.  Thinking  the  wdiole  force 
was  coming  into  the  water  and 
hoping    to    shoot    them    with    ar- 


rows and  guns  before  they  could 
get  out,  part  of  the  Indians  left 
their  protection  and  bore  down 
upon  the  Colonel  and  his  squad, 
who  quickly  dashed  back  into  the 
Etowah.  In  the  meantime,  Capt. 
Evans  had  back-tracked  his  force 
to  the  ford,  and  there  crossing,  fell 
heavily  upon  the  surprised  foe,  and 
put  them  to  flight  with  a  heavy 
loss.  For  many  years  later  Indian 
bones  and  relics  could  be  found  in 
the  crevasses  of  the  hill. 

Such  of  the  Indians  as  escaped 
-swam  the  river  at  Myrtle  Hill 
cemetery,  and  made  a  stand  at  the 
western  foot  of  it.  Gen.  Sevier  hav- 
ing come  up  with  his  force,  the 
frontiersmen  inflicted  terrible 
slaughter  upon  the  red-skins,  and 
drove  them  in  contusion  dowai 
the  Coosa  Valley.  Sevier  is 
also  said  to  have  destroyed  Coosa 
Old  Town  at  this  time.  This  was  a 
village  which  has  been  located  by 
certain  people  on  the  Nixon  farm 
and  by  others  below  it  on  the  Coosa 
River. 

It  so  happened  that  most  of  these 
Tennessee  "squirrel  hunters"  were 
volunteers  who  had  had  a  friend  or 
relative  killed  at  Cavett's  Station, 
and  among  them  we  find  a  youth 
of  tender  years  named  Hugh  Law- 
son  White.**  Historians  relate  that 
in  this  engagement  the  young  pale- 
face shot  a  minie  ball  into  the 
l)reast  of  Chief  King  Fisher,  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  Indian  horde, 
killing  him  instantly  and  causing 
the  Indian  ranks  to  break  in  con- 


*Gen.  Sevier  was  a  Tennesseean  and  the  an- 
cestor of  the  Underwoods,  the  Rowells,  the 
Novins,  the  Pattons.  the  O'Neills,  the  Wylys 
and  others  of  Rome.  The  Cherokees  called  him 
"Nollichucky  Jack."  A  monument  glorifying 
his  exploit  at  the  site  of  Rome  was  erected 
at  the  western  base  of  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery  by 
the  Xavier  Chat)ter  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
American     Revolution. 

**A  kinsman  of  Dr.  James  Park,  of  Knox- 
ville,  and  his  descendants,  including  Mrs.  B.  I. 
Hughes  and   Mrs.   T.    F.   Howel,   of   Rome. 


John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 


23 


fusion.  Forty-two  years  later  Hugh 
Lawson  White  became  a  noted  man 
in  Tennessee — a_  judge,  Senator 
and  friend  and  supporter  of  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Jackson,  with  many 
of  the  Jacksonian  attrilmtes.  In 
1835  he  was  nominated  for  presi- 
dent by  the  Whigs,  and  carried  his 
own  state  over  Martin  Van  Buren, 
the  Democratic  nominee,  by  10,000 
majority.  It  was  said  that  Jack- 
son's support  would  have  won  for 
judge  \\'hite,  but  it  was  captured 
by  Van  Buren. 

A  more  complete  account  of  the 
Battle  of  Etowah  is  found  in  the 
Tennessee  Historical  Magazine 
(Nashville),  1918,  Vol.  IV,  pages 
207-9-10: 

Finding  the  authorities  powerless, 
the  patience  of  the  Cherokees  gave 
v/ay,  and  the  latter  part  of  August, 
1793,  provided  unmistakable  evidence 
of  Indian  hostility.  The  settlements 
were  put  in  a  posture  of  defense.  Gen. 
Sevier  was  posted  at  Ish's  station, 
across  the  river  from  Knoxville,  with 
400  mounted  infantry.  .  .  .  On  the 
evening  of  Sept.  24,  John  Watts,  at 
the  head  of  a  large  body  of  Indians, 
estimated  at  1,000  men  or  more,  com- 
posed of  Cherokees  and  Creeks,  cross- 
ed the  Tennessee  river  below  the  mouth 
of  Holston  and  marched  all  night  in 
the  direction  of  Knoxville.  They  avoid- 
ed Campbell's  station,  passed  within 
three  miles  of  Ish's,  and  daylight 
found  them  in  sight  of  Cavett's  sta- 
tion, eight  miles  west  of  Knoxville  .  .  . 

Col.  Watts  had  with  him  some  of 
the  most  intractable  chiefs  of  the  na- 
tion .  .  .  The  chiefs  disputed  whether 
they  should  kill  everybody  in  Knoxville 
or  only  the  men.  Doublehead  insisted 
on  the  former.  An  altercation  be- 
tween Doublehead  and  Vann  was  long 
and  heated.  Vann  had  a  little  boy,  a 
captive,  riding  behind  him.  Double- 
head  became  so  infuriated  that  he  killed 
the    little   boy.    .    .    . 

In  sight  of  Cavett's  station  there 
was  a  block  house  in  which  Alexander 
Cavett  and  family  of  thirteen  people 
resided,  only  three  of  whom  were  gun 
men.  The  three  made  a  brave  resist- 
ance. Alexander  Cavett,  the  father, 
died  with  bullets  in  his  mouth,  which 
he  had  placed  there  to  facilitate  load- 
ing. Five  Indians  fell  dead  or  wound- 
ed   before   their    rifles.      This    checked 


the  assaults  and  brought  on  a  parley. 
The  Bench,  Watts'  nephew,  who  spoke 
English,  agreed  with  the  besieged 
that  if  they  surrendered,  their  lives 
should  be  spared,  and  they  should  be 
exchanged  for  a  like  number  of  In- 
dian prisoners.  These  terms  were  ac- 
cepted and  the  little  garrison  sur- 
rendered. 

As  soon  as  they  left  the  blockhouse, 
Doublehead  and  his  party  fell  upon 
them  and  put  them  all  to  death  in 
the  most  barbarous  manner,  except 
Alexander  Cavett,  Jr.,  who  was  saved 
by  the  interposition  of  Col.  Watts, 
though  he  .  was  afterwards  killed  in 
the    Creek   towns   .   .   . 

Gen.  Sevier  being  rernfoi'ced  until 
his  army  numbered  about  700,  he 
marched  rapidly  southward  until  Oct. 
14,  1793,  when  he  reached  the  beloved 
town  of  Estaunaula.  The  town  was 
deserted,  but  since  it  contained  abund- 
ant provisions,  Sevier  halted  and  rest- 
ed his  men.  The  Indians  undertook 
to  disperse  his  camp  at  night,  but  the 
attack  was  unsuccessful.  From  some 
Cherokee  prisoners  taken  at  Estau- 
naula it  was  learned  that  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy,  composed  of  Cher- 
okees and  Creeks,  had  passed  the  place 
a  few  days  previously,  and  were  mak- 


.^^ 
n 


\. 


CKN.  .JOHN  SKVIKR,  early  jrovernor  of  Ten- 
nessee, who  in  1793  routed  a  band  of  Indians 
on  'Rome's  site   and   slew   Chief   KinBllsher. 


24 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ing  for  a  town  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Etowah  river.  After  refreshyig  his 
troops,  Gen.  Sevier  followed  the  enemy, 
reaching  the  confluence  of  the  Etowah 
and  the  Oostanaula  rivers  on  the  eve- 
ning of   the   17th. 

The  Creeks  and  a  number  of  Cher- 
okees  had  intrenched  themselves  on 
opposite  banks  of  the  Etowah,  to  ob- 
struct its  passage.  A  happy  mistake 
on  the  part  of  the  guides,  Carey  and 
Findleston*,  saved  the  day  for  the 
whites.  They  carried  Col.  Kelly's 
force  half  a  mile  below  the  ford, 
where  he  and  a  few  others  immediate- 
ly swam  the  river.  The  Indians,  dis- 
covering this  movement,  abandoned 
their  intrenchments  and  rushed  down 
the  river  to  oppose  Col.  Kelly.  Capt. 
Evans,  discovering  the  error,  wheel- 
ed, and  straining  his  horses  back  to 
the  ford,  dashed  into  the  river.  The 
Indians  at  the  ford,  under  the  com- 
mand of  King  Fisher,  a  Cherokee 
chief  of  the  first  consequence,  saw 
their  mistake,  and,  returning,  received 
Capt.  Evans'  company  furiously  at 
the  crossing  of  the  bank. 

The  engagement  was  hot  and  spirit- 
ed. The  King  Fisher  made  a  daring 
sally  within  a  few  yards  of  H.  L. 
White,  afterwards  the  distinguished 
jurist  and  statesman.  He  and  some 
of  his  comrades  discharged  their  rifles, 
the  King  Fisher  fell  and  his  warriors 
abandoned  the  field.  The  whites  lost 
three  men  in  the  engagement.  This 
campaign  ended  the  war  and  closed 
the  military  careers  of  Col.  Watts  and 
Gen.    Sevier. 

Gen.  Sevier's  official  report  of 
the  battle  follows  :** 

Ish's  Mills,  Tenn.,  25  Oct.,  1793. 
Sir: 

In  obedience  to  an  order  from  Sec- 
retary Smith,  I  marched  in  pursuit  of 
the  large  body  of  Indians  who  on  the 
25th  of  last  month  did  the  mischief 
in   Knox   County,   Grassy  Valley.    .    .    . 

We  directed  our  march  for  Esta- 
naula***  on  the  Coosa****  river,  at 
which  place  we  arrived  on  the  14th 
instant.  .  .  .  We  there  made  some 
Cherokee  prisoners,  who  informed  us 
that  John  Watts  headed  the  army  late- 
ly out  on  our  frontiers;  that  the  same 
was  composed  of  Indians  more  or  less 
fi'om  every  town  in  the  Cherokee  na- 
tion; that  from  the  Turkey's  Town, 
Sallyquoah,  Coosawaytah  and  several 
other  principal  ones  almost  to  a  man 
was  out,  joined  by  a  large  number  of 
the  upper  Creeks,  who  had  passed  that 


place  on  their  return  only  a  few  days 
since,  and  had  made  for  a  town  at  the 
mouth  of  Hightower  river.***** 

We,  after  refreshing  the  troops, 
marched  for  that  place,  taking  the 
path  that  leads  to  that  town,  along 
which  the  Creeks  had  marched,  in  five 
large  trails. 

On  the  17th  instant,  in  the  after- 
noon, we  arrived  at  the  forks  of  Coosa 
and  Hightower  rivers.  Col.  Kelly  was 
ordered  with  a  part  of  the  Knox  reg- 
iment to  endeavor  to  cross  the  High- 
tower. The  Creeks  and  a  number  of 
Cherokees  had  intrenched  themselves 
to  obstruct  the  passage.  Col.  Kelly 
and  his  pai'ty  passed  down  the  river 
half  a  mile  below  the  ford  and  began 
to  cross  at  a  private  place,  where 
there  was  no  ford.  Himself  and  a 
few  others  swam  over  the  river.  The 
Indians,  discovering  this  movement, 
immediately  left  their  intrenchments 
and  ran  down  the  river  to  oppose  their 
passage,  expecting,  as  I  suppose,  the 
whole  intended  crossing  at  the  lower 
place. 

Capt.  Evans  immediately  w'ith  his 
company  of  mounted  infantry  strained 
their  horses  back  to  the  upper  ford 
and  began  to  cross  the  river.  Very 
few  had,  got  to  the  south  bank  before 
the  Indians,  who  had  discovered  their 
mistake,  returned  and  received  them 
furiously  at  the  rising  of  the  bank. 
An  engagement  instantly  took  place 
and  became  very  warm,  and  notwith- 
standing the  enemy  w^ere  at  least  four 
to  one  in  numbers,  besides  the  advan- 
tage of  situation,  Capt.  Evans  with 
his-  heroic  company  put  them  in  a  short 
time  utterly  to  flight.  They  left  sev- 
eral dead  on  the  ground,  and  were 
seen  to  carry  others  off  both  on  foot 
and  on  horse.  Bark  and  trails  of 
blood  from  the  wounded  were  to  be 
seen   in  every  quarter. 

The  encampment  fell  into  our  hands, 
with  a  number  of  their  guns,  many  of 
vvhich  were  of  the  Spanish  sort,  with 
budgets,  plankets  and  match  coats,  to- 
gether with  some  horses.  We  lost 
three  men  in  this  engagement,  which 
is  all  that  have  fell  during  the  time 
of  our  route,  although  this  last  attack 
was  the  fourth  the  enemy  had  made 
upon  us,  but  in  the  others  repulsed 
without  loss. 


*Richard    Finnolson. 

**Sevier's  report  was  evidenth'  made  to  Gov. 
Wm.  Blount.  It  is  here  presented  from  Ramsey's 
Annals    of    Tennessee,    ps.    .587-8. 

'**Several    miles   east    of    Resaca. 

****Now    Oostanaula. 

*****Site   cf   Rome. 


John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 


25 


After  the  last  engagement  we  cross- 
ed the  main  Coosa,  then  proceeded  on 
our  way  down  the  main  river  near  the 
Turnip'  Mountain,*  destroying  in  our 
way  several  Creek  and  Chei'okee 
towns,  which  they  had  settled  together 
on  each  side  of  the  river,  and  from 
which  they  have  all  fled  with  appar- 
ent precipitation,  leaving  almost  every- 
thing behind  them.  Neither  did  they 
after  the  last  engagement  attempt  to 
annoy  or  interrupt  us  on  our  march, 
in  any  manner  whatever.  I  have  got 
reason  to  believe  their  ardor  and  spirit 
was  well  checked. 

The  party  flogged  at  Hightower 
were  those  which  had  been  out  with 
Watts.  There  are  three  or  four  men 
slightly  wounded  and  two  or  three 
horses  killed,  but  the  Indians  did  not, 
as  I  heard  of,  get  a  single  horse  from 
us  the  time  we  were  out.  We  took 
and  destroyed  nearly  300  beeves,  many 
of  which  were  of  the  best  and  largest 
kind.  Of  course  their  losing  so  much 
provision  must  distress  them  very 
much. 

Many  women  and  children  might 
have  been  taken,  but  from  motives 
of  humanity  I  did  not  encourage  it  to 
be  done,  and  several  taken  were  suf- 
fered to  make  their  escape.  Your  Ex- 
cellency knows  the  disposition  of  many 
that  were  out  on  this  expedition,  and 
can  readily  account  for  this  conduct. 

The  National  Encyclopedia  of 
American  Biography,  Vol.  II,  page 
395,  gives  Hugh  Lawson  White 
credit  for  the  death  of  the  Indian 
chief  mentioned  above :  "A  war 
Avitli  the  Cherokees  breaking  out, 
he  volunteered  under  Gen.  Sevier. 

.  .  and  at  Rtowah  shot  and  mor- 
tally wounded  the  Cherokee  chief, 
King  Fisher,  thus  ending  the  bat- 
tle.'' 

The  next  military  event  of  im- 
portance to  Cherokee  Ge(jrgia 
was  the  invasion  of  Alabama  by 
Gen.  John  Floyd  in  1814.  Gen.  Floyd 
was  a  native  of  Sotuh  Carolina  and 
a  descendant  of  noted  fighting  men. 
He  owned  Fairfield  Plantation, 
Camden  County,  where  he  died 
June  24,  1839,  after  having  served 
in  the  State  Legislature  and  in 
Congress.  He  defeated  the  Creek 
Indians,    allies    of    the    I'.ritish,    at 

*Site   of    Coosa    villaRe. 


Autossee,  Fort  Defiance,  and  Chin- 
ibee,  Ala.,  and  so  complete  was  the 
rout  that  the  warlike  Creeks  as 
a  nation  never  afterward  became 
dangerous  along  the  border,  and 
the  comparatively  peaceful  settle- 
ment of  Northwest  Georgia  was 
made  possible. 

Another  civilizing  intluence 
about  this  time  was  the  invention 
of  the  Cherokee  alphabet  of  85 
characters  by  Sequoyah  (George 
Guess  or  Gist),  an  uneducated  In- 
dian who  lived  at  Alpine,  Chattoo- 
ga County,  and  who  was  a  fre- 
quent visitor  to  Major  Ridge's  at 
his  home  on  the  Oostanatila.  Se- 
cjuoyah  wrote  on  bark  with  poke- 
berry  juice,  instructed  his  little 
daughter  and  any  Indian  who 
wished  to  learn.  He  went  west  to 
the  Indian  country  in  a  few  years, 
and  presently  his  alpliabet  was 
adopted  by  the  Cherokee  Nation 
and  was  used  along  with  English  in 
copies    of    the    Cherokee    Phoenix, 


GEN  JOHN  KLOYD,  Indian  fiKhter  and  Con- 
gressman, after  whom  in  1832  Floyd  County 
was    named. 


26 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


the  paper  edited  at  New  Echota  by 
Elias  Boudinot. 

Several  glimpses  into  Indian  and 
frontier  life  are  given  in  "The  Laws 
of  the  Cherokees,"  published  by 
the  Cherokee  Advocate  at  Tahle- 
quah.  Okla.,  in  1852.  One  of  these 
if  contained  in  an  order  from  the 
chiefs  and  warriors  in  National 
Council  at  "Broom's  Town,"  Sept. 
11,  1808.  (Broom's  Town  was 
probably  Broom  Town,  Cherokee 
County,  Ala.,  in  Broom  Town  Val- 
ley, and  about  five  miles  from 
Cloudland,  Chattooga  County,  Ga.). 
The  order  forms  "regulating  com- 
panies" of  one  captain,  one  lieu- 
tenant and  four  privates  each,  at 
annual  salaries  of  $50,  $40  and  $30, 
respectively,  for  the  purpose  of 
arresting  horse  thieves  and  pro- 
tecting property.  The  i)enalty  for 
stealing  a  horse  was  100  lashes  on 
the  bare  back  of  the  thief,  be  he 
man  or  woman,  and  fewer  lashes 
for  things  of  less  value  ;  and  if  a 
thief  resisted  the  "regulators"  with 
gun,  axe,  spear  or  knife,  he  could 
be  killed  on  the  spot. 


SEQUOYAH  (Geo.  Guess),  inventor  of  the 
Cherokee  Alphabet,  who  was  born  in  Chat- 
tooga   County,    near    Alpine. 


This  law  was  signed  by  Black 
Fox,  principal  chief;  Chas.  Hicks, 
secretary  to  the  Council ;  Path 
Killer  and  Toochalar.  These  offi- 
cials and  Turtle  at  Home,  Speaker 
of  the  Council,  drafted  the  follow- 
ing law  Apr.  10,  1810,  at  "Oostan- 
nallah,"  a  town  supposed  to  have 
been  located  about  three  miles  east 
of  Resaca,  Gordon  County,  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Connasauga 
(sometimes  known  at  that  point 
as  Oostanaula)  River,  near  the 
mouth  of  Polecat  Creek : 

Be  it  known  that  this  day  the  various 
clans  and  tribes  which  compose  the 
Cherokee  Nation  have  agreed  that 
should  it  happen  that  a  brother,  for- 
getting- his  natural  affection,  should 
use  his  hand  in  anger  and  kill  his 
brother,  he  shall  be  accounted  guilty 
of  murder  and  suffer  accordingly;  and 
if  a  man  has  a  horse  stolen,  and  over- 
takes the  thief,  and  should  his  anger 
be  so  great  as  to  cause  him  to  kill 
him,  let  his  blood  remain  on  his  own 
conscience,  but  no  satisfaction  shall 
be  demanded  for  his  life  from  his  rel- 
atives  or   the  clan   he   may  belong  to. 

"Echota"  was  the  Cherokee  term 
for  "town."  The  first  capital  is  said 
by  some  authorities  to  have  been 
originally  in  Virginia,  the  second 
in  North  Carolina  and  the  third  in 
East  Tennessee.  Prior  to  1825,  it 
appears,  John  Ross,  principal  chief, 
lived  at  Ross'  Landing,  Tennessee 
River,  now  Chattanooga.  The  first 
mention  in  the  Cherokee  laws  of 
New  Town  (or  New  Echota)  was 
under  date  of  Oct.  26,  1819.  This 
place  was  situated  on  the  south 
l)ank  of  the  Oostanaula  River,  in 
Gordon  County,  Ga.,  just  below 
the  confluence  of  the  Coosawattee 
and  the  Connasauga  Rivers  and 
presumably  three  miles  south  of 
Oostanaula   village. 

On  Oct.  28,  1819,  at  Newtown 
the  following  order  was  passed: 

This  day  decreed  by  the  National 
Committee  and  Council,  That  all  citi- 
zens of  the  Cherokee  Nation  establish- 
ing a  store  for  the  purpose  of  vend- 
ing merchandise  shall  obtain  license 
for  that  purpose  from  the  clerk  of  the 


John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 


27 


National  Council,  for  which  each  and 
every  person  so  licensed  shall  pay  a 
tax  of  $25  per  annum,  and  that  no 
other  but  citizens  of  the  Cherokee  Na- 
tion shall  be  allowed  to  establish  a  per- 
manent store  within  the  Nation.  And 
it  is  also  decreed  that  no  peddlers  not 
citizens  of  the  Nation  shall  be  permit- 
ted to  vend  merchandise  in  the  Nation 
without  first  obtaining  license  from 
the  Agent  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Cherokee  Nation,  agreeably  to  the  laws 
of  the  United  States,  and  each  and 
everyone  so  licensed  shall  pay  $80  to 
the  treasurer  of  the  Cherokee  Nation 
annually. 

This  law  was  signed  by  John 
Ross,  President  of  the  National 
Committee ;  Path  Killer,  Chas.  R. 
Hicks  and  Alex  McCoy,  clerk. 
Three  years  later  George  M.  Lav- 
ender encountered  its  provisions 
by  establishing  the  first  trading 
post  near  Rome,  at  the  old  home 
of  Major  Ridge  up  the  Oostanaula 
River. 

The  first  reference  to  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Rome  appears  in  a  law 
passed  Oct.  30,  1819,  at  New  Town, 
as  follows  : 

Whereas,  the  Big  Rattling  Gourd*, 
Wm.  Grimit,  Betsey  Brown,  The  Dark, 
Daniel  Griffin  and  Mrs.  Lesley  hav- 
ing complained  before  the  Chiefs  of  a 
certain  company  of  persons  having 
formed  a  combination  and  established 
a  turnpike  arbitrarily,  in  opposition 
to  the  interest  of  the  above-named 
persons,  proprietors  of  a  privileged 
turnpike  on  the  same  road,  be  it  now, 
therefore,  known 

That  said  complaint  having  been 
submitted  by  the  Council  to  the  Na- 
tional Committee  for  a  decision,  and 
after  maturely  investigating  into  the 
case,  have  decided  that  the  said  new 
company  of  the  disputed  turnpike  shall 
be  abolished,  and  that  the  above-named 
persons  are  the  only  legal  proprietors 
to  establish  a  turnpike  on  the  road 
leading  from  Widow  Fool's  (ferry)  at 
the  forks  of  Ilightower  (Etowah)  and 
Oostannallah  Rivers  to  Will's  Creek  by 

*Tho  Rigr  Rattline  Gourd  wns  a  snl)-chief 
whd  lived  at  r.n«'  tinip  at  Cave  Si)ring.  His  wife 
proved  unfaithful  to  him  and  in  a  moment  of 
antjer  he  hit  otf  her  nose  and  otherwise  ro 
maltreated  her  that  she  died.  AccordinR  to  Mrs. 
Harriet  Connor  Stevens,  of  Cave  Sprinpr,  Bho 
was  buried  on  the  spot  where  th^  Cave  Spring 
postofRce    now    stands. 

**General  route  of  thp  present  Alabama 
Road.  Turkey  Town  was  in  P^towah  County,  Ala. 


v.ay  of  Turkey  Town;**  and  the  said 
company  shall  be  bound  to  keep  in  re- 
pair said  road,  to  commence  from  the 
first  creek  east  of  John  Fields,  Sr'a 
home,  by  the  name  where  Vann  was 
shot,  and  to  continue  westward  to  the 
extent  of  their  limits;  and  that  the 
Widow  Fool  shall  also  keep  in  repair 
for  the  benefit  of  her  ferry  at  the  fork, 
the  road  to  commence  from  the  creek 
above  named  to  where  Ridge's  Road  now 
intersects  said  road  east  of  her  ferry, 
and  that  the  Ridges  shall  also  keep  in 
repair  the  road  to  commence  at  the 
Two  Runs,  east  of  his  ferry,  and  to 
continue  by  way  of  his  ferry  as  far 
as  where  his  road  intersects  the  old 
road,  leading  from  the  fork  west  of 
his  ferry,  and  that  also  the  High- 
tower  Turnpike  Co.  shall  keep  in  re- 
pair the  road  from  the  Two  Runs  to 
where  it  intersects  the  Federal  Road, 
near  Blackburn's. 

This  law  was  signed  by  Ross, 
Path  Killer,  Hicks  and  McCoy. 

In  1820,  also  at  New  Town  or 
New^  Echota,  a  law  was  passed  di- 
viding the  Cherokee  country  of 
Georgia,  Alabama  and  Tennessee 
into  eight  territorial  and  judicial 
districts :  Amoah,  Aquohee,  Chal- 
loogee,  Chickamaugee,  Coosewa- 
tee,  Etowah,  Hickory  Log  and 
Tahquohee.  In  a  description  of 
the  Coosewatee  District  the  ferry 
of  the  Widow  Fool  is  again  men- 
tioned. 

It  would  a])pear  that  for  about 
six  years,  from  1819  to  1825,  the 
Cherokee  National  Committee  and 
Council  held  their  meetings  at  New 
Echota.  On  Nov.  12,  1825,  it  was 
resolved  to  establish  a  town  with 
suitalde  buildings,  wide  streets  and 
a  park : 

That  100  town  lots  of  one  acre 
square  be  laid  off  on  the  Oostannallah 
River,  commencing  below  the  mouth 
of  the  creek  (Town),  nearly  opposite 
to  the  mouth  of  Caunasauga  River,  the 
public  square  to  embrace  two  acres  of 
ground,  which  town  shall  be  known 
and  called  I]chota.  There  shall  be  a 
main  street  of  60  feet,  and  the  other 
streets  shall  be  50  feet. 

That  the  lots  when  laid  off  be  sold 
to  the  highest  bidder,  the  second  Mon- 
day   in    February    next,    the    proceeds 


28 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


to  be  appropriated  for  the  benefit  of 
the    public    buildings    in    said    town. 

That  three  commissioners,  Judge 
Martin.  George  Saunders  and  Walter 
S.  Adair,  superintend  the  laying  off  of 
the  lots. 

That  all  the  ground  lying  within  the 
following  bounds,  not  embraced  by  the 
lots,  shall  remain  as  commons  for  the 
convenience  of  the  town:  beginning 
at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  opposite  the 
mouth  of  Caunasauga,  and  up  said 
creek  to  the  mouth  of  the  dry  branch 
on  which  Geo.  Hicks  lives,  up  said 
branch  to  the  point  of  the  ridges,  and 
thence  in  a  circle  around  along  said 
ridges,  by  the  place  occupied  by  the 
Crying  Wolf  (lately  occupied  by  War 
Club),  thence  to  the   river. 

Signing;  tliis  document  were  John 
Ross,  President  of  the  National 
Committee ;  Major  Ridge,*  Speak- 
er of  the  Council ;  Path  Killer. 
Chas.  R.  Hicks,**  A.  McCoy,  clerk 
of  the  National  Committee,  and 
Elias  Boudinot,  clerk  of  the  Na- 
tional Council. 

Thus  we  see  the  Cherokees,  driv- 
en from  j)illar  to  post  by  the  en- 
croaching pale-faces,  marshaling' 
their  forces  for  a  last  ditch  stand. 
Their  first  expedient  Avas  to  estab- 
lish "a  nation  within  a  nation," 
hence  the  concentration  of  power 
in  a  Principal  Chief,  a  National 
Committee  and  a  National  Coun- 
cil, and  a  regular  seat  of  govern- 
ment at  New  Kchota ;  their  second 
expedient  was  resort  to  such  force 
as  they  could  command — highway 
assassination,  attacks  on  isolated 
families,  tribal  uprisings  —  and 
finally,  when  state  and  federal  gov- 
ernment pressure  became  too 
great,  non-intercourse  and  passive 
resistance.  Their  newspaper  pr(n'ed 
a  feeble  weapon. 

As  far  back  as  the  presidency  of 
George  Washington  (1794)  we 'find 
pow-wows  in  Philadeljihia  (then 
the  national  capital)  with  the  Cher- 
okees and  other  tribes  of  the  va- 
rious states  in  the  east  and  the 
southeast.  In  1803  Thos.  JeiYerson, 
then  President,  suggested  a  gen- 
eral movement  westward.   In   1817 


and  in  1819,  during  the  Presidency 
of  James  Monroe,  important  trea- 
ties were  signed  with  the  Chero- 
kees, involving  cessions  of  land.  In 
1802,  during  the  administration  of 
Mr.  JelTerson, Georgia  had  ceded  to 
the  United  States  government  all 
the  land  she  owned  westward  to 
the  Mississippi  River,  now  the 
states  of  Alabama  and  Mississippi, 
in  exchange  for  the  government's 
promise  to  extinguish  the  Indian 
title  to  land  within  Georgia's  pres- 
ent boundaries.  Twenty  years 
passed  ;  nothing  having  been  done, 
(jOv.  Geo.  M.  Troup  pressed  the 
matter  upon  the  attention  of  Presi- 
dent James  Monroe,  and  the  Presi- 
dent called  a  meeting  in  1825  for 
Indian  Springs.  Here  the  Lower 
Creeks,  led  by  Gen.  Wm.  Mcintosh, 
ignored  the  hostile  Alabama 
Creeks,  who  did  not  attend,  and 
signed  away  their  Georgia  lands. 
This  act  infuriated  the  Alabama 
Creeks,  and  170  men  volunteered  to 
kill  Gen.  Mcintosh,  who  lived  at 
"Mcintosh  Reserve,"onthe  Chatta- 
hoochee River,  five  miles  southwest 
of  Whitesburg,  in  what  is  now  Car- 
roll County.  The  band  lay  in  the 
woods  until  3  o'clock  one  morning, 
;ind  proceeded  to  the  Mcintosh 
home  with  a  cjuantity  of  pitch  pine 
on  the  Ijacks  of  three  warriors. 
Presently  the  pine  knots  were  ig- 
riited  and  thrown  under  the  house, 
and  the  structure  blazed  up 
brightly.  From  the  second  story 
Mcintosh  fought  ofif  his  enemies 
with  four  guns,  but  eventually  the 
heat  forced  him  to  descend,  and 
when  he  exposed  himself  he  was 
shot,  then  dragged  into  the  yard 
and  killed  with  knives. 

The  Alabama  Creeks  having 
claimed  the  Indian  Springs  instru- 
ment was  "no  treaty,"  the  incom- 

*Major  Ridge  was  a  powerful  orator,  but  it 
is  said  he  was  uneducated  and  could  not  write 
his  name.  The  state  papers  of  the  Cherokees 
usually  have  after  his  name  "his  mark."  Path 
Killer    also    signed   by    touching   the    pen. 

**Chas.  R.  Hicks  became  the  first  principal 
chief  after  the  Cherokees  had  set  up  their  re- 
vised structure  of  government  at  New  Echota. 
He  was  succeeded  in   1828  by  John  Ross. 


John  Sevier,  John  Floyd  and  the  Indians 


29 


ing  president,  John  Quincy  Adams, 
took  their  side  and  ordered  Gov. 
Troup  not  to  survey  the  lands  just 
cedecl.  The  Georgia  Governor  de- 
fied Mr.  Adams  and  told  him  if 
United  States  troops  invaded  Geor- 
gia soil,  Georgia  troops  would  put 
them  off.  Trouble  was  averted  by 
a  new  agreement  in  which  the  In- 
dians were  given  about  $28,000. 

The  Creek  settlement  furnished 
a  suggestion  for  the  agents  who 
ten  years  later  negotiated  with  a 
minority  faction  of  the  Cherokees, 
as  will  be  told  more  fully  herein 
hereafter.  Farther  down,  in  South 
Georgia     and     Florida,     were     the 


such  establishment.  Samuel  A. 
Worcester,  a  native  of  Worcester, 
Mass.,  had  charge  of  a  mission 
at  New  Echota.  Missionary 
Station,  at  Coosa,  Floyd  Coun- 
ty, was  in  the  care  of  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  Elijah  Butler,  who  were 
sent  out  from  South  Canaan,  Conn., 
by  the  American  Baptist  Commit- 
tee on  Foreign  Missions.  In  1831 
Dr.  Worcester,  Dr.  Butler  and  nine 
others  were  sentenced  to  a  term  of 
four  years  in  the  Georgia  peni- 
tentiary, at  Milledgeville,  and 
served  a  year  and  four  months. 
They  were  charged  with  pernicious 
activities  among  the  Indians.  'IMieir 


KsovJ  du  rthti^nv  (3)wj  Hyo  e\)s. 


THE      CHEROKEE      ALPHABFT 


Seminoles,  who  gave  considerable 
trouble,  but  were  generally  less  of 
a  bone  of  contention  than  the 
Creeks  and  the  Cherokees. 

The  clan  system  among  the 
Cherokees  was  abolished  about 
1800.  The  clans  were  W\)lf,  Deer, 
Paint,  Longhair,  Bird,  Blind  Sa- 
vannah and  Holly.  Jno.  Ross  was 
a  Bird,  Major  Ridge  a  Deer  and 
David    Vann   a   Wolf. 

Prior  to  1820  Congress  appro- 
priated $10,000  yearly  toward  the 
maintenance  of  missions  and  mis- 
sionaries among  the  Indians  of 
Cherokee  Georgia  and  contiguous 
territory.  The  P)rainerd  Mission 
was  located  on  Missionary  Ridge. 
Tenn.,   and   was   pro])ably   the   first 


release   was    brought    al)out    when 
they  agreed  to  lca\c  tlic  Slate. 

Pressure  on  the  IncHans  may  be 
said  to  have  been  exerted  from  two 
directions ;  it  proceeded  from  the 
oldest  section  of  the  State,  the 
neighborhood  of  Augusta,  Savan- 
nah and  Darien,  in  a  generally 
northwesterly  direction,  and  from 
South  Carolina,  in  a  westerly  di- 
rection. Various  land  si)eculators, 
adventurers,  criminals  and  good, 
substantial  ])eo])le  began  to  over- 
run the  Ciierokee  country.  Under 
letter  date  of  Aug.  6,  1832,  from 
the  Council  Ground  at  Red  Clay, 
Whitfield  County,  the  following 
red-skins  ])roteste(l  to  Lewis  Cass, 


30 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Secretary  of  War,  against  the  pale- 
face   encroachments  :* 

Richard  Taylor,  President  of  Com- 
mittee; John  Ridge. 

Major  Ridge,  his  x  mark,  Geo.  M. 
Waters,   Executive  Council. 

Wm.    Roques,   clerk   of   committee. 

John  Ross,  Going  Snake,  speaker  of 
committee;  Joseph  Vann,  David  Vann, 
James  Daniel,  Thos.  Foreman,  Alexan- 
der McDaniel,  his  x  mark;  Fox  Bald- 
ridge,  Samuel  Gunter;  Chincumkah, 
his  X  mark ;  Young  Glass,  hix  x  mark ; 
John  Foster,  Te-sat-es-kee,  his  x  mark; 
Ed.  Duncan,  John  Watts,  his  x  mark; 
John  Wayne,  his  x  mark;  Sit-u-akee, 
his  X  mark;  Bean  Stick,  his  x  mark; 
Walking  Stick,  his  x  mark;  N.  Connell, 
Richard  Fielding,  John  Timson,  Wm. 
Doling,  George  Still,  his  x  mark;  Hair 
Conrad,  his  x  mark;  Sleeping  Rabbit,"* 
his  X  mark;  Archibald  Campbell,  his  x 
mark;  The  Buck,  his  x  mark;  White 
Path,  his  X  mark;  John  R.  Daniel, 
Ruquah,  his  x  mark;  James  Speaks, 
his  X  mark ;  Sweet  Water,  his  x  mark ; 
Peter,  his  x  mark;  Soft  Shell  Turtle, 
his  X  mark;  A.  McCoy,  George  Lowry. 
U.  S.  Agent  Elisha  W.  Chester,  wit- 
ness. 


It  was  not  until  Oct.  23,  1832, 
however,  that  the  situation  became 
so  acute  as  to  call  for  the  most 
delicate  diplomacy  from  national 
and  state  governments.  Then  it 
was  that  the  lottery  drawings  for 
the  Cherokee  lands  were  held,  and 
the  influx  of  settlers  became  gen- 
eral. Like  a  plague  of  locusts  the 
new-comers  alighted  on  the  choice 
hunting  grounds  of  the  Cherokees. 
The  territory  was  broken  up  into 
counties,  and  thus  was  also  broken 
the  friendship  between  the  con- 
tending parties,  Avhich  for  so  long 
had  been  hanging  by  a  slender 
thread.  John  Ross  directed  a  pro- 
test to  his  tribesmen  which  caused 
tliem  to  fast  for  several  days.  The 
Indians  assumed  an  ugly  attitude, 
])ut  it  availed  little,  as  we  shall 
]^resently    see. 

*American  State  Papers,  Military  Affairs, 
Vol.   5,  ps.  28-9. 

**It  was  at  his  one-room  log  cabin,  in  Ten- 
nessee, that  Jno.  Ross  and  Jno.  Howard  Payne 
were    arrested    Nov.    7,    1835. 


<^i^ 


111 

3  9  ?   a  J  g  f 


PART  II 

'ANCIENT  ROME 
1834-1861 


CHAPTER  I. 
Rome's  Establishment  and  Early  Days 


I 


X  THE  spring  of  1834  two 
lawyers   were  traveling  on 
horseback    from    Cassville, 
Cass     County,     to     attend 
court    at    Livingston,    the    county 
seat  of  Floyd.  They  were  Col.  Dan- 
iel R.  Mitchell,  a  lawyer  of  Canton, 
Cherokee  County,  and  Col.  Zacha- 
riah   B.  Hargrove,  Cassville  attor- 
ney, formerly  of  Covington,  New- 
ton  County.    The   day   was   warm 
and  the   travelers   hauled    up   at   a 
small  spring  on  the  peninsula  which 
separates  the  Etow^ah  and  the  Oos- 
tanaula    rivers    at    their    junction. 
Here  they  slaked  their  thirst  and 
sat  down   under   a   willow   tree   to 
rest    before    proceeding    on    their 
way. 

Col.  Hargrove  gazed  in  admira- 
tion on  the  surrounding  hills  and 
remarked :  "This  would  make  a 
splendid  site  for  a  town." 

"I  was  just  thinking  the  same," 
returned  his  companion.  "There 
seems  to  be  plenty  of  water  round 
about  and  extremely  fertile  soil 
and  all  the  timber  a  man  could 
want." 

A  stranger  having  come  up  to 
refresh  himself  at  the  spring,  and 
having  overheard  the  conversation, 
said:  "Gentlemen,  you  will  par- 
don me  for  intruding,  but  1  have 
been  convinced  for  some  time  that 
the  location  of  this  place  offers  ex- 
ceptional opportunities  for  l)uild- 
ing  a  city  that  would  become  the 
largest  and  most  prosperous  in 
Cherokee  Georgia.  I  live  two  miles 
south  of  here.  My  business  takes 
me  now  and  then  to  George  M. 
Lavender's  trading  post  up  the 
Oostanaula  there,  and  I  never  pass 
this  spot  l)Ut  T  think  of  what  could 
be  done." 

The  last  speaker  introduced  him- 
self as  Maj.  rhilip  Walker  Hemp- 


hill, planter.  Learning  the  mission 
of  the  travelers,  he  added :  "The 
court  does  not  open  until  tomorrow 
afternoon.  You  gentlemen  are  no 
doubt  fatigued  by  your  journey, 
and  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure 
if  you  will  accompany  me  home 
and  spend  the  night.  There  we  can 
discuss  the  matter  of  locating  a 
town  at  this  place." 

Col.  Mitchell  and  Col.  Hargrove 
accepted   with    thanks.     The   three 
left    the    spring    (which    still    runs 
under   Broad    street   at  the   south- 
east    corner     of     Third    Avenue), 
crossed  the  Etowah  River  on  John 
Ross'  "Forks  Ferry,"  and  proceed- 
ed   with    Major    Hemphill    to    his 
comfortable     plantation     home     at 
what  is   now   DeSoto   Park.    Here 
they  went  into  the  question  more 
deeply.     A   cousin   of   Maj.   Hemp- 
hill,   Gen.    James    Hemphill,    who 
lived  about  ten  miles  down  Vann's 
Valley,    had   recently   been    elected 
to    the     Georgia     legislature,     and 
could  no  doubt  bring  about  a   re- 
moval   of    the    county    site    from 
Livingston  to   Rome  ;  he  was  also 
commanding  officer  of  the  Georgia 
Militia  in  the  section. 

After  court  was  over,  Col.  Mitch- 
ell   and    Col.    Hargrove    spent    an- 
other   night    witli    Maj.    llcmphill, 
;ind    the    next    morning    Col.    Wm. 
v'^mith    ^vas    called    in    from    Cave 
Spring,     and     l)ecame     the     fourth 
member   of   tlie    company.     It    was 
there     agreed     that     all     availal^le 
land  would  be  acquired  immediate- 
1\'.     the     fcrr\-     rights     would     be 
!)ought  and  the  ground  laid  olt  in 
lots.    Gen.  Hemphill  was  requested 
to  confer   witli   his  compatriots   at 
Milledgcvillc    and    draw    up    a    l)ill 
for  removal.   The  projectors  wcnild 
give   sufiicient   land   for  the   imblic 
l)uildings  and  in   time  would  make 
the    ferries   free   and   cause   neces- 


34 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


sary  bridges  to  be  built,  as  well  as 
to  lay  out  streets  at  once.  A  con- 
tract along-  these  lines  was  signed 
with  the  Inferior  Court  of  Floyd 
County.  Since  Col.  Mitchell  and 
Col.  Ilargrove  were  fairly  well  es- 
tablished elsewhere,  and  it  would 
be  some  time  before  they  could 
move,  they  agreed  to  leave  the  le- 
gal matters  in  the  hands  of  John 
II.  I<uni])kin,  of  Oglethorpe  Coun- 
ty, who  was  ready  to  resign  as  sec- 
retary to  his  uncle,  Governor  Wil- 
son Lumpkin,  and  to  grow  uj)  with 
the  new   town. 

These  five  i)ii)neers  put  five 
names  into  a  hat,  it  having  been 
agreed  that  the  name  drawn  out 
should  be  the  name  of  the  city 
they  were  to  build.  Col.  Smith 
put  in  the  name  Ilillsboro,  typify- 
ing the  hills,  and  this  later  became 
the  name  of  the  suburb  he  develop- 
ed. South  Rome ;  Col.  Hargrove 
suggested  Pittsburg,  after  the  iron 
?nd   steel    metropolis    of     Pennsyl- 


DANIEL  R.  MITCHELL,  lawyer  and  one  of 
four  founders  of  Rome,  who  gave  to  the 
young    city    its    name. 


\ania ;  Col.  Hemphill  preferred 
Hamburg,  after  the  great  commer- 
cial city  of  Germany ;  Col.  Mitch- 
cll,  recalling  the  seven  hills  of  an- 
cient Rome  on  the  Tiber,  wanted 
Rome ;  and  Mr.  Lumpkin  favored 
Warsaw,  after  the  city  of  Poland. 
The  name  Rome  was  extracted  and 
became  the  name  of  the  town. 

Among  other  early  settlers  of 
Rome  or  Floyd  County  were  the 
following : 

Col.  Alfred  Shorter,  who  came 
from  Society  Hill,  Ala.,  to  finance 
the  o])erations  of  William  Smith, 
on  a  half  interest  basis ;  Joseph 
Watters  and  John  Rush,  of  the 
Watters  District ;  John  Ellis,  Jos. 
B'ord.  judge  W.  H.  Underwood, 
Alford  B.  Reece,  Thos.  G.  Watters, 
Thos.  S.  Price,  Wesley  Shropshire, 
Edward  Ware,  Thos.  and  Elijah 
Lumpkin,  Micajah  Mayo,  Elkanah 
Everett,  of  Everett  Springs;  A. 
Tabor  Hardin,  Wm.  C.  Hardin, 
Nathan  Bass,  Thos.  Selman,  Rev. 
Genuluth  Winn,  Dr.  Alvin  Dean, 
Isaac  and  John  P.  Bouchillon,  Wm. 
Ring,  John  Smith,  Shade  Green, 
Dr.  Jesse  Carr,  Jno.  W.  Walker, 
Henry  W.  Dean,  Jno.  Townsend, 
Jeremiah  L.  McArver,  Sam  Smith, 
Wm.  Mathis,  G.  T.  Mitchell,  Fletch- 
er Carver,  J.  W.  Carver,  J.  D.  Alex- 
ander, Col.  Jno.  R.  Hart,  Gilbert 
Cone,  Dr.  IL  V.  M.  Miller,  Thos.  W. 
Burton,  A.  D.  Shackelford,  Thos. 
C.  Hackett,  James  McEntee,  Wm. 
T.  I 'rice,  R.  S.  Norton,  C.  M.  Pen- 
nington, Rev.  Shaler  (i.  Hillyer, 
\\\u.  E.  Alexander,  W.  S.  Cothran, 
A.  B.  Ross,  Jobe  Rogers,  Jno.  and 
Wm.  Dejournett,  Judge  Jno.  W 
Hooper,  Ewell  Meredith,  Col.  Jas. 
Liddell  (or  Ladelle),  Alfred  Brown, 
James  Wells,  Jesse  Lamberth,  Ter- 
rence  McGuire,  Dennis  Hills,  Dr. 
Thos.  Hamilton,  Samuel  Mobley, 
Wm.  Montgomery,  Fielding  Hight, 
Green  Cunningham  and  Samuel 
Stewart. 

Jackson  County  appropriately 
bears  the  name  "Mother  of  Floyd," 


Rome's  Establishment  and  Early  Days 


35 


l)ecaiise  of  the  number  and  promi- 
nence of  her  citizens  who  settled 
i;i  Cave  Spring,  Vann's  Valley  or 
Rome.  Among  these  might  be  men- 
tioned Mrs.  Alfred  Shorter,  Major 
Philip  W.  Hemphill  and  his  brother, 
Chas.  Jonathan  Hemphill ;  Col.  and 
]\rrs.  Wm.  Smith  and  her  brother, 
)no.  Willis  Mayo,  and  her  kinsman, 
Micajah  Mayo,  after  whom  the 
Mayo  Bar  lock  was  named ;  Col. 
Smith's  brothers,  Chas.,  John  and 
Elijah  A.  Smith  ;  Gen.  Jas.  Hemp- 
hill, Walton  H.  Jones,  Peyton  Skip- 
with  Randolph,  Newton  Green, 
Col.  James  Liddell  (or  Ladelle), 
and  Wm.  Montgomery.  Most  of 
these  settled  in  Vann's  \^alley  or 
Cave  Spring  and  thus  furnished  the 
inspiration  for  Rome.  Generally 
they  hailed  from  Jefferson,  home  of 
Dr.  Crawford  W.  Long. 

In   1828  the  Georgia  Legislature 
liad  passed  a  law  extending  juris- 
diction over  the  Cherokee  country, 
thus    ending  the    "nation   within   a 
nation"  dream.  On  Dec.  3,  1832,  less 
than  two  months  after  the  lottery 
cu-awings,    the    Legislature    passed 
an   act  providing  for  a  division  of 
Cherokee    Georgia    into    ten    large 
counties :     Floyd,    called    after    the 
Indian    fighter,    Gen.    Jno.    Floyd, 
of  Camden  County ;  Cherokee,  For- 
syth, Lumpkin,  Cobb,  Gilmer.  Cass, 
Murray,      Paulding      and      Lnion. 
Roughly    speaking,    this    territory 
lay   northwest    of    tlie    Chattahoo- 
chee   River,   and    was   bounded   on 
the   north    by   the   Tennessee    line, 
nnd  on   the   west  b_\-  the   Alabama 
line.    Graduallv  more  and  more  di- 
visions were  made,  until  today  the 
territory   is   composed   of   the   fol- 
lowing additional  ccranties  :   Dade, 
Walker,  Catoosa.  Chattooga,   ]^>ar- 
tow,  (jordon,  Polk,  Haralson,  Car- 
roll,    Douglas,     Milton,     Dawson, 
White,     Fannin,    Pickens,    Rabun, 
'J'owns  and  Habersham,  and  parts 
of  Hall,  Heard  and  TroU]). 

*Acts,    1833,    ps.    321-2. 
**Acts,    1834,    ps.    250-1. 


Floyd  was  surveyed  by  Jacob 
M.  Scudder,  who  in  1833  was  em- 
ployed by  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment to  ap])raise  Indian  lands 
and  improvements  near  Cave 
Spring.  Mr.  Scudder's  name  ap- 
pears on  the  early  records  at  the 
Floyd  County  courthouse  in  a  real 
estate  transaction,  but  there  is  no 
evidence  that  he  ever  lived  at  Rome. 
Livingston,  a  hamlet  located  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Coosa  River 
at  Foster's  Bend,  about  14  miles 
below^  Rome,  was  chosen  by  legis- 
lative act  of  Dec.  21,  1833*  as  the 
county  seat,  and  a  log  cabin  court- 
house was  erected  at  which  one  or 
more  sessions  of  court,  presided 
over  ])y  Judge  Jno.  W.  Hooper, 
were  held,  and  in  which  quite  a 
numl)er  of  Indians  appeared  as 
jjrosecutors  and  defendants. 

The  removal  of  the  county  seat 
from  Livingston  to  Rome  took 
place  under  authoritv  of  an  act 
passed    Dec.    20,    1834>*   and    was 


PHILIP  WALKER  HEMPHILL,  planter  and 
one  of  Rome's  projectors,  who  in  1846  moved 
to   Mississippi. 


36 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


consummated  in  1835.  However, 
a  considerable  settlement  had 
sprung  up  prior  to  this  in  Vann's 
Valley.  On  the  "pale-face  side"  of 
the  Chattahoochee  a  large  and 
restless  element  had  been  held  back 
by  the  existing  conditions,  but 
when  encouragement  was  given  by 
the  Georgia  authorities  to  en- 
croachments on  the  Indian  lands, 
this  tide  overflowed  into  the  Cher- 
okee country. 

The  countv  site  was  removed 
to  Land  Lot  245,  23rd  District,  3rd 
Section,  Head  of  Coosa,  Floyd 
County,  the  new  place  to  be  known 
as  Rome.*  The  first  Saturday  in 
February,  1835,  was  set  as  the  date 
for  selecting  five  commissioners 
for  one-year  terms.**  Parts  of 
land  lot  244,  east  of  the  Oostanaula 
and  276,  north  of  the  Hightower 
(Etowah),  were  also  reserved  for 
the  growth  of  the  town.  The  act 
further  stated  that  nothing  therein 
was  to  be  considered  in  conflict 
with  a  contract  made  previously 
by  Wm.  Smith,  ct  al.,  with  the  In- 
ferior Court. 

An  amendment***  to  the  act  of 
1834,  passed  Dec.  29,  1838,  provided 
for  creation  of  the  office  of  "in- 
tendant,"  which  means  "superin- 
tendent" l)y  the  dictionary,  but 
probably  meant  "mayor"  in  those 
days;  also  included  were  commis- 
sioners, clerk,  marshal,  etc.,  and 
some  salaries  were  fixed. 

David  Vann,  a  Cherokee  sub- 
chief,  had  settled  near  Cave  Si)ring 
in  the  valle_\'  wliicli  was  given  his 
name,  and  in  this  valley  between 
the  present  Rome  and  Cave  Spring 
people  began  to  "squat"  several 
years  before  there  was  a  Rome. 
In  1828,  Major  Armistead  Rich- 
ardson, father-in-law  of  the  late 
Judge  Augustus  R.  Wright,  of 
Rome,  removed  to  Vann's  Valley 
from  Augusta  and  with  the  as- 
sistance of  a  number  of  enthusi- 
astic associates  began  preparations 


for     the     establishment     of     Cave 
Spring  in    1831. 

Ridge  Valley,  seven  miles  north 
of  Rome,  had  been  settled  simul- 
taneously with  the  Vann's  Valley 
settlement.  This  valley  was  named 
after  another  Indian  leader,  Major 
Ividge.  \vho  is  supposed  to  have 
lived  in  it.  at  the  present  Rush 
place,  at  Hermitage,  a  number  of 
years  before  moving  to  the  Oosta- 
naula near  Rome. 

The  period  of  John  Ross'  resi- 
dence in  DeSoto  (Rome's  present 
Fourth  ward)  has  not  been  deter- 
mined accurately.  However,  a  sat- 
isfactory conclusion  may  be  drawn 
from  the  fact  that  the  Cherokee 
chiefs  had  been  meeting  at  the 
New  Echota  Council  ground  since 
1819.  that  New  Echota  had  been 
the  capital  since  1825,  and  Mr.  Ross 
found  DeSoto  ("Head  of  Coosa") 
a  central  point  to  reside.****  Un- 
doubtedlv  Mr.  Ross  was  influenced 


*Acts.    1834,    ps.    2.50-1. 

**Jas.  M.  CunninKham's  place,  at  or  near  the 
present  DeSoto  Park,  had  been  designated  in 
the  act  of  Dec.  21,  1S33,  as  the  place  to  hold 
county    elections. 

***Acts  of   1838. 

****Persistent  search  has  been  made  to  reveal 
who  it  was  that  turned  John  Ross  out  of  Jiis 
home,  but  his  identity  has  net  been  estab- 
lished to  a  certainty.  However,  it  is  on  record 
in  the  Secretary  of  State's  office.  State  Cap'tol, 
Atlanta,  and  an  old  book  knowTi  as  the  Cher- 
okee Land  Lottery  says  the  Ross  home  site  land 
(Land  Lot  237.  23rd  district,  3rd  section)  was 
drawn  by  Hugh  Brown,  of  Beavour's  district, 
Habersham  County.  Floyd  County  Deed  Record 
D,  page  40,  recites  that  Brown  sold  the  160 
acres  Nov.  23,  1835,  to  Samuel  Headen,  of 
Franklin  County,  for  $.500  ;  and  on  page  4.5 
it  is  set  down  that  Samuel  Headen  sold  it 
Feb.  21.  1844,  for  $3,000  to  John  B.  Winfrey, 
of  Hall.  John  B.  Winfrey  was  the  father  of 
Jas.  O.  Winfrey,  of  Floyd.  He  sold  80  acres 
of  it  to  Col.  Alfre<I  Shorter  and  SO  to  Daniel 
R.  Mitchell.  The  part  on  which  the  Ross 
house  stood  is  now  between  Mrs.  James  M. 
Bradshaw's  home  and  Hamilton  park,  and  in- 
cludes the  home  of  County  School  Superin- 
tendent W.  C.  Rash.  It  is  an  eminence  where 
a  large  sugar  berry  tree  and  a  walnut  are 
growing.  Here,  according  to  a  memorial  Ross 
and  others  sent  to  the  United  States  Senate  in 
183(5,  was  where  one  of  his  babies  and  his 
beloved  father,  Daniel  Ross,  were  buried.  Since 
Hugh  Brown  sold  the  land  in  November  and 
Ross  was  dispossessed  in  April,  1835,  it  is 
likely  that  Brown  was  living  there  at  the  time 
the  Indian  leader  and  his  family  were  turned 
adrift.  Mr.  Ross  lived  at  Ross'  Landing,  Look- 
out Mountain,  now  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  and 
at  Rossville,  Walker  County,  Ga.  He  was 
born  Oct.  3,  1790  :  some  authorities  say  at 
Rossville,  some  Turkeytown.  Etowah  Co.,  Ala., 
and  some  Tah-nee-hoo-yah  ("Logs  in  the  Wa- 
ter"), Ala.,  which  last  place  and  Turkeytown 
were   on    the   Coosa. 


Rome's  Establishment  and  Early  Days 


37 


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THE  HEART  OF  CHEROKEE  GEORGIA. 

(Scale  of  miles,   18  miles  to  one  inch.) 


by  the  fact  that  Major  Ridge  was 
living  about  a  mile  away,  and  they 
could  hold  their  conferences  much 
more  easily,  jolm  Ridge,  son  of 
the  Major  and  also  a  leader,  lived 
about  three  miles  from  Ross,  at 
"Running  Waters,"  later  the  John 
Hume  place.  New  Kchota  was 
some  30  miles,  and  the  Council 
Ground  at  Red  Clay,  Whitfield 
County,  was  60  miles  northward, 
as   the  crow   flies.      Seciuoyah,   the 


man  of  letters  and  knowledge,  was 
25  miles  aw;iy.  Klias  B'.)udinot, 
Stand  Watie  and  David  Vann  were 
readily  available.  Assuming  that 
Ross  moved  to  DeSot(-i  in  1825,  he 
resided  there  ten  years,  until  fmally 
dispossessed  of  his  home,  lie  used 
to  start  his  letters  "Head  of  Coo- 
sa." 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that 
the  site  of  Rome  was  probably  of 
nitirc  inii)ortancc  between  1825  and 


44G036 


38 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


the  final  removal  in  1838  than  even 
the  capital  itself;  but  at  best  the 
Indians  were  a  nomadic  race,  liv- 
ing here  today  and  there  tomor- 
row, and  their  leaders  hopped  Avith 
alacritv  between  Rome,  New 
Echota,  Red  Clay  and  Washing- 
ton. 

r.ut  let  us  return  to  the  pioneer 
pale-faces. 

Col.  Mitchell  surveyed  the  sec- 
tion between  the  rivers  and  made 
a  map,  dated  1834,  copies  of  which 
are  in  existence  today.  This  work 
was  done  from  Third  Avenue 
northward,  since  the  farm  below 
was  owned  by  Col.  Smith  and  at 
that  time  was  considered  unsafe 
for  building  on  account  of  the  high 
waters ;  furthermore,  it  was  re- 
served for  race  track  and  tourna- 
ment purposes.  Col.  Smith  was  a 
lover  of  horseflesh  and  he  built  a 
half-mile  cinder  track  around  the 
banks  of  the  rivers,  and  placed  his 
grandstand  near  the  spring  alluded 
to  in  tlie  foregoing.  There  were 
special  races  between  the  best 
riders  of  the  surrounding  counties  ; 
the  Indians,  who  usually  rode  bare- 
back, carried  off  many  a  prize. 
Tournaments  were  held  now  and 
tlien,  in  which  the  riders,  going  at 
full  s])eed  on  their  mounts,  ran 
tlicir  lances  through  rings  held 
lightly  by  a  projecting  wooden 
arm — the  man  who  got  the  most 
rings  in  the  fewest  runs  av(mi  the 
contest. 

Another  diversion,  of  a  highly 
humorous  nature,  was  the  "gander 
pulling."  The  neck  of  a  live  gander 
was  greased  thoroughly  and  the 
bird  hung  up  by  the  feet  to  a  limlj. 
The  game  was  to  pull  the  gan- 
der's neck  oft*  or  Ijring  him  down 
"whole."  This  was  a  (lifiicult  feat 
because  the  gander  dexterously 
dodged  his  head  when  the  horse- 
man was  about  to  "pull."  Still  an- 
other was  the  "greased  pole."  Any- 
body who  could  climb  15  feet  to 
the    top    could    have    the    bag    of 


money  suspended  therefrom.  The 
pole  was  of  skinned  hickory  or 
oak  and  would  have  been  sleek 
enough  without  any  grease.  If  the 
boys  could  not  make  it  to  the  top 
in  a  reasonable  time  they  were  al- 
lowed in  put  sand  on  their  cloth- 
ing; then  they  went  home  to  their 
"maws."  "Catching  the  greased 
])ig"  was  another  sport. 

In  1833  occurred  an  event  which 
made  Indians  and  many  supersti- 
tious folk  believe  the  world  was 
coming  to  an  end.  One  night  the 
stars  "fell."  Such  another  display 
of  pranks  in  the  skies  had  never 
l)een  seen ;  for  c^uite  a  while  the 
stars  shot  this  way  and  that,  in 
graceful  curves,  then  in  uncanny 
zig-zags,  until  it  appeared  that  the 
feeble  little  people  of  earth  would 
surely  be  covered  in  a  shower  of 
stars.  Indian  mothers  rushed  about, 
gathering  up  their  oft'spring,  and 
rum  old  negro  mammies  and  uncles 
hid  under  beds  and  houses,  shout- 
ing, "Oh,  Lordy!  Oh,  Lordy !  Dis 
nigger's  soul  am  pure  !" 

The  task  of  forming  the  Rome 
l)ar  fell  to  Col.  ]\Iitchell,  who  pro- 
ceeded with  a  nucleus  composed 
of  himself,  Mr.  Lumpkin  and  two 
or  three  others.  Tresently,  in  1835, 
fluids  were  raised  and  a  brick 
courthouse  erected  at  Court  (East 
First)  Street  and  Bridge  Street 
(East  Fifth  Avenue).  Removal  of 
the  courthouse  did  not  exactly  suit 
Jackson  Trout,  who  had  built  the 
first  wooden  dwelling  at  Living- 
ston. He  kept  up  with  the  proces- 
sion by  skidding  his  house  down 
to  the  Coosa  River,  putting  it  on 
a  barge  and  polling  it  to  Rome, 
where  he  set  it  up  again  as  the  first 
dwelling  there.  Others  followed 
suit,  and  they  had  considerable 
trouble  when  they  reached  Llorse- 
leg  Shoals,  which  required  "mule- 
hauling"  of  a  high  order,  to  use  a 
nautical  expression. 

Rome  at  this  time  was  a  "forest 
primeval."         Everywhere        were 


Rome's  Establishment  and  Early  Days 


39 


woods  except  at  the  forks,  and 
that  was  swampy  and  full  of  wil- 
lows, with  an  occasional  sturdy 
tree  and  hungry  mosquito.  The 
rivers  were  still  alive  with  fish ; 
wild  turkeys  and  deer  were  often 
seen  ;  snakes  were  numerous  ;  quail 
were  abundant  and  squirrels  skip- 
ped in  their  native  element  where 
Broad  Street  now  extends ;  the 
bushes  were  alive  wnth  wild  birds 
of  beautiful  color;  on  Mt.  Alto 
and  Lavender  Mountain,  five  miles 
away,  bears  could  be  found ;  and 
at  night  the  fiery  gleam  from  the 
eye  of  a  wolf  was  a  common  sight. 
It  was  a  wild  country,  with  trails 
for  roads,  and  few  conveniences. 

Squatters  and  Indians  alike 
pitched  their  tents  in  suitable  spots 
waiting"  for  some  new  word  to 
"move  on"  or  "move  ofif."  Small 
squads  of  Georgia  Guardsmen,  es- 
tablished by  act  of  1834,  or  of  Unit- 
ed States  soldiers,  watching  Guards 
and  Indians  alike,  camped  a  while 
and  then  went  on  to  other  duty. 
Trappers  and  traders  did  a  thriv- 
ing business ;  so  did  the  ferry- 
men who  set  people  across  at  the 
forks  or  elsewhere.  Everybody 
seemed  to  be  going  or  coming,  de- 
spite the  efforts  of  the  Town  Com- 
pany to  halt  them  at  Rome.  The 
Indians  were   unusually   restless. 

Along  would  come  a  white  fam- 
ily on  horseback,  carrying  all  their 
worldly  goods.  They  had  traveled 
from  some  neighboring  county,  or 
perchance  as  far  as  from  North 
Carolina,  ho])ing  to  better  their 
material  condition.  The  man  would 
lead,  the  children  would  follow,  and 
the  mother  bring  up  the  rear,  rid- 
ing sidewise.  Any  old  port  in  a 
storm   looked  good. 

Many  had  definite  ()l)jectives. 
many  did  not  and  would  "scjuat" 
anywhere  that  looked  like  it  held 
promise  for  the  future.  Others 
were  definitely  attracted  by  the 
prospect  of  pioneering  in  a  live 
town.    It  is  fair  to  sav  that  Rome 


and  Floyd  County  received,  along 
with  many  "floaters,"  a  highly  sub- 
stantial and  even  aristocratic  cit- 
izenship. The  founders  were  men 
of  character  and  iron  will — accus- 
tomed to  blazing  their  way  through 
one  kind  of  forest  or  'another.  They 
started  with  little  and  made  out  of 
it  much.  There  were  no  luxuries  to 
be  had,  hence  they  worked  with 
the  things  of  nature,  and  fashioned 
out  of  them  whatever  they  could. 

The  old  Alabama  Road  forked 
where  the  Central  Railroad  trestle 
now  crosses  it.  One  fork  led  to 
Major  Ridge's  Ferry  opposite  the 
Linton  A.  Dean  place,  and  the  other 
bent  southeast  to  the  Ross  ferry  at 
the  confluence  of  the  rivers.  At 
the  Ross  ferry  a  man  from  Ala- 
bama could  gain  the  Ilillsboro  side 
or  the  Rome  side,  as  he  pleased. 
A  little  later  the  traffic  became  so 
heavy  that  Matt  and  Overton 
Hitchcock  built  for  Col.  Smith  a 
covered  wooden  bridge  at  Fifth 
Avenue  (over  the  Oostanaula),  and 
from  that  point  connected  with  the 
Alabama  Road.  Agricultural  busi- 
ness gradually  grew  prosperous. 
George  Lavender's  trading  post  did 
a  land  office  business.  It  used  to  be 
said  that  Lavender  kept  his  money 
in  a  barrel  or  keg  which  was  al- 
ways fairly  well  filled  with  gold 
and  silver  coin  ;  and  that  when  his 
partnership  with  Afajor  Ridge  and 
Daniel  R.  Mitchell  was  dissolved, 
thev  cut  a  melon  estimated  at 
$250,000  in   1922  coin. 

Perhai)s  5.000  Indians  patronized 
this  establishment,  and  they  paid 
an}'  j^rice  for  \\hat  they  \vantcd. 
They  were  especially  fond  of  calico 
garments,  and  would  buy  extrava- 
gantly for  their  women,  and  often 
include  enough  for  an  odd  waist 
^vhich  the  women  would  make  for 
them.  They  wore  outlandish 
clothes,  never  matching  in  an_\-  par- 
ticular; buckskin  or  woolen  trous- 
ers, well  worn  or  ])atched ;  hats 
that  suggested  the  liat  of  today  on 


40 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


a  Chinaman,  often  with  a  squirrel 
tail  tacked  on  it  and  hanging  ilown 
the  side  or  hack;  some  hats  made 
entirely  of  skin,  and  therefore  very 
warm  in  cold  weather;  moccasins 
or  discarded  white  man  shoes  cov- 
ering their  feet,  but  many  l)are- 
foot ;  cheap  jewelry  and  trinkets 
whenever  they  could  get  it,  which 
was  often  ;  sometimes  a  ([ueer  tur- 
han  in  place  of  a  hat;  usually  no 
coat  or  jacl'.et,  except  in  winter. 

The  Indian  was  fond  of  tobacco 
and  liquor,  but  as  soon  as  the  lead- 
ers saw  what  terrible  inroads  were 
being  made  on  Indian  territory  by 
pale-face  profiteers  of  various 
kinds,  a  strong  Indian  organization 
was  formed  to  stamp  out  the  evils. 
Liquor  was  obtained  from  stores 
that  had  a  provision  shop  in  front 
and  a  barroom  or  "doggery"  in  the 
rear,  the  entire  establishment  be- 
ing dignified  by  the  name  "gro- 
cerv."  (ireen  wooden  screens  ob- 
scured the  occupants  of  the  bar- 
room until  a  state  law  caused  them 
to  be  abolished,  and  then  every- 
body could  peek  in  and  see  who  was 
getting  "lit  up."  Around  these 
])laces  loafed  a  gang  of  shiftless 
Indians  and  whites,  bent  on  satis- 
fying their  aI)normal  appetites,  and 
fit  subjects  for  whatever  mischief 
might  be  suggested  by  the  Demon 


MA.IOR  RIDGE,  Cherokee  chief,  who,  with 
his  son  John,  was  murdered  June  22,  1839, 
in    Indian   Territory   by    vengeful   redskins. 


Rum.  These  gangs  were  extremely 
j)rofane,  and  poisoned  the  atmos- 
])here  for  such  a  distance  that 
ladies  and  young  ladies  would  nev- 
er venture  closer  than  across  the 
street.  Knife  and  pistol  scrapes 
were  frequent,  especially  late  at 
night  after  the  more  peaceful  in- 
habitants had  retired  to  their  beds. 
A  calaboose  soon  became  a  crying 
necessity,  and  with  it  a  town  mar- 
shal who  managed  to  keep  it  full, 
except  when  the  inmates  escaped 
and  turned  the  thing  over  on  its 
side.  It  was  a  log  afifair,  near  West 
Second   Street   and    Sixth    Avenue. 

There  is  no  certainty  as  to  just 
what  the  early  city  government 
was  like.  Doubtless  in  the  begin- 
ning every  man  was  a  law  unto 
himself.  Gradually,  however,  local 
laws  were  passed  and  irresponsi- 
l)le  persons  made  amenable  to 
them.  In  the  thirteen  years  that 
Rome  remained  unincorporated  it 
is  likely  that  the  intendant  or  the 
marshal  acted  as  the  executive  ma- 
jor domo,  and  certain  that  local  or 
inferior  court  judges  meted  out 
justice. 

Col.  IMitchell,  surveyor,  evidently 
had  in  mind  a  future  instrument 
like  the  automobile  when  he  laid 
out  the  streets  of  the  town.  He 
made  Broad  Street  and  Oostanaula 
Street  (Fourth  Avenue)  132  feet 
wide,  all  other  streets  66  feet  w'ide 
and  lanes  33  feet.  Some  modifica- 
tions of  that  scale,  notably  with 
regard  to  Fourth  Avenue,  have 
since  been  made,  and  a  lawsuit  of 
some  imi)ortance  and  interest  has 
resulted. 

A  few  more  stores  and  shops 
s])rang  up  which  carried  every  ar- 
ticle that  could  be  ol)tained  in  such 
a  limited  market.  The  groceries 
would  also  ofl^er  a  line  of  retail  dry 
goods,  small  farming  implements, 
plug  and  smoking  tobacco,  pipes, 
lanterns  and  lamps,  wax  tapers, 
matches,  candles,  novelties  for  the 
Indians,  snufif  for  the  women,  suits, 


Rome's  Establishment  and  Early  Days 


41 


hats  and  slioes,  horse  collars  and 
harness,  nails,  hand  tools,  occa- 
sionally musical  instruments.  There 
were  no  soda  water,  ice,  silver  ciga- 
rette cases,  bon-bons  or  chocolates, 
nail  files,  lip  sticks,  rouge,  hair  nets 
or  beaver  hats.  Drug  stores,  banks 
newspapers,  steamboats,  crocker- 
ies and  bakeries,  schools  and 
churches  were  to  come  along  later. 

Gentlemen  blacked  their  own 
boots  and  cut  out  of  the  forest  with 
great  cross-cut  saws  the  wood  that 
went  into  their  homes.  The}'  wore 
the  uniforms  of  the  frontier  and 
assumed  the  manners  of  frontiers- 
men. Rome  was  to  1:»e  Iniilt,  and  it 
could  not  ])e  l)uilt  with  kid  gloves. 

The  social  life  was  very  restrict- 
ed at  first.  It  consisted  of  calls 
from  neighbor  on  neighbor,  afoot, 
on  horseback  or  by  ox-cart ;  or 
maybe  a  country  break-down  on  a 
rudely  improvised  platform.  Since 
the  Indians  had  no  city  to  l^uild — 
since  they  needed  only  to  get  a 
little  something  to  eat  every  day 
and  keep  out  of  the  way  of  land- 
grabbers  and  the  "state  police"^ 
they  had  more  time  for  frolics  than 
the  early  whites.  Around  bonfires 
in  their  villages  the  red-skins  made 
merry,  rending  the  nights  hideous 
with  their  A\ar-whoops ;  and  on 
these  special  occasions  they  put 
aside  their  semi-civilized  garb  and 
donned  the  ])uckskin,  the  flaming 
headdress  of  feathers  and  all  the 
paint  they  could  daul)  on. 

Each  year  in  summer  came  the 
Green  Corn  Dances  at  the  various 
villages.  The  late  Mr's.  Robert 
Battey  recalled  one  at  Major 
Ridge's,  held  when  she  was  about 
seven  years  of  age.  A  large  com- 
pany of  Inchans  gathered,  and  one 
thing  that  impressed  lier  j^articu- 
larly  was  that  some  of  tlie  men 
had  mussel  shells  tied  around  tlieir 
ankles  and    Idled   with   gravel   that 

'From  this  description  it  is  evident  that  the 
games  were  played  on  the  low,  level  spot  which 
now  comprises  the  campuses  of  Hearn  Academy 
and    the   Georgia    School   for    the    Deaf. 


rattled  when  they  danced.  She  re- 
membered that  several  remained 
over  night  until  Sunday,  and  kick- 
ed up  their  heels  in  George  Laven- 
der's store.  Her  impression  of  the 
Indian  was  the  same  as  that  ob- 
tained by  anybody  who  knew  his 
nature ;  he  Avas  a  silent,  taciturn 
individual,  deeply  religious  in  his 
own  way,  ever  faithful  to  the  pale- 
face who  befriended  him  and  ever 
ihe  foe  of  one  who  played  him 
false.  He  seldom,  if  ever,  broke  a 
promise.' 

From  Montgomery  M.  Folsom, 
\vriting  in  The  Rome  Tribune  Nov. 
20,  1892,  we  have  the  following 
contribution  on   the  pioneer   days : 

I  drove  with  Mr.  Wesley  O.  Connor 
out  to  see  Mr.  Wright  Ellis,  one  of  the 
last  of  the  old  settlers  of  the  Cave 
Spring  region,  and  Mr.  Ellis  told  many 
interesting  stories  of  the  early  days. 
Mr.  Ellis  came  to  Cave  Spring  with 
his  father  as  a  little  boy.  Near  his 
house  at  the  end  of  Vann's  Valley 
stood  an  old  fort  which  pi'otected  the 
settlement.  He  told  me  of  a  wolf 
found  dead  in  the  cave;  it  had  lain 
there  several  years,  and  the  mineral 
qualities  of  the  cave  had  preserved 
it  perfectly,  until  one  day  a  band  of 
Indian  boys  dragged  forth  the  carcass 
and  tore  it  to  pieces. 

David  Vann  lived  on  the  hill  above 
the  spring  and  the  Indians  used  to 
congregate  near  his  place  for  their  an- 
nual ball  play,  as  they  called  it*.  They 
came  from  miles  away  to  enjoy  the 
sport.      They   would   also   form  in   two 


JOHN  RIDC.K,  who  was  also  active  in  oppo- 
sition to  John  Ross's  attempt  to  block  re- 
moval   of    the    Cherokeos    from    Georgia    soil. 


42 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


lines  (sides)  and  shoot  arrows  at 
rolling  stones.  The  side  which  scored 
the  most  hits  would  win. 

A  short  distance  west  of  Cave  Spring 
was  where  the  Indians  of  that  neigh- 
borhood held  their  Green  Corn  dances. 
Mr.  Ellis  said  he  had  seen  crowds  es- 
timated at  1,000  to  5,000.  Out  in  the 
nearby  mountains  Capt.  John  Ellis, 
his  father,  went  with  a  small  party 
and  captured  two  Cherokee  chiefs  who 
were  giving  trouble  during  the  re- 
moval, and  threatening  a  massacre. 
The  chiefs  were  sent  west.  As  the 
raiders  approached,  a  sentinel  cried, 
"Eastochatchee  soolacogee!"  meaning 
"much  white  man!" 

These  were  the  days  of  the  "pony 
clubs,"  whose  members  blacked  their 
faces  and  stole  horses  from  whites  and 
Indians  alike.  A  party  of  the  law  and 
order  element,  known  as  the  "slick- 
ers," once  caught  two  thieves  and  gave 
them  lashes  on  their  backs  with  a 
whip. 

Mr.  Ellis  also  told  how  Col.  Wm. 
Smith,  known  to  the  Indians  as  "Black 
Bill,"  because  of  his  dark  complexion, 
routed    a    crowd   of   drunken    red-skins 


at  Major  Wm.  Montgomery's  spring  in 
July,  1832.  "Black  Bill"  lit  into  them 
with  a  hame,  knocked  them  right  and 
left  and  put  them  to  flight. 

Capt.  John  Townsend,  Maj.  Armi- 
stead  Richardson,  William  Simmons, 
Jackson  Trout,  W.  D.  Cowdrey,  W.  K. 
Posey,  Carter  W.  Sparks,  Major  Wm. 
Montgomery  and  Gen.  Jas.  Hemphill 
were  among  the  pioneers  who  possessed 
the  Cave  Spring  land  ere  the  print 
of  the  moccasin  had  faded  from  the 
soil. 

Life  with  the  rugged  settlers  of 
Rome  was  just  one  murder,  liorse 
theft  or  incendiary  fire  after  an- 
other. The  country  was  overrun 
with  vigilance  committees,  out- 
la\vs,  land  speculators,  soldiers,  un- 
ruly Indians  and  plain  people  of 
respectability  who  wanted  to  farm 
and  conduct  their  shops  in  peace. 
Peace  and  the  social  order  that 
thrives  in  it  was  not  to  be  attained, 
however,  until  the  Indians  were 
sent  west  lock,  stock  and  barrel. 


JUL 


CHAPTER  II. 
The  Great  Indian  Meeting  at  Rome 


THE  following  item  from  the 
Georgia  Constitutionalist, 
of  Augusta,  July  24,  1835, 
(Guieu  &  Thompson,  pro- 
})rietors),  announced  the  date  and 
place  of  the  important  meeting  of 
Ridge  and  Ross  forces  and  Geor- 
gia Guardsmen  and  United  States 
troopers  near  Rome.  This  meet- 
ing was  vital  because  it  paved  the 
way  for  the  Council  pow-wow  at 
Red  Clay  in  October,  which  in  turn 
brought  about  the  New  Echota 
meeting  and  treaty  signed  Dec.  29, 
1835,  the  instrument  by  which  the 
Cherokees    were    removed  :* 

The  Cassville  Pioneer  says  John 
Ridge  and  his  friends  will  hold  a  Coun- 
cil in  Floyd  County  six  miles  north  of 
Rome  20th  of  July  inst.  It  is  expected 
this  Council  will  be  numerously  at- 
tended. The  cause  of  Ridge  and  his 
party  is   going  ahead. 

The  meeting  actually  opened  on 
the  19th,  a  day  ahead  of  schedule. 

The  gathering  was  supposed, 
prior  to  discovery  of  the  above 
item  in  an  old  newspaper  file  in 
the  Library  of  the  University  of 
Georgia,  to  have  been  held  at  the 
home  of  Major  Ridge  on  the  Oosta- 
naula,  but  since  the  item  says  it 
was  to  be  held  six  miles  north  of 
Rome,  and  several  authorities  as- 
sert the  place  was  "Running  Wa- 
ters," the  conclusion  is  inevitable 
th?t  it  was  held  at  the  home  of 
John  Ridge,  son  of  the  Major,  three 
miles  north  of  Rome,  at  the  ])lanta- 
tion  later  owned  by  John  Hume, 
and  now  the  property  of  F.  L.  Fors- 
ter.  A  bold  spring  at  this  domicile 
caused    the    name    "Tantatanara," 

♦Allowing  for  women  and  children,  Georpria 
Guardsmen,  United  States  troops,  officials  and 
onlookers,  it  is  probable  that  .3.000  peoide  at- 
tended this  meetinpr.  It  was  estimated  that 
600-800  attended  the  Red  Clav  Council  in  Oc- 
tober, 1835,  and  300-.500  the  New  Echt.ta  meet- 
ing in  December,  183.5,  when  the  treaty  was 
accepted. 

**Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835).    ps.    390-2. 


the  Indian  for  "Running  Waters," 
to  be  applied. 

All  authorities  agree  that  the 
Running  Waters  pow-wow  was  the 
largest  the  Cherokees  had  held  up 
to  that  time,  and  its  importance 
could  not  be  overestimated.  Major 
Currey's  special  correspondence  is 
here  given. 


**Cherokee   Agency  East, 
Calhoun,  Tenn., 
July   27,    1835. 
Elbert    Herring,    Esq., 
Commissioner    of    Indian    Affairs, 
Washington,  D.   C. 

Dear  Sir :  The  people  composing  the 
council  called  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining the  sense  of  the  nation  on  the 
subject  of  the  annuity  convened  on  the 
day  before  the  period  appointed.  There 
were  between  2,500  and  2,600  Indian 
men  present.  This  number  could  not 
by  any  previous  measures  or  meetings 
have  been  anticipated.  Mr.  Schermer- 
horn  was  present  and  obtained  their 
consent  to  address  them  on  the  next 
morning.  The  first  day  was  consumed 
in  discussions,  explanations  and  vot- 
ing on  a  proposition  to  divide  the  an- 
nuity among  the  people  by  ayes  and 
nays. 

When  the  next  morning  arrived,  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  had  a  stand  erected,  so 
that  he  might  by  his  elevation  be  the 
more  generally  heard ;  aided  by  the  Rev. 
Jesse  Bushyhead,  he  went  into  a  full 
explanation  of  the  views  of  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  the  relation  in  which 
the  different  delegations  stood  to  one 
another;  their  people,  the  States  and 
the  general  Government;  which  was 
listened  to  with  much  attention  for  a 
period  of  three  hours.  In  order  to 
insure  attention,  this  resolution  had 
been  so  worded  that  it  would  not  dis- 
pose of  the  question  further  than  the 
single  proposition  was  concerned;  and 
by  addressing  them  before  the  vote 
was  finished,  Mr.  Schermerhorn  had, 
perhaps,  the  largest  red  audience  of 
adult  males  ever  before  assembled  to- 
gather  in  this  nation  at  one   time. 

The  Cherokees  had,  until  a  few  days 
before,  been  advised  not  to  attend,  but 
when  Ross  found  that  the  money  would 
be   paid   to   the   order  of   the   majority 


44 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


attending,  his  head  men  were  called 
together  at  Red  Clay,  when  I  am  in- 
formed he  told  them  the  agents  of 
Government,  and  the  disorganized  at- 
tached to  Ridge,  must  be  put  down; 
and  in  order  to  do  this,  all  the  men 
of  the  nation  must  rally,  and  be  there 
to    sustain    their   nation    and    treasury. 

They  came,  some  starving,  some  half 
clad,  some  armed,  and  scarcely  any 
with  provisions  for  more  than  one  or 
two  days.  Under  these  circumstances, 
having  a  desire  to  be  heard,  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  promised  them  rations 
for  one  day,  on  condition  they  would 
hear  him  as  commissioner.  On  exam- 
ination, I  found  they  might,  under  the 
iJth  section  of  the  regulations  for  pay- 
ing annuities,  be  furnished  at  public 
expense,  if  circumstances  rendered  it 
necessary.  Arrangements  were  accord- 
ingly made,  and  requisitions  drawn  on 
Lieut.   Bateman  to   meet  the   same. 

I  took  occasion  to  say  to  the  Cher- 
okees,  as  they  came  up  by  districts, 
that  let  them  vote  the  money  in  what 
way  they  would,  it  could  not  save  their 
country;  that  their  party  had  been  in- 
vited to  express  their  views  and  wishes 
freely;  instead  of  doing  this  they  had 
withdrawn  themselves  from  the 
ground,  and  been  counselled  in  the 
bushes.  Why  was  this  so?  Were  their 
chiefs  still  disposed  to  delude  their 
people,  when  ruin  demanded  entrance 
at  the  red  man's  door,  and  the  heavy 
hand  of  oppression  already  rested  upon 
his   head? 

To  say  the  least  of  it,  there  was 
something  suspicious  in  their  with- 
drawal. The  officers  of  Government 
were  bound  to  report  their  speeches  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  chiefs 
had  shown  contempt  to  the  United 
States  by  withdrawing  themselves  and 
their  people  into  the  woods  beyond 
their  hearing.  If  this  was  not  the 
proper  construction  to  be  placed  upon 
such  a  proceeding,  the  chiefs  had  cer- 
tainly carried  them  off  to  feed  their 
feelings  on  false  hopes  and  false  prom- 
ises  once   more. 

When  the  resolution  presented  by 
Smith'  was  disposed  of,  which  stood 
114  for  and  2,238*'^  against,  Gunter's 
resolution  to  pay  to  the  Treasury  was 
next  in  order.  The  whole  people  were 
called  up  and  the  resolution  read.  Mr. 
Gunter  made  a  few  remarks  in  its  sup- 
port, when  Major  Ridge  offered  an 
amendment,  directing  that  none  of  this 
money  should  be  paid  to  lawyers.  This 
was  seconded  by  John  Ridge,  which 
gave  both  these  latter  gentlemen  a  full 


opportunity  to  be  heard.  They  went 
into  a  most  pathetic  description  of  na- 
tional distress  and  individual  oppres- 
sion; the  necessity  of  seeking  freedom 
in  another  clime;  the  importance  of 
union  and  harmony,  and  the  beauties 
of  peace  and  of  friendship;  but  said 
if  there  were  any  who  preferred  to 
endure  misery  and  wed  themselves  to 
slavery,  as  for  them  and  their  friends, 
they  craved  not   such   company. 

The  Indians  had,  by  districts,  in 
files  four  deep,  been  drawn  up  to  vote 
on  Gunter's  resolution,  that  they  might 
hear  it  read,  and  be  counted  the  more 
conveniently.  But  when  the  Ridges 
were  speaking,  all  the  previous  prej- 
udices so  manifestly  shown  by  looks 
appeared  to  die  away,  and  the  be- 
nighted foresters  involuntarily  broke 
the  line  and  pressed  forward  as  if  at- 
tracted by  the  powers  of  magnetism 
to  the  stand,  and  when  they  could  get 
no  nearer,  they  reached  their  heads 
forward  in  anxiety  to  hear  the  truth. 
After  the  Ridges  had  procured  the  de- 
sired attention,  they  withdrew  their 
amendment,  and  the  vote  was  taken 
on  Gunter's  resolution,  and  carried  by 
acclamation.  Mr.  Schermerhorn  then 
requested  each  party  to  appoint  com- 
mittees to  meet  him  and  Governor  Car- 
roU*'''*  at  the  agency  on  the  29th  in- 
stant. Ridge's  party  complied.  If 
the  other  party  did,  it  has  not  been 
made   known    to   the   commissioner. 

By  the  next  mail  we  will  be  able 
to  give  information  of  a  more  sat- 
isfactory nature,  having  reference  to 
the  future. 

I  have  no  doubt,  although  the  money 
went  into  the  treasury  of  the  nation, 
(as  might  have  been  expected  from 
a  general  turnout),  still,  the  informa- 
tion communicated  in  the  discussions 
growing  up  on  the  occasion  will  be 
attended   with   the    most   happy  conse- 

*Archilla  Smith,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the 
RuIko  Treaty  party.  He  is  referred  to  in  Gov. 
Wilson  Lumpkin's  book  "Removal  of  the 
Cherokee  Indians  from  Georfria"  as  Asahel  R. 
Smith,  of  Lawrenceville,  father  of  the  well- 
known  Roman,  Maj.  Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill 
Arp"),  but  members  of  the  "Bill  Arp"  family 
state  this  was  an  error.  The  Smith  resolution 
sought  to  divide  the  annuity  among  the  tribes- 
men. 

**Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty  (18.^5),  ps.  399-447,  lists  the  voters, 
with  their  numbers,  to  a  total  of  2,27.3,  but  a 
printer's  note  states  there  are  only  2,200  names, 
suggesting  that  duplications  may  have  crept  in. 
This  list  gives  all  who  supported  the  Smith  res- 
olution and  2,1.'J9  who  voted  against  it,  which 
would  make  a  total  of  2,270.  The  difference 
of  three  in  two  of  the  totals  is  the  difference 
between  the  Currey  estimate  of  114  aye  votes 
and    the    table's    record    of    111    votes. 

***Wm.  Carroll,  of  Tennessee,  co-commis- 
sioner with  Mr.  Schermerhorn,  whom  illness 
and    a    political    campaign    kept    from    acting. 


The  Great  Indian  Meeting  at  Rome 


45 


JOHN   ROSS,   Principal   Chief   of   the   Cherokee   Nation  of  Indians  from 
1828  to  his  death  in  1866,  who  fought  with  admirable  courage  more  than 
25  years  to  keep  his  people  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  their  forefathers. 


46 


-A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


quences  to  the  Cherokees,  and  great- 
ly facilitate  a  final  adjustment  of 
their    difficulties. 

It  is  a  matter  worthy  of  remark 
that  so  great  a  number  of  persons  of 
any  color  have  seldom  if  ever  met  and 
preserved  better  order  than  was  ob- 
served on   this  occasion. 

Most  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor 
to  be,   your  very  obedient   servant, 

BENJAMIN  F.  CURREY. 
Supt.   of    Cherokee   Removal    and    Act- 
ing Indian   Agent. 
P.    S. — The    report    required    by    the 
regulations    will    follow    this,    so    soon 
as   it  can   be   made   out. 
Yours, 

B.  F.  C. 

*Cherokee   Agency   East, 
Calhoun,  Tenn., 
July  29,  1835. 
Elbert    Herring,    Esq., 
Commissioner  of   Indian  Affairs, 
Washington,  D.   C. 

Sir:  Enclosed  I  have  the  honor  to 
transmit  copies  of  a  report  made  by 
Col.  C.  H.  Nelson  and  Col.  Nathaniel 
Smith,  who  were  appointed  in  June 
last  by  me  to  take  the  census  of  the 
Cherokees  east,  in  conformity  with  a 
verbal  request  from  the  Honorable 
Secretary  of  War,  as  well  as  to  com- 
ply with  the  requirements  contained 
in  a  "circular"  dated  War  Depart- 
ment, Office  Indian  Affairs,  May, 
1835,  addressed  to  me  a  short  period 
before  this  duty  was  commenced. 
Runners  were  sent  over  the  country, 
and  some  of  Ross'  messages  were  seen 
and  read  by  the  census-takers,  direct- 
ing the  Cherokees  not  to  allow  their 
numbers  to  be  taken. 

In  1819  John  Ross  notified  the  In- 
dian agent  that  he  had  determined  to 
reside  permanently  on  a  tract  of  land 
reserved  within  the  ceded  territory  for 
his  use;  and  in  contemplation  of  the 
treaty,  took  upon  himself  all  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States.  Has  he  not,  then,  subjected 
himself  to  the  penalties  of  the  13th, 
14th  and  15th  sections  of  "An  Act  to 
regulate  trade  and  intercourse  with 
the  Indian  tribes,"  etc.,  approved  June 
30,   1834? 

One  thing  is  very  certain,  that  by 
sending  his  messages  and  holding  his 
talks  in  the  Cherokee  settlements,  he 
more  effectually  disturbs  the  peace,  and 
defeats  or  delays  the  measures  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  than 
he   could    if    he   were   the   citizen   of   a 


foreign  Government,  and  much  better 
than  one  of  our  own  citizens  possibly 
could  do?** 

Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor 
to   be,   your  very   obedient   servant, 
BENJ.  F.  CURREY. 

***Cherokee  Agency  East, 
Calhoun,   Tenn., 
July  30,  1835. 
Elbert    Herring,    Esq., 
Commissioner    Indian    Affairs, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Sir:  Enclosed,  I  have  the  satisfac- 
tion to  transmit  to  you  a  certified  his- 
tory of  the  proceedings  of  the  Run- 
ning Waters  Council,  held  on  the  19th, 
20th  and  21st  instant,  to  determine 
how  the  annuity  of  the  present  year 
should   be   disposed  of. 

The  names  are  recorded  as  the  votes 
were  presented  on  Smith's  resolution. 
But  all  who  were  present  did  not  vote 
on  either  side,  and  many  of  those  who 
were  in  favor  of  dividing  the  money, 
finding  that  their  wishes  could  not  be 
caified,  voted  it  to  the  treasurer. 
Some  of  the  voters  in  favor  of  a 
treaty,  having  claims  on  the  Cherokee 
nation,  voted,  and  influenced  many 
others  to  vote,  in  the  same  way;  so 
that  the  vote  on  Smith's  resolutio»n 
can  not,  properly,  be  considered  a  fair 
test    of    the    strength    of    the    parties. 

Ridge's  party  is  increasing  rapidly, 
and  will,  by  raising  the  proper  means, 
reach  the  majority  of  Georgia,  Ala- 
bama and  Tennessee,  long  before  the 
adjournment    of   the    next    Congress. 

Most  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor 
to    be,    your    very    obedient    aervant, 

BENJ.  F.  CURREY, 
Superintendent,  etc. 

p,  s. — Ross  has  failed  to  meet  the 
commissioners,  for  Jesuitical  reasons 
assigned.  The  commissioners  address- 
ed him  a  communication  which  has 
produced  a  proposition  in  writing  from 
him  on  the  Ridges  to  bury  the  hatchet, 
and  act  in  concert  for  the  good  of  their 
country,  and  inviting  them  to  a  cori- 
vention,  to  be  composed  of  the  intelli- 
gent of  all  parties,  for  the  purpose  of 
considering  their  natural  condition. 
To  this  proposition  Ridge's  party  have 
yielded  their  assent;  but  in  the  mean- 
time they   are   determined   to  redouble 

*Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty     (1835),    p.    392. 

**Apparently  the  first  open  attempt  to  cause 
the     arrest    of     Ross. 

*»*Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835),   p.    395. 


The  Great  Indian  Meeting  at  Rome 


47 


their  zeal   and   diligence  to   accomplish 
the  removal  of  their  people. 

BENJAMIN  F.  CURREY. 

*Running   Waters   Council    Ground, 

Floyd   County,   Ga., 

Monday,   July   19,    1835. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held  pur- 
suant to  notice  from  the  acting  agent 
of  the  United  States  for  the  Chero- 
kees  east  of  the  Mississippi  river,  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  from  the 
Cherokee  people  their  wishes  as  to  the 
manner  and  to  whom  their  present 
year's  annuity  should  be  paid,  by  com- 
mon consent  it  was  agreed  and  re- 
solved that  the  meeting  be  opened  with 
prayer,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Spirit  and 
David  Weatie'"*  (Cherokees)  officiated 
accordingly. 

After  the  solemnities  appropriate 
to  the  occasion  were  performed,  Benj. 
F.  Currey,  United  States  Agent,  aid- 
ed by  Lieut.  Bateman,  of  the  United 
States  army,  fully  explained  the  ob- 
ject for  which  this  meeting  was  call- 
ed; all  of  which  was  again  fully  ex- 
plained, in  the  Cherokee  language,  by 
Joseph   A.    Foreman,   the    interpreter. 

John  Ross  made  some  remarks  in 
reply;  said  he  was  sorry  that  the 
agent  had  taken  occasion  to  be  per- 
sonal in  his  remarks,  but  that  he  was 
not  disposed  to  take  any  notice  of 
these  personalities  at  this  time;  that 
he  was  aware  that  there  was  among 
us  a  description  of  persons  who  were 
called  by  party  names;  this  he  had  not 
discouraged;  that  as  for  himself  he 
was  not  disposed  to  quarrel  with 
any  man  for  an  honest  expres- 
sion of  opinion,  for  the  good  of  the 
people  (for  the  truth  and  sincerity 
of  which  he  called  Heaven  to  wit- 
ness) ;  and  that  if  gentlemen  were 
honest  in  their  professions  of  benev- 
olence, he  was  ready,  at  any  time,  to 
co-operate  with  them,  when  it  would 
appear  that  they  were  right  and  he 
was  wrong. 

John  Ridge,  in  reply,  stated  that 
so  far  as  he  was  concerned  he,  too, 
discarded  party  views  and  sinister 
motives;  that  so  far  as  he  and  those 
with    him    acted    different    from    Mr. 

♦Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty     (1835).     ps.     396-8. 

**David  Watie  (or  Oo-wat-ie),  full-blood 
Cherokee  and  only  brother  of  Major  Ridge; 
father  of  Elias  Boudinot,  editor  of  The  Cher- 
okee Phoenix,  and  of  Stand  Watie,  only  Indian 
Brigadier  General  of  the  Confederate  army, 
who  did  not  surrender  until  June  23,  1865, 
nearly  three  months  after  the  surrender  of 
Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston.  Authority  :  "Life  of  Gen. 
Stand  Watie,"  bv  Mabel  Washbouriie  Anderson, 
Pryor,    Okla.,     (1915). 


Ross  and  his  chiefs,  he  had  done  so 
from  an  honest  conviction  that  it  was 
the  only  way  in  which  the  integrity 
and  political  salvation  of  the  Cher- 
okee people  could  be  preserved  and 
effected,  and  that  he  was  at  any  mo- 
ment ready  to  acknowledge  Ross  as 
his  principal  chief  when  he  (Ross) 
could  or  would  prove  to  him  a  better 
plan.  But  till  then,  as  an  honest  man, 
sensible  as  he  was  of  the  difficulties 
and  hazards  of  the  crisis  that  sur- 
rounded them  all,  he  must  act  on  the 
-suggestions  arising  out  of  the  case, 
though  it  should  cost  him  the  last 
drop  that  heaved  his  breast;  that  he 
had  not  understood  the  agent  to  in- 
dulge in  or  intend  personalities,  but 
his  explanations,  directed  by  the  law 
and  instructions  from  the  executive, 
necessarily  involved  the  actors  them- 
selves; that  he  had  and  at  all  times 
would  be  open  to  conviction,  when  bet- 
ter and  more  conclusive  arguments 
than  his  own  were  adduced  on  the 
points  of  difference.  But  he  did  not 
understand  why  it  was,  if  Mr.  Ross' 
declarations  were  sincere,  that  large 
bodies  of  Indians  had  been  withdrawn 
by  their  chiefs  from  the  ground,  and 
were  not  permitted  to  hear.  As  for 
his  part,  he  wanted  the  whole  na- 
tion to  learn,  and  be  able  to  know  their 
true  situation;  that  he  was  ready  to 
co-operate  with  Mr.  Ross,  or  anybody 
else,  for  the  salvation  of  his  bleeding 
and  oppressed   countrymen. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Schermerhorn,  com- 
missioner on  behalf  of  the  United 
States,  took  occasion,  after  being  in- 
troduced as  such,  to  rise;  read  his 
commission  and  expressed  his  satis- 
faction and  gratification  at  the  pros- 
pect of  an  amicable  reconciliation  of 
all  party  strife  and  animosity,  and  so 
far  as  he  might  be  concerned  in  their 
affairs,  he  did  not  intend  to  know  any 
party  or  distinction  of  parties;  that 
he  only  meant  to  know  the  Cherokee 
people  east  of  the  Mississippi  as  one 
party  in  this  case;  and  that  he  would 
avail  himself  of  the  present  occasion 
to  request  that  during  this  meeting 
they  would  select  from  among  them- 
selves a  number  of  delegates,  at  least 
twelve  or  more,  or  any  other  number 
they  might  deem  expedient,  to  meet 
him  and  Gov.  Carroll  at  the  Chero- 
kee agency  on  Wednesday,  the  30th 
instant,  to  arrange  preliminaries  neces- 
sary to  a  convention  for  the  adjust- 
ment of  their  whole  difficulties  by 
treaty;  the  basis  of  which  had  already 
been  fixed  by  Ridge,  Ross  and  others, 
which   he   presumed  they  were  all   ap- 


48 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


prized  of;  and  suggested  the  impor- 
tance of  naming  Ross  and  Ridge  first 
on  said  committee.  The  commissioner 
then  apprized  the  conductors  of  the 
election  that  he  would,  with  their  con- 
sent, occupy  their  time  on  tomorrow 
morning,  so  far  as  to  read  over  and 
fully  explain  the  treaty  to  be  offer- 
ed the  Cherokee  people  for  their  ap- 
proval, which  was  consented  to  by  the 
agents  and  the  chiefs  present;  where- 
upon, Commissioner  Schermerhorn  re- 
tired. 

The  following  resolution  was  then 
introduced  by  Archilla  Smith  and  sec- 
onded by  John    Ridge : 

"Resolved,  by  the  council  of  the 
Cherokee  nation,  that  in  consideration 
of  the  poor  condition  of  our  people, 
the  aged,  the  infirm  of  both  sexes, 
men,  women  and  children,  that  the 
present  annuity  of  $6,666.67  be  now 
divided  equally  to  the  people,  and  to 
the  poor  particularly,  as  it  is  their 
money,  accruing  from  old  treaties  with 
the  United  States.  It  is  now  a  great 
many  years  since  they  have  received 
the  same." 

In  support  of  this  resolution.  Major 
Ridge,  John  Ridge  and  Archilla  Smith 
spoke  at  considerable  length,  to  the  fol- 
lowing purport :  The  people  make  a  na- 
tion; no  nation  ever  existed  without  a 
people.  The  annuity  is  payable  to  the 
nation,  and  Congress  has  given  to  the 
people  full  power  to  dispose  of  it  as 
they  may  think  proper.  Have  the  peo- 
ple been  benefited  by  the  use  made  of 
the  money  heretofore,  by  their  chiefs? 
Have  those  chiefs  saved  the  country? 
Have  they  restored  to  you  your  fields? 
Have  they  saved  your  people  from  the 
gallows?  Have  they  driven  back  the 
white  settlers?  No;  but  on  the  other 
hand,  have  you  not  lost  your  laws  and 
government?  Have  you  not  been  im- 
poverished and  oppressed?  And  are 
you  not  bleeding  and  starving  under 
these  oppressions?  If  this  be  the  fact, 
is  it  not  time  to  take  that  which  will 
give  you  some  relief  from  want,  rather 
than  to  vote  it  to  those  who  can  not, 
or,  if  they  can,  will  not  afford  you 
relief? 

All  that  we  insist  on  is  that  you  ex- 
ercise your  own  choice  in  disposing  of 
this  money.  It  was  in  our  power  not 
long  since,  when  but  few  attended  at 
the  call  of  the  General  Government, 
(last  May  council,  held  at  Running 
Waters)  to  have  done  as  we  pleased 
with  this  money,  but  we  would  not 
condescend  to  take  advantage  of  that 
absence   which   had   been   procured   by 


the  other  chiefs.  We  preferred  to 
have  a  full  meeting  of  the  people,  if 
practicable,  and  leave  the  question  to 
the  majority.  At  that  time  our  ap- 
plication was  made  to  this  effect,  and 
agreed  to  by  the  agent  for  the  Gen- 
eral Government,  which  has  been  read 
to  you  by  him,  and  interpreted  by  Mr. 
foreman.  It  is  the  will  of  our  peo- 
ple and  not  my  will  which  it  is  now 
wished  should  control  this  money. 
While  we  make  this  declaration  we 
wish  the  yeas  and  nays  taken  and 
registered,  that  all  may  have  an  op- 
portunity of  understanding  the  res- 
olution; and  that  each  and  every  one 
may  vote  as  Cherokees  should  learn 
to  vote,  independently. 

Edward  Gunter  then  offered  the 
following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  the  present  annuity 
now  due  to  the  Cherokee  nation  be 
paid  to  John  Martin,  treasurer  of  the 
Cherokee    nation." 

In  support  of  this  resolution  he 
'  made  the  following  remarks:  That 
the  nation  was  in  debt;  that  their 
faith  as  a  nation  was  pledged  for 
money;  that  they  had  none  wherewith 
to  redeem  that  pledge;  that  they  could 
not  resort  to  taxation,  for  in  that  case 
the  State  laws  would  interfere.  He 
hoped,  therefore,  they  would  vote  the 
money  to  the  national  treasury. 

At  this  time  a  general  call  for  the 
vote  from  the  crowd  (consisting  of  up- 
wards of  2,000  Cherokees)   was  made. 

The  Government  agents  then  opened 
the  election  to  take  the  vote  on  Smith's 
resolution;  those  in  favor,  in  the  af- 
firmative, and  those  against,  in  the 
negative. 

(Here  is  omitted  list  of  Indians  and 
how    they    voted. — Author). 

The  voting  on  Archilla  Smith's  res- 
olution being  gone  through,  and  on 
counting  the  state  of  the  polls,  it  ap- 
pears that  114  voted  in  the  affirma- 
tive, and  2,159''  in  the  negative;  and 
consequently,  Smith's  resolution  was 
carried.'-'* 

Edward  Gunter  then  called  up  his 
resolution.  It  was  agreed  by  the 
agents  of  Government,  as  well  as  by 
the  Cherokee  people  present,  that  the 
vote  on  this  resolution  be  taken  by  ac- 
clamation. Before  the  vote  was  taken 
on  Gunter's  resolution.  Major  Ridge 
offered    the    following    as    an    amend- 

*.Tohn  Ross  and  his  associates  said  2,225  ;  the 
voting   table,   2,273. 

**"Losf'  was  evidently  intended  for  "car- 
ried." 


The  Great  Indian  Meeting  at  Rome 


49 


ment  of  Gunter's  resolution:  "And  that 
the  treasurer  of  the  nation  pay  the 
same  to  such  persons  of  our  nation 
as  we  owe  for  money  borrowed,  and 
not  to  the  lawyers,  which  the  nation 
has  employed,  who  can  be  paid  at  some 
other  time."  In  the  discussion  on  this 
amendment,  Major  Ridge  and  John 
Ridge  displayed  their  usual  strain  of 
eloquence,  making  a  deep  impression 
on  a  large  portion  of  the  crowd,  if 
we  take  for  evidence  the  rivetted  at- 
tention and  the  press  forward  to  catch 
the  words  that  dropped  from  them, 
and  more  particularly  that  in  the 
course  of  that  evening  and  next  morn- 
ing, the  number  who  deserted  from 
Ross's  ranks  and  enrolled  themselves 
with  John  Ridge  and  his  friends  for 
the    western    country. 

During  the  course  of  their  remarks 
they  spoke  of  the  false  hopes  excited 
and  the  delusive  promises  held  out  by 
their  lawyers ;  the  obligations  they 
were  under,  first,  to  discharge  debts 
contracted,  for  which  a  valuable  con- 
sideration had  been  received  by  the 
people,  and  then  afterwards  and  last, 
those  which  had  been  created  without 
the  hope  of  returning  benefits.  But 
discovering  that  the  people  had  deter- 
mined to  vote  down  their  proposition, 
it  was  withdrawn. 

After  these  individuals  had  spoken 
generally  of  the  causes  which  induced 
them  to  secede  from  Ross  and  his 
party,  and  the  necessity  of  an  early 
removal  of  the  tribe,  the  vote  on 
Gunter's  resolution  was  taken,  and 
decided  by  acclamation  in  the  affirm- 
ative. 


Cherokee  Agency  East, 
July  30,  1835. 
The  foregoing  is  a  correct  state- 
ment, so  far  as  my  memory  serves 
and  my  knowledge  extends,  founded 
upon  a  constant  attention,  conjointly 
with  Benjamin  F.  Currey,  Indian 
agent,  to  the  proceedings  of  the  meet- 
ing, as  one  of  the  managers. 

M.   W.    BATEMAN, 
1st  Lieut.,  Inf.,  Disbursing  Agent. 
Cherokee   Agency   East, 
July    30,    1835. 
As    Indian    agent,    under    the    direc- 
tions   of    the    War    Department,    I    su- 
perintended the  foregoing  election  and 
proceedings,  and  do  hereby  certify  that 
the    election    was    as    fairly    conducted 
as  the   situation   and  circumstances  of 


♦Report    of    Secretary    of    War    on     Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835).   ps.    449-50. 


the  Cherokee  tribe  would  admit  of, 
and  that  the  proceedings  and  speeches 
by  the  chiefs  are  substantially  cor- 
rect, as  detailed  by  D.  Henderson, 
secretary   to   the   meeting. 

BENJAMIN  F.  CURREY, 
Indian    Agent    for    the    Eastern    Cher- 
okees. 

Cherokee  Agency  East, 
July  30,  1835. 
I  certify  upon  honor  that  in  the 
foregoing  transcript,  detailing  the  pro- 
ceedings at  the  council  called  and  held 
at  Running  Waters  council  ground, 
Floyd  County,  Ga.,  on  the  19th,  20th 
and  21st  instant,  the  votes  are  cor- 
rectly recorded  and  the  speeches  cor- 
rectly   detailed    as    to    substance. 

DANIEL  HENDERSON, 
Clerk  for  Managers  of  the  Said  Elec- 
tion. 

The  enclosures  of  Maj.  Currey 
to  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs end  here.  To  Washington  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  wrote  : 

*  Cherokee  Agency, 
Aug.   1,   1835. 
Hon.    Elbert    Herring, 
Commissioner    Indian    Affairs, 
Washington,    D.    C. 

Sir :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform 
you  that  I  attended  the  meeting  of 
the  Cherokee  council  at  Running  Wa- 
ters on  the  20th  ultimo,  and  my  pro- 
ceedings there  I  will  transmit  to  you 
by  the  next  mail.  At  the  close  of 
that  council  I  requested  a  committee 
of  the  principal  men  from  the  Ross 
and  Ridge  parties  to  meet  the  com- 
missioners at  the  Agency  on  the  29th 
ultimo,  to  see  if  they  could,  in  con- 
ference with  each  other,  agree  upon 
some  modification  of  the  proposed 
treaty  which  would  be  satisfactory  to 
all  concerned.  Ross  and  his  friends 
did  not  attend,  and  the  commission- 
ers wrote  him  immediately  to  know 
whether  he  and  his  principal  men 
refused  to  meet  them  at  the  place 
appointed,  and  also  whether  they  were 
determined  not  to  accept  the  award 
of  the  Senate,  viz.:  $5,000,000  in  full 
for  the  settlement  of  all  matters  in 
dispute  between  them  and  the  United 
States,  and  for  the  cession  of  their 
country.  He  evaded  the  last  question 
(as  will  be  seen  by  his  letter,  a  copy 
of  which  will  be  forwarded  to  the  de- 
partment), and  prevaricated  in  say- 
ing that  no  notice  was  given  of  the 
meeting  at  the  agency,  although  it  was 
done    in   open   council.      He   may,  how- 


50 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


WHERE  THE  GREEN  CORN  DANCES  WERE  HELD. 

»u       u^**^   *'*l'''ill'''"^'n°,"    ^^^   Oostanaula    river    road,    two    miles    north    of    the    court    house,    was 
the    home    of    Major    Ridge,    and    his    lawn    was    the    gathering     place     of    hundreds     of    red-skir 


The  Great  Indian  Meeting  at  Rome 


51 


ever,  have  meant  he  had  no  official 
notice  of  the  meeting  in  writing.  He 
sent  a  letter  also  to  Major  Ridge  and 
John  Ridge,  inviting  them  and  their 
friends  to  a  conference  with  him  and 
his  friends  to  settle  all  the  difficul- 
ties between  them,  and  unite  in  pro- 
moting the  common  good  of  their  peo- 
ple. This  is  an  omen  for  good  and  I 
have  been  laboring  while  here  to  ef- 
fect this  object.  No  doubt  Ross  has 
been  hard  pushed  on  this  subject  by 
his  friends,  and  he  is  convinced  that 
unless  a  reconciliation  takes  place,  and 
a  treaty  is  soon  made,  he  will  be  for- 
saken by  them,  and  a  third  party  arise, 
who  will  unite  with  Ridge  and  carry 
the  proposed  treaty.  I  can  not  now 
go  into  detail,  but  will  simply  state 
overtures  have  been  made  by  several 
of  Ross's  friends  to  unite  with  Ridge's 
party  if  Ross  refuses  to  come  to  terms 
on  the  award  made  by  the  Senate  of 
the   United   States. 

The  best  informed  here  entertain 
no  doubt  but  that  a  treaty  will  be  per- 
fected   in   the   fall,    if   not    sooner. 

It  has  been  thought  best  by  the  com- 
missioners not  to  call  a  meeting  by 
the  nation  until  November,  unless 
both  parties  should  be  brought  to  agree 
to  articles  of  the  treaty  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  nation  for  their  adop- 
tion. Ross's  council  meets  in  Octo- 
ber, and  many  of  his  principal  men 
have  agreed,  if  he  does  not  come  to 
terms  by  that  time,  they  will  leave  him 
and  treat  without  him. 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  several  communications 
from  the  Secretary  of  War,  forward- 
ed to  me  at  New  Echota  in  May  and 
July,  and  especially  the  last,  contain- 
ing the  letter  of  Mr.  William  Rogers, 
with  the  answer  to  it.  I  respectfully 
suggest  to  the  Department,  should  any 
similar  letters  be  received,  whether  it 
would  not  be  best  to  send  them  to  the 
commissioners,  with  such  instructions 
in  reference  to  them  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary,  and  refer  the  writers  to  the 
commissioners  for  an  answer.  I  make 
this  suggestion  merely  to  prevent  be- 
ing embarrassed  by  the  crafty  policy 
of  the   men  we  have  to   deal  with.     It 


♦Written  June  28,  1835,  from  Chattahoochee, 
and  sugKested  that  "Mr.  Ridge"  was  not  the 
only  man  of  his  party  who  could  arrange  a 
treaty. 

**With  duplications  omitted ;  114  was  the 
total.  Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty      (1835).    ps.    390-147. 

***Near     Calhoun,     Gordon     County. 

****Site   of    Rome. 

*****Coosa. 


is  believed  Rogers'  letter  was  written 
at  the  suggestion  and  the  knowledge 
of  Ross.* 

With  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 
JOHN  F.  SCHERMERHORN, 

Commissioner. 

The  following  92**  Indians  lined 
up  with  the  Ridge  party  in  support 
of  Arcliilla  Smith's  resolution, 
which  if  passed  would  have  dis- 
tributed the  $6,666.67  annuity 
among  the  common  Indians  in- 
stead of  placing-  it  in  the  national 
treasury : 

Challoogee  District — James  Field,  R. 
Raincrow,  Beans  Pouch,  Na-too,  Stay- 
all-night,  Robin,  Daniel  Mills,  Stand- 
ing, Tac-ses-ka,  Archy,  Trailing,  Hog 
Shooter,  Tais-ta-eska,  Milk,  Dick  Scott, 
Hair  Tied,  Uma-tois-ka,  Dick,  George, 
Se-nah-ne,  Owl,  Chicken,  Buffalo, 
Parch  Corn,  Jim  Bear  Skin,  Coo-los- 
kee.  Bread  Butter,  Stephen  Harris  and 
Elijah  Moore.     Total,  29. 

Cooseivattie — Charley  Moore,  Ham- 
mer, Nathaniel  Wolf,  Baesling,  Tara- 
pin  Striker,  Te-ke-wa-tis-ka,  John 
Ridge,  Carnton  Hicks,  In  Debt,  Day- 
light, Matthew  Moore,  Standing 
Lightning,  Wake  Them,  Morter,  All- 
day,  Bear  Meat,  Waitie,  Mole  Sign, 
Wat  Liver,  Huckleberry,  Coon,  Isaac, 
Ave  Vann,  Walter  Ridge,  Jac  Nichol- 
son, Six  Killer,  John,  Collin  McDan- 
iel.  Stand  Watie,  and  Major  Ridge. 
Total,  31. 

Hightowcr  (Etoivah) — Ground  Hog, 
Ezekiel  West,  Spirit,  Hammer,  Jac 
West,  Catcher,  Rib,  Scou-tike,  Road, 
Chwa-looka,  Standing  Wolf,  Dave 
Scoute,  John  Wayne,  Tookah,  Frozen 
Foot,  Ease,  Nelson  West,  Red  Bird, 
Wat  Huskhe,  and  John  Eliot.  Total, 
20. 

Anioah — Jos.  Foreman,  Jac  Bushy- 
head,  Wm.  Reed  and  Jay  Hicks.  To- 
tal, 4. 

Aqnohee,  ChirkcDi'ciiign  avd  Trihqun> 
hee — None. 

Hickory  Log — Charles  and  Buffalo 
Pouch.      Total,    2. 

Miscellaneous — D.  J.  Hook,  Turkey 
Town;  J.  L.  McKay,  Will's  Valley; 
Tesataesky,  Springtown;  Black  Fox, 
Oothcalouga**-;  Henderson  Harris, 
Forks  of  Coosa*'"-'^' ;  Jno.  Fields,  Sv.. 
Turnip    Mountain''^ '"•"■"■'.     Total,  (5. 


52 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE  CENTRAL  CHURCHES  OF  ROME 

The    "Hill    City"     has    long    been     noted    for    the    influence     of    its     religious     institutions,    and 
practically    all    denominations    are    represented.  1 — The    new    First    Christian    edifice.         2 — The 

First    Methodist.      3 — The   First    Baptist,    in    snow    of    January    27,    1921,    minus    steeple    demolished 
by    lightning    stroke    in    1920.      4 — St.    Peter's    Episcopal.      5 — First    Presbyterian. 


CHAPTER  III. 
John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


OHN  HOWARD  PAYNE, 
author  of  the  famous  song, 
"Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and 
a  number  of  plays,  got  into 
a  peck  of  trouble  when  he  came 
to  Georgia  in  1835.  He  was  plainly- 
unaccustomed  to  frontier  life  and 
the  cruel  ways  of  the  Avorld.  In 
August,  1833,  he  had  sent  out  from 
New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  the  newspa- 
pers of  the  country  (including 
Georgia)  a  prospectus  of  a  new 
weekly  magazine  to  be  published 
at  London  and  to  be  known  by  the 
old  Persian  title  "Jam  Jehan  Ni- 
ma/'  or  "The  World  From  the  Pn- 
side  of  the  Bowl."  He  had  an- 
nounced that  he  would  visit  every 
state  in  the  Union  to  collect  ma- 
terial on  the  wonders  of  nature, 
and  also  to  collect  such  subscrip- 
tions as  he  could  for  this  depart- 
ure in  journalism.  His  funds  were 
ample  and  the  newspapers  in  many 
instances  carried  his  announcement 
on  their  front  pages,  and  com- 
mented editorially  upon  it.  He 
traveled  in  style,  and  his  own  story 
shows  that  he  was  not  a  partner 
to  rough  treatment. 

His  song  having  been  written  a 
decade  before  in  Paris  and  sung 
in  his  play,  "Clari,  or  the  Maid  of 
Milan,"  at  the  Covent  Garden  The- 
atre, London,  he  was  given  quite 
a  reception  on  his  return  from  the 
old  country  to  New  York ;  and  in 
certain  of  the  larger  cities  on  his 
"experience  jaunt"  he  was  received 
with  a  rousing  acclaim — notably 
at  New  Orleans.  Into  seven  states 
he  went  before  he  reached  Geor- 
gia; he  came  to  Macon  from  the 
Creek  Nation  in  Alabama,  and  on 
Aug.  9,  1835,  wrote  from  that  city 
to  his  sister  a  long  letter,  elegantly 

*Mr.  Payne  was  then  a  bachelor  of  4.3,  far 
from  the  ajie  of  insensibility  to   feminine  charms. 

**Also  author  of  the  Dickens-like  book  of 
side-splitting     comedy     called     "Georgia     Scenes." 


expressed  and  describing  a  green 
corn  dance  held  by  the  Creeks,  at 
which  a  strong  fascination  was 
flung  upon  him  by  the  beautiful 
daughter  of  an   Indian  chief.* 

At  Macon  he  purchased  a  horse 
and  traveled  toward  Augusta,  there 
to  confer  with  Judge  Augustus  B. 
Longstreet,**  editor  of  the  States' 
Rights  Sentinel,  with  regard  to 
furnishing  stories  of  his  travels. 
On  the  way  he  stopped  at  Sanders- 
ville,  Washington  County,  and  Dr. 
Tennille,  a  brother  of  Wm.  A.  Ten- 
nille,  then  secretary  of  state,  ad- 
vised him  to  study  the  Indian  re- 
moval problem.  First  he  went  by 
horseback  to  see  the  wonders  of 
North  Georgia — the  Toccoa  Falls, 
in  Stephens  County,  and  the  Ami- 
calola  Falls,  in  Dawson  County ; 
visited  Tallulah  Falls  and  gazed 
on  Yonah  Mountain  (White  Coun- 
ty), from  Clarkesville,  in  Haber- 
sham ;  inspected  the  gold  fields  of 
Dahlonega,  Lumpkin  County,  and 
finally  went  to  Cass  (Bartow) 
County  and  explored  the  Salt  Peter 
cave  near  Kingston. 

It  may  be  that  Payne  touched 
Floyd  County  on  this  trip.  An  old 
tradition  has  it  that  he  and  John 
Ross  spent  a  night  or  so  at  Rome, 
and  departing  for  New  Echota, 
camped  in  a  beech  grove  at  Pope's 
Ferry,  Oostanaula  river ;  and  that 
here  Payne  carved  his  name  on  a 
beech  tree.  Also  that  they  were 
entertained  in  the  home  of  Col. 
Wm.  C.  Hardin,  across  the  river. 
It  is  known  that  Payne  stayed  with 
the  Plardins  and  played  on  the 
piano  for  the  little  girls  of  the 
family  while  they  were  stationed 
at  New  Ivchota,  but  nothing  yet 
establishes  that  he  visited  Rome 
and  Pope's  Ferry. 

For  a  time  it  was  l)clievcd  he 
attended   the    July    liuhan    meeting 


54 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


at  "Running  Waters,"  near  Rome, 
but  since  he  did  not  enter  the 
state  until  early  August,  this  was 
impossible.  He  had  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction from  an  Athens  mer- 
chant to  a  Floyd  County  lawyer,* 
but  evidently  never  presented  it. 
Presently,  in  September,  he 
shook  the  dust  from  his  boots  and 
clothes  in  Athens,  Clarke  County, 
having  been  taken  there  by  a  let- 
tor  to  Gen.  Kdward  Harden,  who 
as  a  resident  of  Savannah  some 
time  before  had  entertained  Gen. 
I.aFayette.  Payne  was  received 
into  the  Harden  home,  and  quickly 
fell  in  love  with  the  General's 
beautiful  brunette  daughter,  Mary 
Harden,  to  whom  he  gave  some 
handsome  Indian  relics  from  his 
portmanteau,  and  later  wrote  a 
number  of  impassioned  letters  tell- 
ing of  his  love.  Strange  to  say, 
neither  married,  but  that  is  an- 
other story.  The  University  of 
Georgia  was  in  session  and  Payne 
and  ]\Iiss  Harden  mingled  among 
the  students  on  the  campus. 

Tu  company  with  Gov.  Lump- 
kin, Gen.  Harden  and  Col.  Sam- 
uel Rockwell,  Payne  set  off  for 
the  Indian  country  in  the  general's 
two-horse  carriage,  and  was  ready 
for  the  opening  of  the  Red  Clay 
Council  of  Oct.  12  a  day  or  two  be- 
fore it  convened.  John  Ross 
pressed  them  to  stay  with  him, 
and  they  did  so.  On  Sept.  28 
Payne  rode  into  Tennessee,  and 
spent  some  days  at  the  cabin  of 
Ross.  Then  he  proceeded  back  to 
Red  Clay,  arriving  Sunday,  a  day 
prior  to  the  council  opening. 

Here  it  was  that  the  well-inten- 
tioned "Tray"  got  into  company 
of  none  too  good  standing,  as  the 
Georgia  authorities  viewed  it,  and 
with  Ross  was  subjected  to  the 
humiliation  of  arrest.**  He  was 
taken  in  custody  Saturday  at  II 
p.  m.,  Nov.  7,  1835,  and  released 
Friday  morning,  Nov.  20,  12 ^/^  days 
later.      Ross    was     freed     Monday 


at  4  p.  m.,  Nov.  16,  hence  had  been 
detained  9  days.  The  Red  Clay 
Council  had  adjourned  Oct.  30, 
after  a  session  lasting  19  days. 

Immediately  after  he  reached 
"civilization"  (Calhoun,  McMinn 
County,  Tenn.),  Mr.  Payne  issued 
the  following  statement  to  the 
press,  under  date  of  Nov.  23,  1835  : 

John  Howard  Payne  to  His  Coun- 
trymen— The  public  is  respectfully  re- 
quested to  withhold  their  opinion  for 
the  few  days  upon  the  subject  of  a 
recent  arrest  within  the  chartered 
limits  of  Tennessee,  by  the  Georgia 
Guard,  of  Mr.  Payne,  in  company  with 
Mr.  John  Ross,  principal  chief  of  the 
Cherokee    nation. 

Mr.  Payne  can  not  of  course  iden- 
tify the  state  of  Georgia  with  this 
gross  violation  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  of  the  rights  of 
an  American  citizen,  and  of  the  known 
hospitality  of  the  South  to  strangers. 
But  as  he  is  conscious  that  every  act 
which  can  be  devised  will  be  resorted 
to  for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring  to 
cover  such  an  act  from  public  indig- 
nation, he  thinks  it  due  to  justice  to 
premise  that  a  full  and  honest  state- 
ment shall  be  submitted  the  moment 
it  can  be  prepared. 

Payne's  own  story  of  his  trials 
and  tribulations  is  best  told  by 
himself.  So  far  as  is  known,  this 
account  has  never  been  reproduced 
in  any  publication  except  the  news- 
papers and  journals  that  carried  it 
at  the  time.  It  was  found  at  the 
University  of  Georgia  Library, 
Athens,  in  the  Georgia  Constitu- 
tionalist (Augusta)  of  Thursday, 
Dec.  24,  1835,  having  been  reprint- 
ed from  the  Knoxville  (Tenn.) 
Register  of  Dec.  2,  same  year.  It 
sets  at  rest  certain  discussions 
l)caring  on  historic  fact,  and  here 
it  is: 

At  the  instance  of  Mr.  Jno.  Howard 
Payne,  I  hand  for  publication  his  ad- 
dress to  his  countrymen  in  the  United 


♦Believed  to  have  been  Judge  Jno.  H.  Lump- 
kin, nephew  of  Gov.  Wilson  Lumpkin,  of  Ath- 
ens. 

**At  the  one-room  log  cabin  of  Sleeping  Rab- 
bit, an  Indian  underling  of  Ross.  The  spot  is 
located  at  Blue  Spring  (Station),  Bradley  Co., 
Tenn.,  five  miles  southwest  of  Cleveland  and  eight 
miles    north  of    Red   Clay. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


55 


States,  giving  an  account  of  his  ab- 
duction from  the  State  of  Tennessee 
and  of  his  imprisonment  and  brutal 
treatment  in  this  state  by  the  Geor- 
gia Guard.  To  none  of  his  country- 
men is  it  so  important  as  to  those  of 
Georgia  to  be  acquainted  with  the 
facts  of  this  outrage.  Every  man  of 
patriotic  feeling  within  its  feel  will 
regret  that  any  power  with  the  sem- 
blance of  state  authority  should  have 
acted  in  such  a  banditti-like  manner 
toward  the  amiable  and  talented  au- 
thor of  "Home,  Sweet  Home"  and  for 
the  credit  of  the  state  will  desire  that 
the  principal  actors  may  be  made  to 
suffer  the  punishment  of  crimes  so 
flagrant  and  disgraceful  to  the  coun- 
try. 

ROBERT  CAMPBELL. 
Augusta,  Ga.,   Dec.   18,  1835. 


(From  the  Knoxville,*  Tenn.,  Regis- 
ter, Dec.  2,  1835.) 

John  Howard  Payne  to  His  Country- 
men.— A  conspiracy  has  been  formed 
against  my  reputation  and  my  life. 
From  the  latter  I  have  just  escaped, 
and  very  narrowly.  I  would  protect 
the  former,  and  therefore  hasten  to 
acquaint  the  public  with  the  truth  re- 
garding this   extraordinary   affair. 

It  has  long  been  known  that  in  Au- 
gust, 1833,  I  published  proposals  at 
New  York  for  a  literary  periodical. 
The  prospectus  stated  as  a  part  of 
m^;  plan  that  I  would  travel  through 
the  United  States  for  the  double  pur- 
pose of  gathering  subscribers  and  ma- 
terial; and  especially  such  informa- 
tion regarding  my  own  republic  as 
might  vindicate  our  national  charac- 
ter, manners  and  institutions,  against 
the  aspersions  of  unfriendly  travel- 
ers from  other  countries.  In  the  pur- 
suit of  these  objects  I  have  for  up- 
wards of  a  year  been  upon  my  jour- 
ney. I  have  visited  Ohio,  Kentucky, 
Missouri,  Illinois,  Mississippi,  Louis- 
ana  and  Alabama.  In  each  of  these 
states  I  have  been  honored  with  the 
most  flattering  hospitality  and  sup- 
port. Some  time  in  August  last  I 
entered  Georgia  on  my  regular  course 
northward  through  the  Carolinas  and 
Virginia.      I    was    induced    by    the    de- 

*JudKe  HukH  Lawson  White  and  David  A. 
Deaderick  led  a  committee  for  a  Payne  mass 
meetinK  at  Knoxville,  but  Payne  declined  ap- 
pearing. He  later  attended  a  public  dinner.  He 
went  to  Knoxville  via  Calhoun  and  Athens, 
Tenn. 

**Wm.  A.  Tennille,  ancestor  of  the  Savannah 
Tennilles. 


scriptions  I  had  heard  of  the  beauty 
of  its  mountain  region  to  turn  some- 
what aside  from  my  road  in  order 
to  seek  the  upper  parts  of  the  State; 
for  I  was  anxious  in  anything  I  might 
write  hereafter  to  leave  nothing  which 
deserved  admiration  untouched.  I  went 
to  Tellulah,  Tuckoah,  the  cave  in  Cass 
County,  the  Gold  Region  and  the  Falls 
of  Amacaloolah.  A  mere  accident  led 
me  among  the  Cherokees.  The  acci- 
dent was  this: 

In  the  course  of  my  rambles  I  met 
Li.  Tennille,  of  Saundersville,  a  broth- 
er to  the  Georgia  Secretary  of  State.** 
This  gentleman  spoke  to  me  of  the 
Cherokees.  He  suggested  that  their  his- 
tory for  the  last  50  years,  could  it 
be  obtained,  would  be  one  of  extreme 
irterest  and  curiosity,  and  especially 
appropriate  to  a  work  like  mine.  I 
knew  next  to  nothing  then  of  the  Cher- 
okees. I  had  been  in  Europe  when 
their  cause  was  brought  so  eloquently 
before  the  public  by  Mr.  Wirt,  Mr. 
Everett  and  others.  The  hint  I  speak 
of  led  me  to  ask  about  them.  The  more 
I  heard,  the  more  I  became  excited. 
T  obtained  letters  to  their  leading  men 
and  went  into  the  nation.  Circum- 
stances, however,  had  induced  me  to 
relinquish  my  first  purpose  of  pro- 
ceeding so  far  as  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Ross,  their  Principal  Chief.  But  I 
was  told  Mr.  Ross  possessed  a  series 
of  letters  which  had  been  sent  to  him 
by  his  predecessor  in  office,  Chas.  R. 
Hicks,    detailing    memoranda    for    the 


JOHN  HOWARD  PAYNE,  author  of  world- 
famous  song,  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  who 
was  arrested   by  the   (JeorKia   Guard  in   1835. 


56 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


earlier  history  of  his  country,  and  that 
he  himself  had  taken  up  the  narra- 
tive where  it  was  discontinued  by  the 
extending  of  it  to  the  year  1835.  I 
was  encouraged  to  believe  that  were 
I  to  call  on  Mr.  Ross  he  would  not 
only  readily  allow  me  the  use  of  these 
manuscripts,  but  be  gratified  in  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  them  made  pub- 
lic. I  therefore  resumed  my  original 
intention  and  on  the  28th  of  last  Sep- 
tember rode  into  Tennessee  to  the  res- 
idence of  Mr.   Ross. 

By    Mr.    Ross    I   was    received   with 
unlooked-for  cordiality   and   unreserve. 
I  felt  the  deeper  sympathy  for  him  be- 
cause I  found  him  driven  by  the  hard 
policy  against  his  nation  from  a  splen- 
did abode  to  a  log  hut  of  but  one  sin- 
gle  room,   and    scarcely   proof   against 
the    wind    and    rain.      He    had    a    part 
of    the    letters    by    Mr.    Hicks,    but   of 
a  continuation  by  himself   I  had   been 
misinformed.      He    told    me,    however, 
that   any   or   all   of   the    documents   he 
had  were  at  my  service.     I  thought  if 
he  were  disposed  to  let  me  take  these 
with    me    and    transcribe   them    at    my 
leisure,    he    would    have    proposed    it; 
but   as   he   did   not,    I    began   to    make 
copies  where  I  was — intending  to  con- 
fine   myself    to    very    few.      My    first 
calculation    was    to    limit    my    visit    to 
a  day,  but  I  thought  I  should  now  be 
warranted    in    prolonging    it    three    or 
four;   my  task,  however,  detaining  me 
longer  than  I  expected,  Mr.  Ross  urged 
me  to  remain  until  the  meeting  of  the 
Council.      He    told    me    that    he    could 
then    show    me    all   their    leading   men. 
He    thought    besides    that    two    gentle- 
men   who    have     made     valuable     re- 
searches   into    the    antiquities    and    the 
language    of    the    Cherokees    would    be 
present.     To  the  arrival   of  the   Reve- 
rend Commissioner,  Mr.  Schermerhorn, 
I  also  looked  with  interest.     I  believed 
him  to  be  the  same  Mr.   Schermerhorn 
who    was    in    an    upper    class    when    I 
entered  college'  ;  we  had  been  intimate 
there;   I  had  not  met  him   in  five  and 
twenty  years,  and  was  solicitous  to  talk 
over  things   long  past.     In  addition  to 
these    inducements,    I    felt    a    deep    at- 
traction in  the  opportunity  of  witness- 
ing the  last  days  on   their  native   soil 
of  the  nations  of  the  red   men.     I  de- 
termined   to    see    the    opening     of     the 
Council. 

My  stay  with  Mr.  Ross  having  been 
so  unexpectedly  protracted,  of  course 
the  range  of  my  collections  was  ex- 
tended. In  addition  to  the  literature 
and    the    anecdotes    of    the    nation     I 


involuntarily    became    well    acquainted 
with   its   politics,  because   I  had   tran- 
scribed  nearly   all   the   documents    rel- 
ative  to  the  recent  negotiations  for   a 
treaty.      I    thought    these   curious,    not 
only  as  historic  evidence,  but  as  spec- 
imens of  Indian  diplomacy,  more  com- 
plete   than    any    upon    record    in    any 
age  or  country.     I  confess  I  was  sur- 
prised  at  what  these   papers   unfolded 
regarding    the     system     used     by     the 
agents    and    pursued    by    our    govern- 
ment, and   I  thought  if  the  real  posi- 
tion of  the  question  were  once  under- 
stood by  our  own  country  and  its  rul- 
ers,   their    ends    would    be    sought    by 
different     and     unexceptional     means. 
Though  no  politician,  as  a  philanthro- 
pist I   fancied  good   might  be   done  by 
a    series    of    papers    upon    the    subject. 
I    conceived    as    an    American    that    it 
was  one  of  the  most  precious  and  most 
undisputed    of    my    rights    to    examine 
any     subject    entirely     national,    espe- 
cially if  I  could  render   service  to  the 
country  by  such  explanations  as  pecu- 
liar circumstances  might  enable  me  to 
offer.     For  this  purpose  I  commenced 
such  a  series  as  I  have  spoken  of,  but 
having  written  one  number,  I  thought 
I  would  lay  it  by  for  reconsideration, 
and   forbear    to     make    up     my     mind 
finally  until  I   saw  how  matters  were 
carried    on    at    the     Council     then    ap- 
proaching.     The    number    in     question 
was  subsequently  put  aside  and  no  sec- 
ond number  ever  written.     It  was  sign- 
ed  "WASHINGTON."     The     mention 
was  brief  and  incidental.     It  was  such 
a  paper  as  we  see  hourly  upon  our  pub- 
lic  affairs,   only   somewhat  more   gen- 
tle    and     conciliatory.     Among     other 
things,    it    mentioned    of    necessity   the 
Georgia  Guard.     It  spoke  of  their  out- 
ward   appearance    as   more   resembling 
banditti   than    soldiers,   and   alluded  to 
the  well-known  fact  of  an  Indian  pris- 
oner   who    had    hanged    himself    while 
in  their  custody,  through  fear  that  they 
would  murder  him.     I  wish  the  reader 
to  bear  this  paper  in  mind,  for  it  will 
be   specifically  noticed  more  than  once 
again ;    and    at    the    same    time    let    it 
be  remembered  that  it  was  never  print- 
ed** nor  made  known  in  any  way,  but 
kept    among    my    private    manuscripts 
until    the    proper    season    for    publica- 
tion   had    gone    by.      Indeed,    the    very 
plan   of   which    it   was    meant   for    the 
beginning  was  ere  long  merged  in  an- 

*Union,  Schnectady,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Schermerhorn 
fjraduated  in  1809.  Payne  entered  in  1807,  pre- 
sumably in  the  Class  of  1811.  and  left  after 
two    terms    and    without    completing    his    course. 

**Mai.  Currey  claimed  it  was  printed  by  the 
Knoxville   Register    prior   to    the  arrest. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


57 


other.  It  had  been  suggested  that 
great  service  might  be  done  by  an  ad- 
dress to  the  people  of  the  United  States 
from  the  Cherokees,  explaining  fully 
and  distinctly  all  their  views  and  feel- 
ings. I  was  told  that  no  one  had  ever 
possessed  such  opportunities  as  mine 
had  been  for  undertaking  these.  I 
took  the  hint,  and  felt  gratified  in  the 
opportunity  of  enabling  the  nation  to 
plead  its  own  cause.  I  promised  to 
prepare  such  an  address,  and  if  ap- 
proved, it  was  to  be  sent  around  by 
runners,  for  the  signature  of  every 
Cherokee  in  the  country.  I  confess  I 
felt  proud  of  an  advocacy  in  which 
some  of  the  first  talent  of  the  land 
had  heretofore  exulted  to  engage.  I 
only  lamented  that  my  powers  were 
so  unequal  to  my  zeal. 

The  Council  assembled.  One  of  the 
first  inquiries  of  the  Reverend  Com- 
missioner was  for  his  former  friend; 
and  I  felt  happy  to  recognize  in  the 
wilderness  one  whom  I  had  known 
so  early  in  my  life.  I  accompanied 
him  by  his  invitation  to  his  cabin.  I 
found  him  strongly  prejudiced  against 
Mr.  Ross.  He  introduced  me  to  Ma- 
jor Currey,  the  United  States'  agent. 
Major  Currey,  as  well  as  Mr.  Scher- 
merhorn,  proffered  any  documents  or 
books  or  other  facilities  which  might 
aid  me  in  my  search  for  information. 
They  urged  upon  me  to  read  some  pa- 
pers they  were  preparing  against  Mr. 
Ross  and  the  Council.  I  did  read 
them.  I  entered  into  no  discussion,  but 
then,  as  at  all  other  times,  briefly  as- 
sured Mr.  Schermerhorn  with  the  free- 
dom of  an  associate  in  boyhood  that  I 
conceived  his  course  a  mistaken  one, 
and  that  I  was  convinced  that  it  could 
not  lead  to  a  treaty.  The  same  thing 
had  been  said  to  him  by  many.  He 
replied  in  a  tone  of  irritation  that  he 
"would   have   a  treaty   in   a  week." 

"John  Ross  was  unruly  now,  but  he 
would  soon  be  tame  enough,"  and  on 
one  occasion  he  asked  a  gentleman  con- 
nected with  the  then  opposition  party 
in  the  nation  "if  the  wheels  were  well 
greased,"  and  informed  me  that  an 
address  in  Cherokee  was  coming  be- 
fore the  people,  which  I  inferred  from 
his  words  and  manner  was  expected 
to  produce  a  sudden  influence  fatal  to 
the  cause  of  Mr.  Ross.  He  also  in- 
troduced me  to  Mr.  Bishop,  captain 
of  the  Georgia  Guard,  whose  manner 
then  was  perfect  meekness.  A  few 
half-jocose  words   passed   between    Mr. 

*New  Echota,  Gordon  County,  where  The 
Phoenix   was    printed,    was    about    45    miles. 


Bishop  and  myself.  He  asked  me  how 
long  since  I  "arriv,"  named  the  Cher- 
okee question,  and  I  replied  that  I 
differed  with  him  in  opinion. 

"That  is  the  case  of  most  of  you 
gentlemen  from  the  north,"  he  replied. 

"It  is  not  that  I  am  from  the  north 
that  I  think  as  I  do,"  said  I,  "but 
because  I  am  jealous  of  our  national 
honor  and  prize  the  faith  of  treaties." 

"You  would  feel  differently  if  you 
had   the   same   interest   we   have." 

"I  should  hope  I  would  forget  my 
interest  where  it  went  against  my 
principles,"  I  observed. 

Mr.  Bishop  laughed  and  so  did  I, 
and  thus  we  parted.  After  this  I  ab- 
stained from  visiting  the  quarters  of 
Mr.  Schermerhorn,  not  wishing  as  the 
guest  of  Mr.  Ross  to  expose  myself 
to  the  necessity  of  being  drawn  into 
irritating  discussions.  The  proceed- 
ings took  the  very  course  I  apprehend- 
ed. Mr.  Schermerhorn's  plan  defeat- 
ed himself,  and  when  I  next  saw  him 
it  was  upon  the  council  ground;  Lieut. 
Bateman,  of  the  United  States  army, 
was  standing  with  me  when  he  came 
up.  The  conversation  necessarily  turn- 
ed upon  the  treaty.  I  repeated  my 
doubts  as  to  the  policy  of  his  course, 
and  he  again  declared  he  would  have 
a  treaty — and  forthwith.  I  asked  him 
for  some  documents  he  had  promised. 
He  said  he  would  gather  them  and 
send  them  to  New  York.  I  pressed 
him  for  them  at  once,  because  I  had 
already  everything  from  the  other  side 
and  wished  the  entire  evidence,  for  I 
meant  to  write  a  history  of  the  Cher- 
okees; and  added  I,  laughing,  "Don't 
complain  if  I  use  you  rather  roughly." 

I  saw  that  he  was  chafed,  although 
he  forced  a  smile.  "No,"  replied  he, 
"and  don't  complain  if  I  return  the 
compliment." 

"Certainly  not,"  said  I;  "if  you  can 
show  that  I  deserve  it;"  and  he  de- 
parted in  apparent  good  humor,  and  I 
saw  nothing  more  of  the  Reverend 
Commissioner. 

The  negotiation  was  broken  off.  The 
Council  adjourned.  Mr.  Ross  pressed 
me  to  return  to  his  house,  which  I  did 
for  the  purpose  of  awaiting  the  jour- 
ney of  a  messenger  whom  he  had  prom- 
ised to  send  some  80  miles  across  the 
country'"'  for  a  complete  file  of  the 
Cherokee  Phoenix  newspaper,  which, 
after  long  search,  I  had  made  the  dis- 
covery and  had  obtained  the  offer. 
During  the  absence  of  the  messenger 
I   renewed   the   transcriptions   of   docu- 


58 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


merits.  I  also  completed  the  address 
for  the  Cherokee  nation.  It  was  ap- 
proved, and  measures  were  to  be  taken 
for  obtaining  the  signatures  of  all  the 
people.  It  was  now  Saturday  evening, 
Nov.  7.  I  had  determined  on  Monday 
morning  to  depart,  taking  in  on  my 
road  back  through  Athens  the  Stone 
Mountain  of  Georgia,  a  view  of  which 
had  been  one  of  the  leading  objects 
of  my  journey.  Some  bustle  had  taken 
place  that  afternoon  with  a  person 
from  whom  Mr.  Ross  had  purchased 
his  present  place  of  refuge."  The 
man  had  returned  to  plant  himself 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  estate 
with  which  he  had  parted.  Mr.  Ross 
sent  out  all  his  negroes  and  other  men 
to  throw  up  a  worm  fence  and  mark 
his  limits;  and  some  dispute  was  ap- 
prehended. It  was  supposed  that  the 
measure  was  a  preconcerted  one,  for 
the  purpose  of  showing  the  Indians 
that  the  threat  of  harrassing  the  In- 
dians more  and  more  was  real.  All, 
however,  seemed  quiet  enough.  Mr. 
Ross  and  myself  were  engaged  the 
v.-hole  evening  in  writing.  My  papers 
were  piled  upon  the  table,  ready  to  be 
packed  for  my  approaching  journey. 
About  11  I  was  in  the  midst  of  a 
copy  from  a  talk  held  by  George 
Washington  in  1794  with  a  delega- 
tion of  Cherokee  chiefs.  Suddenly 
there  was  a  loud  barking  of  dogs,  then 
the  quick  tramp  of  galloping  horses, 
then  the  rush  of  many  feet,  and  a 
hoarse  voice  just  at  my  side  shouted 
"Ross,  Ross!"  Before  there  was  time 
for  a  reply,  the  voice  was  heard  at 
the  door  opposite,  which  was  burst 
open.     Armed  men  appeared. 

"Mr.   Ross." 

"Well,  gentlemen?" 

"We    have    business   with    you,    sir." 

Our  first  impression  was  that  there 
had  been  a  struggle  for  the  boundary 
and  that  these  men  had  come  to  make 
remonstrance;  but  instantly  we  saw  the 
truth.  The  room  was  filled  with 
Georgia  Guards,  their  bayonets  fixed, 
and  some,  if  not  all,  with  their  pis- 
tols and  dirks  or  dirk  knives.  An 
exceedingly  long,  lank  man  with  a 
round-about  jacket  planted  himself 
by  my  side,  his  pistol  resting  against 
my   breast. 

"You  are  to  consider  yourself  a 
prisoner,    sir!"    said    he    to    Ross. 

"Well,  gentlemen,  I  shall  not  re- 
sist. But  what  have  I  done?  Why 
am  I  a  prisoner?  By  whose  order  am 
I   taken?" 


"You'll  know  that  soon  enough.  Give 
up  your  papers  and  prepare  to  go  with 
us." 

And  then  a  scramble  began  for  pa- 
pers. I  had  not  moved  from  my  place 
when  the  long,  lank  man,  whom  I  after- 
wards found  was  Sergeant  Young,"'* 
leader  of  the  gang,  began  to  rummage 
among  the  things  upon  the  table. 

"These,  sir,  are  my  papers.  I  sup- 
pose you  don't  want  them,"  I  observed. 

Young,  his  pistol  still  pointed,  struck 
me  across  the  mouth. 

"Hold  you  damned  tongue!"  he  vo- 
ciferated. "You  are  here  after  no 
good.  Yours  are  just  what  we  do 
want.  Have  your  horse  caught  and 
be   off  with   us.      We  can't  stay." 

It  was  useless  to  reply.  I  asked 
for  my  saddlebags.  They  said  I  might 
take  them  if  there  were  no  arms  in 
them.  I  said  there  WERE  arms,  and 
my  pistols  were  required.  The  ser- 
geant took  them  and  was  at  a  loss  to 
manage  the  straps  which  confined  them 
under  my  vest. 

"How  the  devil  are  these  put  on? 
Come,  put  them  on  me!"  he  exclaimed. 

This  was  too  much.  I  turned  upon 
my  heel  and  this  unfortunate  ci'ea- 
ture  seemed  for  a  moment  to  feel  the 
reproof,  and  blundred  into  the  para- 
phernalia as  best  he  could.  A  person, 
whom  I  afterward  learned  was  mere- 
ly an  amateur  in  this  lawless  affair, 
Mr.  Absalom  Bishop,  a  brother  of  the 
captain  of  the  Guard,  the  one  com- 
monly called  Colonel,  was  exceedingly 
officious  with  Mr.  Ross.  He  insisted 
on  the  correspondence,  especially  the 
recent  letters  of  the  Principal  Chief, 
and  was  peculiarly  pert  and  peremp- 
tory in  handling  the  contents  of  Mr. 
Ross's  portmanteau.  There  was  an- 
other amateur  in  the  affair,  Mr.  Joshua 
Holden,  a  big,  sanctimonious-visaged, 
red-skinned  man,  whose  voice  I  never 
heard,  but  who,  from  the  evening  of 
our  capture  I  saw  busy,  moving  to  and 
fro  on  all  occasions,  apparently  as  a 
sort  of  factotum  for  the  dirty  work  of 
the  establishment. 

We  set  away.  The  greater  num- 
ber of  the  horses  had  been  left  at  a 
distance  in  the  road.  When  we  were 
all  mounted,  our  cavalcade  consisted,  I 
believe,  of  six  and  twenty,  Mr.  Ross 
and  myself  included,  and  we  two  were 
permitted  generally  to  ride  together, 
the    Guard    being     equally     divided    in 


*Sleeping    Rabbit? 

**His    first    name    was    Wilson. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia'Guard  59 


HOME  OF  JOHN  HOWARD  PAYNE'S  SWEETHEART 

"Harden  Hoine,"  Athens  (reconstructed),  where  Payne  visited  Gen.  Edward  Harden  in 
1835  and  fell  in  love  with  Miss  Mary  Eliza  Greenhill  Harden.  In  the  oval  are  Indian  mocca- 
sins, a  beaded  purse  and  a  shark's  tooth  presented  the  young  lady  by  her  middle-aged  lover. 
One   of   the    moccasins   has    been    donated    to    Rome    by    Miss    Evelyn   Harden    Jackson,    of    Athens. 


front  and  i-ear  of  us.  The  earlier 
part  of  the  night  was  bright  and  beau- 
tiful, but  presently  a  wild  storm  arose, 
and  then  rain  poured  in  torrents.  The 
movements  of  our  escort  were  ex- 
ceedingly capricious;  sometimes  whoop- 
ing and  galloping  and  singing  obscene 
songs,  and  sometimes  for  a  season 
walking  in  sullen  silence.  During  one 
of  these  pauses  in  the  blended  tumult 
of  the  tempest  and  of  the  travellers 
I  chanced  for  a  while  to  find  myself 
beside  the  smooth  and  silky  Mr.  Ab- 
salom Bishop.  My  mind  was  absoi'bed 
in  recollections  of  the  many  moments 
when  abroad  I  had  dwelt  upon  my  in- 
nocent and  noble  country.  I  remem- 
bered that  in  one  of  those  moments 
I  had  composed  a  song  which  has  since 
met  my  ear  in  every  clime  and  in  ev- 
ery part  of  every  clime  where  I  have 
roved.  At  that  instant  I  was  startled 
by  the  very  air  on  which  I  was  mus- 
ing. It  came  from  the  lips  of  my 
companion.  I  could  scarcely  believe 
my  senses.  It  almost  seemed  as  if  he 
had  read   my  secret  thoughts. 

"What  song  was  that  I  heard  you 
liumming?" 

"That?  Sweet  Home,  they  call  it, 
I  believe.      Why  do  you   ask?" 

"Merely  because  it  is  a  song  of  my 
own  writing,  and  the  circumstances 
under  which  I  now  hear  it  strike  me 
as    rather    singular." 

My  partner  simply  grumbled  that  he 
was  not  aware  that  I  had  written  the 
song;  but  added  knowingly  that  it  was 
in  the  Western  Songster,  and  the 
verses  generally  had  the  authors' 
names    annexed. 


We  halted  at  Young's.  It  happened, 
curiously  enough,  that  the  Western 
Songster  was  the  first  object  that 
caught  my  view  upon  the  table,  stand- 
ing open  at  "Sweet  Home,"  and  for- 
tunately for  my  character,  with  the 
"author's  name  annexed."  I  pointed 
it  out  to  Mr.  Ross,  and  we  both  smiled. 
This  man  Young,  at  whose  house  we 
halted,  like  others  connected  with  the 
Guard,  keeps  a  tavern.  Excursions  of 
this  nature  present  favorable  opportu- 
nities for  taxing  the  state  for  ex- 
penses, and  I  am  told  they  are  seldom 
overlooked.  Our  band  of  six  and  twenty 
took  supper  at  Young's.  They  had 
scarcely  entered  the  room  when  some- 
one struck  up : 

"We're    crosfiing   over  Jordan, 
Glory  Hallelujah!" 

And  our  sergeant  landlord  sprawled 
before  the  fire  and  began  to  talk  liter- 
ary. He  reckoned  I  had  heard  tell  of 
Marryboy.  I  assured  him  I  did  not 
remember   any   such   author. 

"What!     Not  his  system  of  nater?" 

I  replied  that  perhaps  he  might 
mean    Mirabeau. 

"Ah,  yes,  that  might  be.  He  and 
Wolney  and  Tom  Paine  were  great 
authors.  Was  Tom  Paine  any  kin 
of    yourn?" 

Something  was  said  of  the  Bible, 
but  of  that  our  friend  disclaimed  much 
knowledge.  He  didn't  believe  he  had 
ever  read  fifteen  chapters,  but  Marry- 
boy he   liked  of   all   things. 

It  was  announced  that  we  had  lin- 
gered long  enough,  and  the  horses 
were  brought  out.     Young  himself  re- 


60 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


mained  at  home,  but  most  of  the  resi- 
due dashed  recklessly  onward.  Our 
four  and  twenty  miles  through  the 
forest  was  completed  by  daybreak.  All 
were  drenched  in  the  heavy  showers 
and  covered  with  mud.  As  we  enter- 
ed the  enclosure,  the  Guard  were  or- 
dered into  line;  their  musquets  were 
discharged  in  triumph  for  their  splen- 
did crusade  against  one  little  goose- 
quill,  and  we  were  directed  to  dis- 
mount. We  went  to  our  prison;  it 
was  a  small  log  hut,  with  no  window 
and  one  door.  At  one  end  was  what 
they  called  a  bunk,  a  wide  case  of 
rough  boards  filled  with  straw.  There 
were  two  others  on  one  side  of  the 
room,  and  opposite  to  them  a  fireplace. 
Overhead  were  poles  across,  on  which 
hung  saddlebags,  old  coats  and  various 
other  matters  of  the  same  description. 
In  one  corner  sat  an  Indian  chained 
to  a  table  by  the  leg,  his  arms  tightly 
pinioned.  We  found  it  was  the  son 
of  the  Speaker  of  the  Council,  Going 
Snake.  They  had  charged  him  with 
refusing  to  give  in  his  name  and  the 
number  in  his  family  to  the  United 
States  Census  Taker.  He  denied  the 
accusation,  but  his  denial  went  un- 
heeded. He  smiled  and  seemed  pa- 
tient; they  removed  him  and  left  us 
the  only  prisoners,  but  never  alone. 
The  door  was  always  open;  the  place 
was  a  rendezvous  for  the  Guard  and 
all  their  friends.  Two  sentinels  with 
musciuets  loaded  and  bayonets  fixed 
kept  us  always  in  view.  The  place  of 
one  was  on  the  inside  and  the  other 
on  the  outside.  I  was  wet  to  the  skin, 
fatigued  and  unconsciously  sighted.  At 
that  moment  I  saw  two  of  the  young 
men  exchange  looks  and  laugh. 
Throughout  the  day  I  heard  dark 
phrases  which  seemed  to  betoken  some 
intended  mischief.  Several  people 
came  in  to  look  at  us  and  we  were 
shown  the  largest  bunk,  which  was  set 
apart  for  our  use,  and  there  we  tried 
to  sleep.  Presently  my  saddlebags 
were  demanded,  examined  and  after 
a  while  returned. 

I  heard  a  guard  say  that  not  a  soul 
ought  to  leave  the  lines  that  day,  that 
all  were  bound  to  remain  as  witnesses. 
Another  asked  a  companion  what  he 
would  be  doing  were  it  not  Sunday. 
The  companion  made  a  motion  of 
wielding  a  scourge  and  with  a  grin 
declared,  "That,  and  glad  of  a  chance, 
too!" 

"Where's   Tom?"   asked   one. 

"Gone  to  preachin',"  was  the  reply. 

"Oh,  hell!"   rejoined  a   third,  and   a 


hoarse  laugh  followed.     Then  someone 
struck  up 

"Jenny,  will  your  dog  bite? 
No,  sir,  no!" 

Which  was  responded  to  by 
"Jesus    the    Glorious 
Reigns   here   victorious!" 

And  from  another   side  came 
"I'll  not  go   home    'till    morning,    'till 
morning, 

"I'll  not   go   home   'till  ynorning!" 

And  then  there  would  be  a  hud- 
dling off  to  fire  pistols,  and  thus  pass- 
ed the  Sabbath.  I  ought  not  to  forget 
that  in  the  course  of  the  day  I  saw 
Mr.  Absalom  Bishop  talking  to  some 
strangers.  All  stared  frowningly  to- 
wards me  and  I  heard  Mr.  Absalom  as 
I  passed  muttering  low,  "best  leave 
the  country." 

Towards  evening  I  asked  who  was 
the  officer  in  command.  I  was  told 
the  quartermaster.  I  sent  for  him, 
and  he  answered  that  he  was  busy, 
but  would  come  by  and  by.  When  he 
appeared  I  asked  if  he  would  send 
a  letter  for  us  to  an  officer  of  the 
United  States  troops  at  the  agency, 
provided  we  would  pay  the  cost  of  an 
express.  He  asked  why  we  wanted  to 
send.  I  said  perhaps  a  message  would 
be  returned  which  might  set  our  af- 
fairs right.  The  quartermaster  mut- 
tered "That  would  be  rather  contrary 
to  o}'ders,"  gave  a  puff  or  two  of  his 
pipe  and  walked  away,  all  the  rest  in 
the  room  following  and  leaving  us  for 
the  first  time  a  moment  by  ourselves. 

The  long  night  came.  Some  ten 
or  twelve  remained  in  our  room,  the 
floor  being  paved  with  sleepers.  I 
heard  an  order  spoken  of  that  night 
that  nobody  was  to  be  allowed  to  en- 
ter that  room;  but  that  when  the  drum 
was  tapped  at  daybreak,  every  man 
was  to  fly  to  his  gun.  Long  before 
morning  several  got  up  and  sat  around 
the    fire,    smoking   and    talking. 

"Ah!"  said  one;  "there  must  have 
been  some  beautiful  slicking*  done  last 
night!" 

"First  one  timber  fell,  and  the  fam- 
ily tumbled  on  their  knees." 

"Ha,  ha,  ha!" 

"And  one  began   to   beg." 

Here  was   another   roar. 

"And  the  little  ones  squalled  'Mam- 
my!    Mammy!'  " 

Now  they  all  mimicked  crying  chil- 
dren. 

♦Refers  to  summary  punishment  administered 
by   vigilance   committees. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


61 


"And  then  the  old  woman  fell  to 
praying." 

Here  was  a  deafening  shout  of 
laughter,  which  was  so  long  continued 
that  they  became  exhausted,  and  we 
had  some  repose.  Somewhere  about 
this  time  a  house  in  the  town  had  been 
attacked,  as  far  as  we  could  gathet 
by  a  mob,  and  violence  committed;  but 
all  knowledge  of  the  rioters  was  de- 
nied by  the  Guard  among  themselves, 
though  the  attack  was  a  constant  theme 
of  conversation,  and  all  the  particu- 
lars connected  with   it  detailed. 

The  time  dragged  on  most  drearily. 
In  a  day  or  two  Young  returned.  He 
seemed  in  better  humor.  He  brought 
me  a  couple  of  volumes  of  Gil  Bias 
and  the  "Belgian  Traveller."  He  also 
brought  some  clothes  for  Mr.  Ross. 
He  said,  too,  he  had  my  pistols,  and 
I  could  take  them  when  I  liked.  He 
told  me  he  wanted  to  subscribe  for 
my  periodical.  He  hoped  if  I  ever 
mentioned  him  I  would  speak  well  of 
him.  I  assured  him  I  would  speak  as 
well  as  I  could,  but  I  must  tell  the 
truth. 

"Ah,"  said  he,  "you've  abused  us 
already.  We've  got  a  letter  where  you 
say    the    Guard    look    like    banditti." 

I  replied  that  the  letter  was  never 
published,  and  of  course  could  form 
no  part  of  the  excuse  for  my  arrest. 

"No  matter,"  added  he,  "you  oughtn't 
to  have  abused  the  Guard." 

I  need  not  remark  that  this  was  the 
letter  I  have  alluded  to  before.  I 
pressed  Young  to  let  us  know  on  what 
grounds    we    were    arrested. 

"Why,"  he  said,  "I  can  tell  you  one 
thing  they've  got  agin  you,  only  you 
needn't  say  that  I  told  you.  They  say 
ycu're    an    Abolitionist." 

I  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  ex- 
cessive absurdity  of  this,  and  consid- 
ered it  as  a  mere  dream  of  the  man, 
whose  brain  often  seemed  in  the  wrong 
place.  At  the  same  time,  he  told  Mr. 
Ross  that  the  charge  upon  him  was 
that  he  had  impeded  taking  the  Cen- 
sus. Mr.  Ross  repelled  the  accusa- 
tion vigorously,  and  required  to  be 
heard,  and  to  know  his  accuser.  Young 
said  all  he  could  tell  was  that  Major 
Currey  gave  him  the  order  for  our  ar- 
rest; that  he  had  not  only  a  written 
but  a  verbal  order,  and  upon  that  we 
were  taken.  What  the  verbal  order 
was  he  would  not  tell  to  anybody.  We 
asked  how  long  we  were  to  be  con- 
fined.     He    said    till    Col.    Bishop    re- 


*Wm.    Carroll. 


turned    from     Milledgeville.      We     re- 
quested to  know   when  that  would  be. 

"About  Christmas." 

I  then  asked  to  write  the  President 
of  the  United  States.  It  was  refused. 
I  asked  to  write  to  the  Governor  of 
Tennessee.  It  was  refused.  I  asked  to 
write  to  the  Governor  of  Georgia.  It 
was  refused.  I  was  also  denied  my 
request  to  communicate  with  my 
friends  at  home.  I  asked  Young  if 
he  was  an  officer  of  the  United  States. 
He  replied  that  he  was  not.  Mr.  Ross 
then  asked  him  if  he  were  not  an  of- 
ficer of  the  United  States,  how  he 
came  to  obey  the  order  of  Major  Cur- 
rey by  passing  over  the  boundaries  of 
Tennessee.  He  replied  that  in  Geor- 
gia it  was  not  law,  it  was  all  power. 
I  then  observed  that  the  rights  of  an 
American  citizen  were  sacred.  They 
were  secured  to  him  by  the  Constitution, 
and  that  to  trample  upon  them  thus 
wantonly  would  render  his,  or  any 
man's  situation,  a  very  dangerous  one 
with  the  people  of  a  country  like  ours, 
who  must  look  upon  it  as  their  com- 
mon cause. 

"Pooh!"  replied  he;  "that  mignt 
have  done  very  well  once,  but  Lord! 
don't  you   know  that's  all  over   now?" 

This   was    of   course    unansw'erable. 

In  the  meantime,  a  suggestion  was 
made  to  us  in  a  very  unexpected  way 
of  a  plan  of  escape.  We  looked  upon 
it  with  suspicion,  and  thought  it  best 
not  even  through  curiosity  to  give  it 
encouragement.  It  appeared  to  us 
that  it  might  be  a  ])lan  that,  even 
should  it  succeed,  would  make  us  seem 
in  the  wrong;  and  we  knew  that  at- 
tempts of  that  nature,  which  had  not 
succeeded,  had  been  fatal.  We  thought 
it  safer  to  be  patient. 

I  contrived,  however,  to  elude  the 
vigilance  of  our  watchers.  I  found 
among  my  clothes  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction from  one  of  the  first  mer- 
chants in  Athens  to  a  lawyer  in  Floyd 
County,  Ga.  There  was  blank  room 
enough  in  it  to  allow  me  to  turn  the 
sheet  and  to  write  inside.  I  had  a 
pencil  in  my  pocket.  While  pretend- 
ing to  read  a  newspaper  I  scribbled 
by  snatches  an  appeal  to  the  Gover- 
nor of  Tennessee.*  It  was  conveyed 
out  of  the  lines  to  a  friend  who  inked 
the  superscription  and  made  a  copy 
from  the  inside,  which  he  afterwards 
gave  me,  but  I  have  mislaid  it.  An 
express  with  the  most  kind  friendship 
flew  across  the  country  with  this  let- 
ter to  the  Cherokee  Agency,  and  thence 
it   was  forwarded   by  another   express 


62 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


to   Nashville.      I    have   not   yet   learned 
the  result. 

We  now  heard  that  a  brother  of  Mr, 
Koss  and  another  gentleman  had  in 
vain  sought  to  see  us.  We  next  ob^ 
tamed  information  that  a  son  and  a 
friend  of  Mr.  Ross  had  arrived.  After 
much  demur  Mr.  Koss  was  allowed  to 
speak  with  his  son,  provided  he  only 
conversed  on  family  affairs.  The 
father  and  son  met  at  the  steps  of 
one  entrance  to  the  enclosure.  The 
steps  were  filled  with  curious  listen- 
ers. When  attempting  to  utter  a  syl- 
lable of  domestic  incjuiry  to  his  son  in 
Cherokee,  Mr.  Joshua  Holden  sudden- 
ly interdicted  Mr.  Ross  from  proceed- 
ing. 

Une  afternoon  subsequently  there 
was  an  arrival  which  gave  great  joy 
to  Sergeant  Young.  Some  guards  re- 
turned from  furlough  with  Governor 
Lumpkin's  valedictory  message,  with 
news  that  Mr.  Bishop  had  got  the  bet- 
ter of  an  old  enemy  in  a  street  affray 
at  Milledgeville,  and  that  a  sort  of 
patron  of  Young,  by  the  name  of 
Kenan,*  had  been  elected  Judge  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Georgia.  At 
this  last  intelligence,  Young  frisked 
about  like  a  lunatic.  He  drew  my 
pistols  and  fired  them  off  in  triumph. 
He  whooped,  he  laughed,  he  capered. 
He  ran  into  our  room. 

"Aha!"  exclaimed  he.  "He's  the  fel- 
low that  will  bring  down  the  consti- 
tution!" 

I  replied  that  I  thought  it  would 
have  been  much  better  to  have  found 
a  fellow  that  would  bring  it  up — it 
was  down  low  enough  already.  But 
Young  seemed  to  look  upon  this  elec- 
tion, especially  when  coupled  with  the 
appointment  of  two  of  his  family  con- 
nection to  high  places  in  the  state, 
as  a  source  of  great  hope  for  his  own 
advancement,  and  was  perfectly  be- 
wildered with  exultation.  In  the  eve- 
ning, a  newspaper  was  produced,  con- 
taining Gov.  Lumpkin's  valedictory 
message.  There  were  some  envenomed 
passages  in  it  against  Mr.  Ross.  Young 
had  already  put  it  into  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Ross,  and  then  desired  me  to  read 
it  aloud.  I  objected.  I  appealed  to 
his  own  sense  of  decency,  but  he  per- 
sisted and  when  Mr.  Ross  united  with 
him,  I  read  the  passage  and  gave  the 
hearers  full  benefit  of  this  petty 
triumph  over  a  prisoner  in  their  power. 

The  next  change  which  occurred  was 
the  determination  of  the  Sergeant  to 
post  off  to  Milledgeville.  When  he 
communicated  this  to  us,  Mr.  Ross 
asked  to  be  conducted  with  him  thither, 


that  he  might  learn  from  the  Governor 
of  the  State  why  he  was  detained, 
and  answer  his  accusers.  This  was 
denied,  but  the  sergeant  promised  he 
would  take  a  letter.  Soon  afterwards 
the  polished  Mr.  Absalom  Bishop  made 
his  appearance.  He  had  understood 
from  Mr.  Young  that  Mr.  Ross  wish- 
ed to  address  the  Governor.  If  on 
seeing  the  latter,  Mr.  Absalom  Bishop 
should  find  it  might  facilitate  the  set- 
tlement of  the  Cherokee  question,  he 
would  himself  be  the  bearer.  This 
seemed  to  me,  especially  in  an  unoffi- 
cial position,  a  piece  of  the  most  ar- 
rant impertinence  I  had  ever  heard.  I 
took  occasion  myself  at  the  same  time 
to  repeat  my  request  for  leave  not 
only  to  write  to  the  Governor  of  Geor- 
gia, but  to  the  Governor  of  Tennessee, 
to  the  President  and  to  my  friends. 
I  received  this  extraordinary  reply: 

"Your  fate  will  be  decided  and  the 
result  made  nublic  before  you  can 
reach  either  of  the  persons  you  have 
named." 

I  pressed  to  know  on  what  charge 
I  was  imprisoned.  Mr.  Absalom  Bish- 
op remarked  that  I  would  learn  ere 
long  from  the  proper  authority,  and 
added  with  a  simper.  "Yon  are  not  in 
so  bad  a  fix  as  Arthur  Tappan,  for 
I  see  by  the  paners  that  they  are 
parading  him  with  a  halter  around 
his  neck." 

Mr.  Ross,  with  some  warmth,  ex- 
claimed, "I  hope,  sir,  you  do  not  com- 
pare our  case  with  his!" 

"Indeed,  sir,"  smiled  the  gentle  Mr. 
Absalom,  "Mr.  Payne  has  for  some 
time  been  under  suspicion  as  an  Abo- 
litionist." And  still  the  charge  seem- 
ed to  me  so  ridiculous  that  I  could 
not  but  join  Mr.  Absalom  Bishop  in 
his  smile,  and  I  answered: 

"Oh,  if  that's  all,  it  can  soon  be 
settled!" 

"No,"  replied  my  comforter,  "that's 
not  the  only  charge,  but  you  will  know 
in  time,  and  a  fortnight  can  not  make 
much  difference." 

Mr.  Ross  was  now  supplied  with 
paper,  and  Mr.  Absalom  Bishop  re- 
mained to  watch  him.  When  the  let- 
ter was  completed,  the  Guards  were 
already  crowding  the  doorway,  their 
eyes  and  ears  and  mouths  distended 
with  curiosity.  Mr.  Ross  folded  the 
letter  and  handed  it  to  Mr.  Absalom, 
who  very  deliberately  opened  and  read 
it,  and  replied  he  thought  it  might 
do;  he  then  went  out,  followed  by 
Sergt.    Young.      After    a    while,    both 

*Owen  H.  Kenan,  of  Newnan,  judge  of  the 
Tallapoosa    Circuit,    Superior    Court. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


63 


returned.  Mr.  Absalom  Bishop  ob- 
served that  he  wished  a  postscript, 
more  distinctly  assuring  the  Governor 
that  he  was  desirous  of  making  a 
Treaty  speedily,  and  that  he  urged  a 
release  forthwith,  merely  in  order  to 
accompany  the  delegation  to  Washing- 
ton and  accelerate  the  treaty.  Mr. 
Ross  pointed  out  a  part  of  his  letter 
Vi'hich  already  stated  as  much;  but  Mr. 
Absalom  Bishop  thought  a  postscript 
desirable,  and  so  the  postscript  was 
added  and  pronounced  satisfactory, 
and  the  letter  and  its  bearer  disap- 
peared. I  could  almost  fancy  the 
genius  of  this  country  exclaiming  after 
him,  "Oh,  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!" 

The  departure  was  fixed  for  the 
next  day,  but  in  the  meantime  there 
arose  trouble  in  the  camp.  Sergt. 
Young  heard  a  guard  complaining  of 
him,  and  rushed  at  him  with  a  club. 
The  guard  struggled  and  Young  drew 
my  pistol  on  him.  The  rest  of  the 
troop  caught  Young's  arm  and  saved 
their  comrade.  Young  afterwards 
was  grumbling  at  his  failure.  "I  have 
paid  $1,500  already,"  said  he,  "for 
shooting  and  stabbing,  and  I  think  I 
can  raise  another  .$1,500."  He  next 
entertained  us  with  a  story  of  revenge 
upon  a  negro  slave  of  his  whom  he  had 
caught  stealing.  He  had  shaved  the 
fellow's  ear  off  close  with  a  razor, 
"and  the  damned  rascal,"  added  he, 
"said  he  never  could  hear  after  that, 
and  it  was  a  damned  of  a  while  before 
the  place  healed  up." 

I  confess  it  somewhat  annoyed  me 
to  find  my  pistols  in  the  constant 
wearing  of  this  person.  I  had  fre- 
quently given  him  hints  after  he  had 
promised  to  return  them,  but  he  took 
no  notice.  One  morning  I  remarked, 
"Those  pistol  straps  will  be  worn  out 
before  I  have  a  chance  of  putting  them 
on."  "I  reckon  not,"  said  Young, 
"they'll  last  till  spring,  I  take  it." 

But  now  that  he  was  preparing  for 
a  long  journey  and  an  indefinite  ab- 
sence, I  thought  it  expedient  to  re- 
quest their  return  explicitly.  He  de- 
murred; would  take  it  as  a  great  favor 
if  I  would  lend  them  to  him.  He  would 
be  back  long  before  I  could  get  out; 
he  would  do  as  much  at  any  time  for 
me.  Then  suddenly  recollecting  him- 
self, he  said:  "I  know  I've  behaved 
like  a  damned  mean  man  to  you." 
"Yes,  you  have,"  replied  I;  "you  struck 
me."  "I  know  I  did,  and  I've  hated 
it  ever  since."  "I  never  named  it," 
I  replied,  "but  I  never  forgot  it."  "But 
you'd  better  let  me  have  the  pistols. 
I'll  buy  them — what   did  they  cost?"  I 


named  the  cost  and  he  cried,  "I'll  leave 
'em.  I'll  give  'em  to  the  quartermas- 
ter to  keep." 

The  pistols  were  eventually  sent  out 
of  the  lines  to  a  son  of  Mr.  Ross,  from 
whom  I  have  since  obtained  them;  but 
their  withdrawal  seemed  to  sink  deep 
mto  the  Sergeant's  mind.  In  speak- 
ing of  it  to  him  I  remarked:  "My 
own  things  may  as  well  be  under  my 
own  command.  I  did  not  seek  the  pis- 
tols because  I  thought  them  of  any 
great  importance  as  a  defense;  what- 
ever may  chance,  I  suppose  our  lives 
are   safe   enough." 

"Maybe  not,"  observed  the  Sergeant. 

Soon  afterwards,  another  conversa- 
tion arose.  "Did  I  understand  you 
rightly,"  observed  I  to  the  Sergeant, 
"or  were  you  only  joking  when  you 
said  a  while  ago  that  our  lives  were 
m  danger  here?  You  surely  could 
not  mean  that  we  are  in  danger." 

"You  see  the  sort  of  company  you've 
got  into,"  replied  he;  "I  can't  an- 
swer for  anybody  when  I'm  once  away. 
However,  there's  one  honest  man  here 
and  I'll  put  you  under  his  charge. 
Riley  Wilson's  an  honest  man.  I've 
plenty  of  enemies  in  these  lines,  but 
I'll  not  be  made  an  instrument  of  by 
any  man.  When  I  go  away  now,  I'll 
wash  my  hands  of  the  whole  concern. 
No  man  shall  make  me  an  instrument. 
I'll  not  bear  the  whole  brunt  of  this 
affair,  I'll   assure  you." 

I  made  a  very  serious  appeal  to  him, 
but  he  took  no  heed  of  it,  nor  did  he 
recall  his  words,  but  left  us  thus  for 
Milledgeville.  He  had  not  long  been 
gone  when  I  chanced  to  fall  into  con- 
versation with  a  young  man  of  the 
party,  and  asked  him  if  there  was  any 
prejudice  afloat  against  us.  If  there 
was,  I  should  be  glad  to  know  what 
it  was  and  whence  it  arose.  He  in- 
quired why  I  made  the  question.  I  told 
him  Young's  assertion  of  our  being  in 
danger.  It  flew  like  wildfire  through 
the  lines.  The  room  was  filled  in  an 
instant  and  I  told  the  whole  story, 
which  was  confirmed  by  Mr.  Ross. 
Some  proposed  to  pursue  Young  im- 
mediately, tie  him  to  a  tree  and  "give 
him  the  hickory."  Others  threatened 
to  fling  him  over  the  lines  whenever 
he  should  return.  I  assured  them  I 
did  not  believe  he  meant  more  than 
to  annoy  us;  but  they  declared  he  was 
too  fond  of  tormenting  prisoners;  that 
there  was  no  person  there  at  all  in- 
clined to  impose  on  a  prisoner  but 
Young,  and  it  was  time  he  be  taught 
better    or     withdraw.      They     asserted 


64 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


there  was  not  a  man  on  the  hill  but 
respected  both  of  us,  and  we  might 
rely  on  their  support.  The  burst  of 
good  feeling  that  appeared  on  this  oc- 
casion convinced  me  that  most  of 
those  persons,  in  conscientious  hands, 
might  be  moulded  into  valuable  char- 
acters. It  is  their  misfortune  to  be 
governed  by  men  whose  fitness  may  be 
gathered  from  the  facts  I  have  detail- 
ed, and  youths,  as  many  of  them  are, 
of  unformed  principles  and  habits,  can 
not  but  be  endangered  by  such  direc- 
tors, especially  as  their  captain,  for 
electioneering  purposes,  cajoles  them 
into  a  blind  devotedness  to  him  and 
to  anything  he  may  propose,  no  mat- 
ter how  outrageous. 

They  now  seemed  for  a  moment  to 
feel  how  much  their  reputation  had 
been  darkened  by  their  leaders.  "Yes, 
this  is  the  way  that  that  Indian  lost 
his  life.  He  was  told  by  a  man  that 
talked  Cherokee  that  the  Guard  meant 
to  come  in  during  the  night  and  cut 
his  throat,  so  he  hanged  himself  on 
the  pole  there  that  crosses  at  the  foot 
of   your  bed." 

In  the  afternoon  of  this  day  there 
came  a  great  and  unexpected  revolu- 
tion in  the  affairs  of  our  little  world. 
There  was  a  sudden  announcement  of 
the  arrival  of  the  Captain-Colonel 
Bishop.  An  express  was  instantly  sent 
off  to  recall  Young  and  Absalom 
Bishop,  with  their  letter,  from  Mil- 
ledgeville.  Next  morning  at  breakfast 
time  the  mighty  chieftain  appeared. 
He  is  a  dapper  and  well-dressed  and 
well-made  little  man,  with  a  gray  head 
and  blue  coat,  well  brushed,  and  bright 
yellow  buttons.  I  had  already  remark- 
ed that  this  Bucephalus  seemed  train- 
ed to  curvet  and  plunge  like  circus 
horses,  with  a  great  show  of  mettle, 
but  perfect  safety  to  the  rider.  In 
manner  his  grandeur  was  somewhat 
melodramatic. 

I  have  seen  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  I 
have  seen  the  Duke  of  Wellington, 
I  have  seen  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
the  Emperor  Francis,  the  King  of  Eng- 
land, the  King  of  Prussia;  I  have  seen 
Ney,  Rapp,  Blucher,  Swartzenburg — 
in  short,  I  have  seen  most  of  the  con- 
temporary great  men  of  Europe,  as 
well  as  America,  but  I  have  never  yet 
seen  quite  so  great  a  man  as  the  Tav- 
ern Keeper,  Clerk  of  the  Court,  Post- 
master, County  Treasurer,  Captain, 
Colonel  W.  N.  Bishop.  He  was  now 
no  longer  the  meek  Moses  of  the  Coun- 
cil Ground.  He  was  all  emphasis  and 
frown  to  the  poor  prisoners  in  his 
power,   but   with    a    peculiar    affection 


to  his  men  of  bonho)Ji))ue.  He  came 
into  the  mess  room,  exclaiming,  "Ah, 
boys!"  (for  boys  is  the  cant  word  by 
which  they  speak  to  and  of  each  other 
in  the  lines).  "Ah,  boys,  how  are 
you?"  and  he  walked  around  shaking 
hands  with  each  of  the  boys,  but  to 
both  of  us  he  was  especially  cold  and 
formal;  to  me  he  scarcely  even  deigned 
a    specific    nod. 

Mr.  Ross  expressed  a  wish,  through 
one  of  our  sentries,  for  an  interview, 
but  no  notice  was  taken  of  the  re- 
quest. On  the  evening  of  that  day, 
as  I  was  walking  to  and  fro  before 
my  prison,  reading,  a  voice  bawled 
out,  "Mr.  Payne,  that  was  a  mistake 
of  yours  about  what  I  said,"  and  I 
saw  Young  bearing  down  upon  me, 
flourishing  a  club.  Someone  called  to 
the  sentry,  "Guard  your  prisoner!" 
and  the  sentry  closed  up  towards  me 
on  one  side,  putting  his  gun  in  readi- 
ness for  action,  and  about  30  of  the 
Guard  now  drew  nigh  on  the  other. 
I  did  not  conceive  that  there  was  any 
intention  on  the  Sergeant's  part  to  do 
mischief,  although  the  Guard  thought 
otherwise,  and  declared  if  he  had 
struck,  it  would  have  been  the  un- 
luckiest  blow  of  his  life.  He  attempted 
to  deny  a  part  of  his  words  and  then 
to  explain  them  away,  but  he  saw  it 
was  of  no  use,  and  so  the  matter 
ended. 

The  Sergeant's  revenge,  however, 
was  rather  amusing.  He  said  Mr.  Ross 
and  I  should  turn  out  of  the  bunk  of 
which  he  was  part  owner.  The  men 
laughed  and  gave  us  one  of  theirs. 
Here  is  another  instance  of  their  su- 
periority to  their  officers.  If  we  were 
state  prisoners,  however,  we  ought  not, 
for  our  miserable  straw,  to  have  been 
dependent,  either  upon  the  men  or 
upon   the   Sergeant. 

Somewhere  about  this  time  a  very 
extraordinary  incident  took  place.  A 
Dr.  Farmer  came  into  the  room  with 
one  of  the  Guard.  After  sitting  a 
while,  he  looked  at  me  and   said: 

"Parlez    vous    Francais,    Monsieur?" 

"Qui,  Monsieur,"   I   replied. 

The  doctor  and  the  Guard  now  ex- 
changed looks,  and  both  smiled. 

"Je  parle  Francais,"  continued  I, 
"mais   Je   suis   Americain." 

The  doctor  mused  for  a  while  and 
then  departed  with  the  Guard,  leav- 
ing Mr.  Ross  and  me  alone.  I  ob- 
served, "This  is  a  strange  business.  I 
think  that  man  has  something  to  com- 
municate which  may  be  important,  and 
he    wished    to    know    if    I    could    speak 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


65 


French  that  he  might  tell  me  his  er- 
rand   more    freely." 

Mr.  Ross  asked  me  what  he  had 
said.  I  replied  that  he  only  asked  if 
I  understood  French,  and  I  answered 
that  I  did,  but  was  an  American.  Mr. 
Ross  observed  that  he  knew  nothing 
of  the  man,  but  had  heard  bad  stories 
of  his  connections.  It  then  occurred 
to  me  that  the  doctor  had  merely 
meant  to  try  his  French  upon  me,  and 
had  soon  got  to  the  end  of  his  stock. 
Nor  did  the  scene  return  to  my  mem- 
ory until  I  heard,  on  my  liberation, 
that  he  had  become  one  of  my  most 
formidable  accusers;  that  he  had  said 
I  confessed  to  him  that  my  parents 
were  French,  and  that  I  myself  was 
an  Abolitionist!  The  doctor  must  be 
within  reach  of  this  narrative.  If  he 
is  innocent  of  the  falsehood,  it  is  due 
to  himself  to  seek  and  expose  the  in- 
ventor. 

The  next  thing  we  heard,  Mr.  John 
Ridge  was  in  the  enclosure  and  closet- 
ed with  Col.  Bishop.  It  was  said  that 
he  was  at  first  denied  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Ross,  but  at  length  Mr. 
Ross  was  sent  for  to  meet  Ridge  and 
Bishop.  After  a  few  words.  Bishop 
suddenly  arose  and  left  them  together. 
When  Mr.  Ross  returned,  he  exclaim- 
ed, "It's  all  out  now;  we  are  both 
Abolitionists  and  here  for  a  capital 
offense.  We  are  the  agents  of  some 
great  men,  Mr.  Clay,  Mr.  Calhoun, 
Judge  White,  Mr.  Poindexter,  and  the 
Lord  knows  who;  and  we  have  both 
plotted  in  concert  with  them  to  raise 
an  insurrection  among  the  negroes, 
who  are  to  join  the  Indians  against 
the  whites!" 

I  could  not  even  yet  regard  the 
charge  as  having  been  made  seriously, 
but  Mr.  Ross  was  assured  it  had  been, 
and  he   added: 

"Bishop  wishes  to  screen  Currey 
and  take  the  arrest  upon  himself,  so 
we  had  better  say  nothing  about  that." 

In  the  evening  Mr.  Ridge  had  an- 
other interview,  and  on  Monday,  Nov. 
16th,  all  were  closeted  for  some  hours. 
About  four,  Mr.  Ross  entered  the  room 
with   a  bundle   in   his   hand. 

"I've  got  my  papers!"  exclaimed  he, 
and  dashing  them  into  the  bunk,  we 
went  to  dinner.  Bishop  and  his  broth- 
er sat  opposite.  They  were  silent, 
and  all  the  party  appeared  nettled.  I 
will  do  the  brace  of  Bishops  the  jus- 
tice to  own  that  they  both,  from  first 
to  last,  seemed  in  their  hearts  ashamed 
to  meet  my  glance,  notwithstanding 
much  outward  swagger.    When  dinner 


was  ended.  Col.  Bishop,  giving  a  sort 
of  menacing  look  at  me,  exclaimed  to 
the  sentinel  with  an  emphatic  gesture, 
"Mr.    Ross    is    discharged." 

I  walked  back  to  my  prison.  Mr. 
Ross,  after  some  time,  came  for  his 
things.  He  said  he  was  under  the 
necessity  of  getting  home  that  night; 
told  me  to  make  myself  easy — all 
would   come   out   right. 

"You  have  never  published  anything 
about  Bishop  or  the  Guard  in  Lumpkin 
County,  have  you?"  was  his  only  re- 
mark. 

"Not  a  syllable,"  replied  I,  "either 
in  Lumpkin  County,  or  any  other 
county  in  Georgia  or  elsewhere." 

"So  I  said,"  added  he,  "and  you  may 
as  well  explain  that  when  you  see  Col. 
Bishop." 

Mr.  Ross  seemed  in  haste.  I  imag- 
ined he  had  been  interdicted  from  com- 
municating with  me,  and  therefore 
asked  no  explanations,  especially  as 
the  sentry  was  watching;  nevertheless, 
I  requested  he  would  solicit  an  inter- 
view for  me  with  Bishop,  and  ask  a 
speedy  examination  of  my  papers.  He 
went  out  and  after  some  conversation 
with  Bishop  came  back,  and  stated 
that  Bishop  had  business  that  after- 
noon which  would  prevent  his  attend- 
ing to  me,  but  the  next  day  (Tues- 
day) he  would  see  me;  and  then  my 
companion  mounted  his  horse  and  left 
me  alone  and  with  feelings  and  un- 
der a  suspense  and  doubt  by  no  means 
to  be  envied.  This  event,  I  observed, 
produced  an  instantaneous  effect  upon 
the  manner  of  the  Guard  towards  me; 
but  ere  long  some  of  them  seemed  to 
feel  a  deeper  sympathy  than  ever,  and 
were  marked,  though  silent,  in  their 
civility.  Others  were  unusually  rude. 
One  man  in  particular,  who  was  to 
have  been  a  sort  of  ruler  during 
Young's  intended  stay  at  Milledgeville, 
became  very  coarse. 

"Here!"  he  bawled  one  day  across 
the  yard  to  me,  after  I  had  been  for- 
gotten at  the  first  table  for  dinner. 
"Here,  you  old  prisoner  you,  come 
along  and  eat!" 

At  one  time  I  apprehended  an  in- 
tention to  increase  the  rigor  of  my 
treatment.  I  heard  one  of  the  officers 
calling  for  the  Indian  chain.  "Where's 
the  Indian  chain?"  This  is  a  chain 
they  keep  expressly  for  the  Indians, 
and"  the  captive  we  found  there,  hav- 
ing been  dismissed,  as  he  was  taken 
without  law  or  reason  assigned,  the 
chain  had  been  thrown  under  one  of 
the  bunks  of  our  room  and   had  been 


66 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


f 


^^     •^      ^1    111 


INDIAN  RELICS  FOUND  ON  FLOYD  COUNTY  FARMS 

The  bludgeon,  axes  and  short  shaft  spear  at  the  top  were  used  for  war  and  other  pur- 
poses. The  pestles  in  the  center  were  employed  to  grind  corn  in  wooden  mortars.  The  bowl 
was  unearthed  on  the  E.  J.  Moultrie  farm  in  the  Coosa  Valley  and  the  arrow  heads  picked  up 
in  bottom  lands  and  on  hillsides  here  and  there. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


67 


a  while  without  an  occupant.  But  my 
impression  was  not  realized.  The  chain 
was  undisturbed. 

Although  friends  and  acquaintances 
were  rigorously  excluded  from  my 
prison,  there  seemed  no  exclusion  of 
any  one  who  came  out  of  mere  cu- 
riosity. A  drunken  countryman  stag- 
gered in  one  day.     I  was  reading. 

"I've  spent  all  my  money,"  said  he, 
"waiting  in  this  town  to  see  John 
Ross   and   that  other  fellow." 

I  told  him  John  Ross  was  gone. 
After  a  while  he  gave  me  a  knowing 
wink  and  touched  my  elbow.  "Aye, 
aye,  mighty  good  books — I  like  'em, 
too.  I'm  all  for  the  ablutions."  I  ask- 
ed him  what  he  meant.  He  then  hint- 
ed that  he  had  heard  that  John  Ross 
was  one  of  the  ablutions,  and  so  was 
he.  I  interrupted  him;  told  him  he 
was  mistaken  in  John  Ross;  that  I 
presumed  I  was  "the  other  fellow," 
and  that  the  story  he  had  heard  against 
us  was  all  an  invention,  and  if  he 
wanted  ablutions,  as  he  called  them, 
he  must  look  for  them  elsewhere. 

He  begged  a  thousand  pardons.  The 
Guard  then  said  it  was  against  or- 
ders to  talk  to  the  prisoner,  and  my 
friend  of  the  ablutions  reeled  out, 
bowing  and  hoping  he  "hadn't  given 
no  offense  to  nobody,  only  he  did  just 
want  to  have  a  look  at  the  ablutions." 

The  time  began  to  drag  on  more 
drearily  than  ever.  I  had  read  up 
all  the  books.  I  had  no  pen  nor  ink, 
nor  paper  to  write  with.  My  only 
amusement  was  parading  before  the 
door  and  mentally  composing  a  dog- 
gerel description  of  my  captivity,  of 
which  even  the  little  that  I  remem- 
bered is  not  yet  committed  to  paper. 
Scenes  of  extreme  confusion  were  oc- 
curring hourly  in  my  den.  The  eve- 
nings were  almost  insupportable.  The 
room  was  thronged.  A  violin  was  tor- 
mented into  shrieks  and  groans  which 
were  nicknamed  music;  there  was 
dancing  and  singing  until  tattoo;  and 
after  that,  conversation  which  ex- 
ceeded in  vulgarity,  profanity  and  filth 
anything  I  ever  could  have  fancied. 
Almost  the  only  exceptions  which  in 
the   least    could    amuse   were    these : 

"Where's  that  St.  Helena,"  said  the 
Sergeant,  "that  Kill  Blast  belonged 
to?" 

"St.  Helena,"  replied  I,  "is  the  place 
where  Bonaparte  died.  Gil  Bias  be- 
longed to  another  part  of  the  world ; 
Santillane   in — " 

"Ah  yes;  well,  you  remember  most 
everything.      I    wish    you'd     remember 


that  I'm  to  take  a  dose  of  salts  to- 
morrow morning  at  four,  and  tell  me 
of  it." 

"Are  you  anything  of  a  silversmith?" 
asked  one  of  the  young  men.  "I  want 
to    get   some   silver   work  fixed." 

"Where's  New  York?"  inquired  an- 
other;   "England,  ain't  it?" 

"No,  it's  the  largest  city  in  our  own 
country." 

"But  you  must  go  to  it  over  the 
ocean,  mustn't  you?" 

"You  may  if  you  go  the  right  way 
to  work,"  I  replied. 

One  day  the  sentry  who  was  guard- 
ing me  in  a  ramble  round  the  grounds 
made  a  sudden  halt,  and  dropping  his 
musquet  abruptly,  stared  me  fiercely 
in   the   face. 

"What  do  you  follow  when  you're  at 
home?" 

I  paused,  returned  the  fierce  stare, 
and    replied,    "Literature." 

The  man  looked  astounded.  He  stood 
a  while  motionless,  then  took  up  his 
gun.  "Go  on!"  cried  he,  and  we  pro- 
ceeded in  silence,  he  no  doubt  imag- 
ining that  I  had  made  a  full  confes- 
sion of  my  sins. 

One  evening  the  importance  of 
knowing  how  to  spell  was  discussed. 
"There's  no  use  in  it  at  all,"  said  the 
oldest  of  the  party,  "because  there's 
two  ways  to  spell  everything." 

"Yes,"  I  observed,  "there's  a  right 
way  and  a  wrong  one." 

"Come  now,"  exclaimed  one  guard 
to  another.  "How  would  you  spell 
axe?  We'll  leave  it  to  the  man  (mean- 
ing me)   to  say  which  way's  right." 

"Oh,  that's   easy   enough :    A-X." 

"No,"  was  the  reply,  doubtingly,  and 
with  a  glance  at  me.  "There  are  three 
letters,"    observed    I,    "in    the   word." 

"I  know,"  said  a  third:   "W-A-X." 

"That  spells  ivax!"  exclaimed  the 
first    in   triumph. 

"E-A-X!"   cried   a    fifth. 

"That's  eax,"  called  out  the  third, 
with  a  laugh,  and  they  all  looked  at 
me. 

"There's  the  number  of  letters  and 
the  proper  letters  if  they  were  only  in 
the  proper  places.  The  E  is  at  the 
wrong  end,"  I  observed. 

"Ah,  I  know!"  replied  two  or  three, 
clapping  their  hands.  "A-X-E."  And 
so   the   contest  ended. 

The  remainder  of  Monday,  and  then 
Tuesday,  and  then  Wednesday  passed 
off  in  the  Colonel's  paying  arrearages 


68 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


to  the  men  and  settling  accounts;  and 
the  men  themselves  were  engaged  in 
trafficking  and  settling  up  their  lit- 
tle bills  among  themselves,  and  swap- 
ping. From  first  to  last  they  had 
been  wishing  to  swap  for  everything 
I  had — my  knife,  my  pistols,  my  horse, 
my  saddle,  my  watch;  in  short,  every- 
thing seemed  to  tempt  them,  but  above 
all,  a  buffalo  hide  which  I  used  over 
my  saddle.  My  watch  was  a  perpetual 
torment  to  me.  Every  five  minutes, 
sometimes  for  hours,  I  was  teazed  to 
tell  what  o'clock  it  was;  and  at  night 
I  was  desired  to  hang  up  my  watch 
that  the  two  sentinels  might  regulate 
their  movements  by  it.  Some  of  the 
Guards  borrowed  money  from  me,  but 
except  for  a  trifle,  which  was  only 
withheld,  probably  because  my  sortie 
was  unforeseen,  all  was  punctually 
repaid.  During  all  the  remainder  of 
the  time,  Bishop  and  his  brother  avoid- 
ed meeting  me  at  table  or  elsewhere. 
And  now  all  pretense  of  business 
appeared  at  an  end.  Everything  of 
that  nature  seemed  to  wind  up  with 
an  auction,  in  which  the  Captain-Col- 
onel performed  as  Auctioneer  to  his 
men.  Some  rifles  belonging  to  Indians 
who  had  been  shot  in  attempting  to 
escape  capture  were  bid  off;  then  a 
coat;  then  the  "boys"  were  asked  if 
they  had  anything  else  which  they  de- 
sired to  sell,  and  then  the  "gentlemen" 
were  thanked  for  their  attention,  and 
dismissed.  After  this  the  Captain-Col- 
onel seemed  closeted  upon  secret  busi- 
ness. I  inferred  from  some  circum- 
stances that  he  was  making  copies 
from  among  the  manuscript  documents 
I  had  transcribed  regarding  Cherokee 
affairs.  They  were  mostly  the  same 
with  the  papers  returned  to  Mr.  Ross, 
but  fairly  written  and  arranged  in  or- 
der and  therefore  most  convenient  for 
a  transcription.  During  this  employ, 
a  fine  of  $20  was  proclaimed  against 
any  guard  who  should  approach  the 
door  of  the  sanctum  sanctorum,  and  a 
sentinel  was  ordered  to  keep  watch 
and   prevent  intrusion. 

All  that  I  heard  from  without  dur- 
ing the  week  was  that  Mr.  Ross  had 
sent  a  messenger,  who  was  prevented 
from  seeing  me;  and  a  guard  apprised 
me  that  he  had  been  requested  by  this 
messenger  to  say  "my  friends  had  not 
forgotten  me;  in  a  few  days  all  would 
come  right." 

I  learned  afterward  that  this  in- 
formant had  proffered  to  convey  to 
me  letters  or  papers,  and  a  note  was 
consequently  given  to  him,  but  it  never 
came   to   hand.     I  had   been   told  that 


Mr.  Schermerhorn  was  expected  about 
this  time,  and  I  knew  that  if  we  met, 
decency  would  have  rendered  it  im- 
perative on  him  to  bring  about  my 
release.  I  asked  Young,  and  he  pre- 
tended not  to  know  when  the  Rev- 
erend Commissioner  would  appear,  but 
observed  "he  knew  all  about  it,  for 
news   was   sent  off  to   him   at  once." 

On  Friday  morning,  Nov.  20th,  Ser- 
geant Young  told  me  he  was  going  to 
his  home.  I  had  already  understood 
that  Col.  Bishop  was  preparing  for 
a  trip  to  Milledgeville.  Young  had 
several  times  bantered  me  about  "when 
I  expected  my  furlough"  and  "why  I 
didn't  get  on  my  horse  and  ride  off." 
He  repeated  his  jeers  this  morning. 
He  asked  me  if  I  had  not  seen  the 
Colonel  yet.  I  replied  no;  expressed 
a  wish  to  see  him  and  desired  Young 
to  name  my  wish. 

"The  Colonel's  got  nothing  agin  you 
that  I  know  of,  except  something  you 
writ  about  us  in  Lumpkin."  I  replied 
I  had  written  nothing  in  Lumpkin. 
"Well,  then,  in  Habersham,  when  you 
was   up    there   at    Clarkesville." 

I  said  that  was  equally  a  slander 
and  asked  as  a  point  of  common  jus- 
tice, at  least,  to  be  shown  the  articles  I 
was  accused  of  having  written.  But 
Young  evaded  the  request  by  saying, 
"At  any  rate,  you  wrote  a  letter  where 
you  called  the  Guard  banditti,  for  we 
found  that  among  your  papers;  and 
you  ought  not  to  have  wrote  such  a 
letter." 

"Have  I  not  a  right  to  make  what 
private  notes  I  please?  The  paper  you 
speak  of  was  never  published.  Even 
though  it  had  been,  no  one  can  be 
justified  in  complaining  of  me  for  only 
exercising  a  privilege  guaranteed  to 
me  by  the  constitution  of  my  native 
country.  But  it  was  not  published  and 
could  form  no  part  of  the  cause  of 
my  arrest,  nor  of  the  pretext  for  my 
detention." 

"I  mean  to  keep  them  letters,"  said 
Young,  "in  case  you  should  ever  print 
anything  if  you  ever  git  out,  so  as  to 
prove  it  agin  you.  I  don't  give  them 
up.  You  oughtn't  to  have  said  the 
Guard    looked    like   banditti." 

It  was  not  above  half  an  hour  after 
this  when  I  perceived  preparations  for 
something  unusual.  The  men  were  all 
summoned  to  be  ready  at  the  roll  of 
the  drum.  My  horse  was  ordered  out, 
as  I  understood,  to  be  taken  to  water. 
But  I  was  convinced  from  many  signs 
that  I  myself  was  the  object  of  the 
mysterious  movements.     A  son  of  the 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


69 


Colonel  kept  staring  around  at  me 
with  intense  curiosity,  and  many  oth- 
ers looked  on  in  silence,  as  persons 
look  upon  any  one  about  to  under- 
go some  terrible  ordeal.  The  Colonel's 
horse  was  saddled  and  put  in  read- 
iness, and  another  horse  was  also  pre- 
pared, and  Mr.  Joshua  Holden  ap- 
peared, equipped  for  a  campaign.  At 
length  the  drum  beat.  I  heard  the 
sergeant  say,  recommending  some  one 
to  the  Captain-Colonel,  "He  may  be 
trusted." 

And  now  one  of  the  Guard  ran  to 
me:  "Your  saddlebags,  your  saddle- 
bags." "Why?"  "You're  going  out." 
I  went  to  the  bunk.  "Is  there  not 
some  mischief  intended?"  asked  I.  "I 
can't  tell,  but  you'd  better  make  me 
a  present  of  that  buffalo  hide."  "No," 
answered  I;  "it  was  given  to  me  and 
has  been  too  good  a  friend  to  me  in 
trouble."  The  guard  took  the  saddle- 
bags and  buffalo  skin,  and  with  it 
a  very  large  and  cumbersome  cloak 
and  some  loose  clothes.  I  found  them 
heaped  upon  my  horse.  "The  straps 
to  fasten  these  are  not  here."  "I 
can't  help  it,"  was  the  answer.  "Get 
on,  get  on!"  "I  can  not  over  this 
pile  of  things."  "You  must."  "This 
is  not  my  bridle;  mine  was  a  new  one 
and  double.  Where  are  my  martin- 
gales, my  straps?"  "Get  on,  get  on!" 
I  was  compelled  to  mount,  and  the 
m.ass  of  unfastened  things  was  piled 
up  before  me;  the  saddle  was  loosely 
girted,  and  the  horse  was  startled,  and, 
as  if  on  purpose,  covered  with  mud. 
I  still  claimed  my  bridle,  but  was  con- 
ducted in  front  of  the  paraded  Guard, 
he  who  led  my  horse  muttering  as  he 
went,  "That's  the  bridle  they  said  was 
yours." 

The  Captain-Colonel  stood  in  front 
of  his  men.  "Halt  your  horse  there, 
sir,  and  beware  how  you  speak  a 
word."  I  attempted  to  speak,  but  he 
shouted : 

"Be  silent,  sir;  look  upon  them  men. 
Them's  the  men  you  in  your  writings 
have  called  banditti." 

Whether  the  eloquent  Captain-Col- 
onel imagined  I  meant  to  reply,  I  can 
not   say,   but   he   repeated   eagerly: 

"Don't   speak,  sir!" 

And  I  did  not  speak,  but  I  did  look 
upon  the  men,  and  if  ever  I  compared 
them  in  appearance  to  banditti,  the 
glance  of  that  moment  made  me  feel 
that  I  ought  to  ask  of  any  banditti 
the  most  respectful  pardon.  Spirit  of 
Shakespeare,  forgive  me  too!  For  if 
thy  Falstaff  and  his  ragged  regiment 


came  into  my  mind  at  such  a  moment, 
it  was  my  misfortune,  not  my  fault. 
But  I  will  proceed. 

"You've  come  into  this  country  to 
pry,  ever  since  you  arriv,  into  things 
you've  no  business  with.  You're  a 
damned  incendiary,  sir!  You've  come 
into  this  country  to  rise  up  the  Cher- 
okees  against  the  whites.  You've  wrote 
agin  these  worthy  men  (pointing  to 
the  Guards).  You've  wrote  agin  the 
State  of  Georgia.  You've  wrote  agin 
the  gineral  Government  of  the  United 
States.  Above  all,  sir,  you've  wrote 
agin  me!     Now,  sir — " 

Then  turning  with  an  aside  speech 
to  some  bystander,  I  think  it  was  Mr. 
Joshua  Holden,  "Hand  the  things," 
said  the  Captain-Colonel,  and  a  bun- 
dle with  a  loop,  carefully  prearranged 
so  as  to  let  the  arm  through,  was 
given   to   me. 

"Now,  sir,  take  your  papers;  haug 
'em  on  your  arm,  sir,  and  I  order  you 
to  cut  out  of  Georgia.  If  you  ever 
dare  agin  show  your  face  within  the 
limits  of  Georgia,  I'll  make  you  curse 
the  moment  with  your  last  breath. 
With  your  foul  attacks  on  me  you've 
filled   the   Georgia   papers." 

I  could  not  well  endure  to  hear  as- 
sertions so  utterly  unfounded,  and  took 
advantage  of  the  pause  of  the  elo- 
quent Captain-Colonel  for  breath,  and 
exclaimed    rather    vehemently: 

"Upon  my  honor,  no,  sir!" 

"Hold  your  tongue,  I  say,"  resumed 
my  jailor.  "The  minute  you  hear  the 
tap  of  the  drum,  I  tell  you  to  cut  out 
of  this  yard,  and  I  order  you  never 
while  you  exist  to  be  seen  in  this  state 
of  ours  any  more,  for  if  you  are,  I'll 
make  you  rue  it!  Let  this  be  a  lesson 
to  you,  and  thank  my  sympathy  for 
a  stranger  that  you've  been  treated 
with  such  extraordinary  kindness;  and 
now,  sir,  clear  out  of  the  state  forever, 
and  go  to  John  Ross,  God  damn  you!" 

I  looked  on  this  pitiable  exhibition 
with  more  of  passion  than  resentment, 
and  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  most  of  the 
Guard  felt  sorry  for  their  leader. 
Never  before  did  I  so  forcefully  re- 
alize the  truth  of  that  beautiful'  pas- 
sage— 

Frail  man,  frail   man, 
Drcst   in   a   little  brief  authority 
Plays  such  fantastic  tricks  before  high 

Heaven 
As   make  the  angels  weep ! 

I  claimed  my  bridle  again,  but  in 
vain,    and    I    then    moved    of    necessity 


70 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


slowly  from  the  place,  because  I  had 
great  difficulty  in  retaininp:  the  things 
that  had  been  piled  upon  my  horse. 
When  I  got  outside  the  lines,  some  of 
the  affairs  dropped  off,  and  I  stopped 
to  ask  a  person  to  hand  them  to  me, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  inquire  the 
route  to  Big  Spring.*  On  turning  a 
corner  a  stranger  told  me  I  had  bet- 
ter stop  and  dismount  and  arrange  my 
baggage;  and  just  then  a  gentleman 
called  to  me  that  he  wished  a  word 
with  me,  and  approached.  He  said  he 
had  a  letter  for  me.  I  asked  him  the 
direction  towards  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Ross.  I  saw  that  the  letter  he  hand- 
ed me  was  from  Mr.  Ross,  and  related 
to  my  route.  At  that  moment  Col. 
Bishop  and  Mr.  Josiah  Holden  dashed 
up  like  fiends.  Bishop  cursed  me, 
threatened  me,  if  I  dared  speak  to 
any  "damned  Nullifier,"  and  menaced 
to  make  an  example  out  of  me  if  I 
did  not  get  out  of  the  State.  I  paused 
to  return  the  letter  and  to  ask  the 
I'oad,  but  my  pursuers  continued  to 
execrate  and  to  roar.  I  went  on  and 
for  the  last  time  had  the  honor  of 
again  hearing  the  Colonel's  eloquence, 
in  a  volley  of  oaths  as  he  passed  back 
towards  the  camp,  threatening  my  life 
as  a  "damned  old  rascal"  if  he  ever 
caught  me  daring  to  speak  to  another 
man    in    Georgia. 

I  turned  abruptly,  entirely  ignor- 
ant of  the  way,  into  a  little  wood. 
Descending  a  slippery  spot,  my  horse, 
which  had  been  startled  by  the  rush- 
ing of  the  pursuers,  stumbled.  The 
saddle,  which  had  been  scarcely  girt- 
ed on,  turned,  the  large  cloak  caught 
around  his  legs  and  I  found  myself 
equally  entangled  in  its  folds  with  the 
horse,  one  of  whose  fore  hoofs  was 
planted  on  my  breast.  He  snorted  and 
stood  in  a  sort  of  stupor  of  amaze- 
ment, his  mouth  open  and  almost 
touching  mine,  his  ears  erect,  his  nos- 
trils distended,  and  his  eyes  staring 
wildly  into  my  eyes,  for  at  least  a 
minute.  It  is  singular  enough  that  I 
felt  not  the  slightest  sense  of  danger 
or  even  uneasiness;  I  only  thought  it 
best  to  remain  quiet  until  I  found 
what  the  horse  meant  to  do ;  and  then 
I  took  his  hoof,  lifted  it  aside,  dis- 
engaged myself,  arose  and  with  some 
difficulty  got  my  cloak  from  around 
his  limbs.  He  did  not  even  stiffen  a 
joint  when  I  lifted  his  foot  from  my 
breast,  nor  did  I  feel,  while  it  was 
planted  there,  the  slightest  pressure, 
although  the  form  of  the  hoof  was  by 
the  red  clay  in  which  he  had  been 
tramping,  so  strongly  defined  upon 
my  shirt  bosom  that  it  might  in   New 


England  have  answered  for  a  sign  to 
keep  away  the  witches.  But  no  sooner 
was  the  danger  wholly  past  than  I 
felt  feeble  and  faint  and  perfectly 
unmanned.  I  had  never,  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  my  misadven- 
ture, experienced  any  sensation  like 
that  which  now  came  over  me. 

I  could  scarcely  move.  Before  me 
there  was  a  muddy  streamlet  across 
which  there  arose  a  hill  with  a  hut 
at  its  top.  I  determined  to  walk  up 
to  that  hut  and  there  seek  assistance 
in  adjusting  my  things  for  a  journey, 
and  purchase  cords  or  straps  of  some 
sort.  But  I  could  scarcely  drag  my 
horse  through  the  stream.  He  was 
ravenous  for  water  and  kept  me  stand- 
ing in  the  middle  of  it  while  he  drank. 
The  woman  of  the  house  was  much 
agitated  by  my  appearance.  She  ask- 
ed, trembling  and  in  tears  "if  the 
Guard  would  not  come  to  her  and  hurt 
her  for  speaking  to  me."  She  seemed 
exceedingly  anxious  for  me  to  get  out 
of  sight.  I  answered  that  I  could  not 
think  they  would  be  so  brutal.  I  now 
found  that  my  buffalo  hide  was  miss- 
ing. I  promised  to  pay  another  wom- 
an for  going  back  to  look  for  it,  as 
it  must  have  fallen  close  at  hand.  She 
returned  presently  and  said  it  was  not 
there. 

I  had  by  this  time  secured  my  things 
with  ropes.  In  paying  the  one  woman 
I  gave  silver  to  pay  the  other.  I 
could  not  help  being  struck  by  the  cir- 
cumstance, under  all  this  alarm  at 
the  hut,  of  my  being  called  to  by 
the  one  of  these  people  who  had  fail- 
ed to  accomplish  her  errand,  to  know 
whether  I  had  left  any  money  for  her 
too. 

It  so  chanced  that  I  got  upon  the 
direct  road  to  McNair's,  some  15  miles 
off  and  within  the  chartered  limits  of 
Tennessee.  It  is  an  Indian  family. 
Nothing  could  be  kinder  or  more  cor- 
dial than  my  reception  and  treatment, 
notwithstanding  the  strong  probabil- 
ity they  fancied  of  my  being  still  pur- 
sued thither  for  fresh  torment  by  the 
Guard.  They  looked  upon  me  as  one 
risen  from  the  dead.  At  McNair's  I 
was  for  the  first  time  fully  apprised 
of  the  dangers  which  had  beset  me  and 
which  were  still  to  be  dreaded.  I  found 
that  during  my  thirteen  days'  captiv- 
ity the  most  industrious  efforts  had 
been  made  to  excite  the  country  against 
me  as   an  Abolitionist  and   a   Foreign 


♦Now  in  Meigs  County,  Tenn.,  25  miles  north 
of  Blue  Spring.  He  was  trying  to  reach  the 
latter  after  he  was  liberated,  hoping  to  rejoin 
Ross. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


71 


Emissary.  The  most  important  step 
had  been  already  taken.  The  minds 
of  the  country  people  had  been  fa- 
miliarized to  the  expectation  of  my 
being  hanged,  and  they  only  waited 
for  notice  to  assemble  and  enjoy  the 
execution.  The  wife  of  a  tavern  keeper 
at  Spring  Place  was  reported  to  me 
by  a  traveller  as  having  been  heard 
to  say  I  was  a  "very  bad  man,"  I  was 
"sure  to  be  hung,"  and  one  man  had 
been  hung  thereabouts  before  for  much 
less  than  I  had  done.  I  deserved  the 
gallows  and  she  herself  would  see  me 
swinging  with  much  pleasure — that 
she  would,  "wicked  thing  that  I  was!" 

This  may  be  taken,  I  presume,  as  a 
fair  specimen  of  the  sort  of  excite- 
ment which  had  been  got  up.  Those 
best  acquainted  with  the  neighborhood 
and  with  the  spirit  prevailing  looked 
upon  my  situation  from  the  first  as 
the  more  perilous  of  the  two;  but  when 
I  was  found  to  have  been  detained 
after  Mr.  Ross,  it  was  considered  as 
altogether  desperate.  That  this  was 
no  idle  belief  may  be  inferred  from 
a  fact  of  which  I  was  afterward  ad- 
vised. A  paper,  belonging,  as  I  un- 
derstand, to  a  friend  of  Bishop  in 
Cassville — the  only  paper  of  the  re- 
gion through  which  it  was  my  long 
avowed  plan  to  return — had  sent  forth 
the  following  tissue  of  impudent  false- 
hoods, during  the  earlier  days  of  our 
captivity,  and  the  poison  had  taken 
effect : 

"Report,"  says  the  Cassville  Pioneer 
of  Nov.  13th,  "has  just  reached  us 
of  the  apprehension  by  the  Georgia 
Guard  of  John  Ross,  together  with  a 
gentleman  from  the  North.  They  were 
pursued  by  the  soldiers  stationed  at 
Calhoun,  Tenn.,  as  far  as  the  line  of 
this  state,  where  the  chase  was  taken 
up  by  the  Guard,  who  succeeded  in 
overtaking  them  at  an  Indian's  by  the 
name  of  Sneaking  Rabbit.  The  crime 
with  which  they  are  chai-ged  seems 
to  be  an  effort,  making  by  them,  to 
arouse  the  Cherokees  and  negroes  to 
the  commission  of  hostilities  on  the 
white  citizens  of  the  Cherokee  coun- 
try. If  information  be  true,  the  pa- 
pers found  in  their  possession  go  far 
to  prove  the  hostility  of  their  designs. 
Their  communications  had  in  a  great 
measure  been  carried  on  in  the  French 
language.  For  want  of  a  knowledge 
of  that  language,  the  Guard  was  un- 
able to  comprehend  fully  their  designs. 
Time  alone  can  develop  the  truth  of 
the  report,  but  we  trust  for  the  peace 
of  the  community  at  large  that  it  may 

*A   long   but   harmless  exhortation  and   appeal. 


not   prove   as   true   as   present   appear- 
ances   seem    to    indicate." 

On  discovering  these  reports,  I  felt 
some  anxiety  to  examine  the  papers 
myself,  wondering  what  could  have 
created  the  French  part  of  the  charge. 
I  looked  among  the  manuscripts  re- 
turned. The  French  papers  which 
have  puzzled  the  Captain,  Colonel  and 
the  rest  seem  to  have  been  these:  A 
numeration  table,  in  Cherokee,  by 
George  Gist,  the  native  inventor  of 
the  Cherokee  alphabet ;  a  specimen  of 
Gist's  handwriting  in  Cherokee  and  in 
the  characters  he  had  invented ;  an  ac- 
count of  his  life,  also  in  the  same  lan- 
guage and  characters,  and  written  by 
his  relation,  George  Lowry,  second 
principal  chief;  and  a  literary  com- 
position by  Mr.  Lowry,  in  Cherokee 
words,  but  English  letters,  which  I 
preserved  as  a  remarkable  curiosity, 
because  Mr.  Lowry  had  never  learned 
to  read  or  write  in  any  way,  until 
after  he  had  attained  in  age  nearly 
half   a    century. 

These  were  the  French  letters.  This 
was  the  French  plot.  And  I  have  rea- 
son to  believe  that  in  their  eagerness 
to  get  some  evidence  against  us  the 
wiseacres  by  whom  we  had  been  kid- 
napped sent  far  across  the  country  for 
some  learned  Theban  to  translate  the 
aforesaid  French  out  of  the  original 
Cherokee! 

My  other  papers  consisted  of  tran- 
scripts of  public  documents,  a  book  of 
private  memoranda,  some  specimen 
copy  books  from  the  Missionary  School 
at  Brainerd,  appeals,  the  latter  already 
mentioned  and  never  printed,  signed 
"Washington,"  and  the  address  which 
I  had  drawn  up  for  the  Cherokee  Na- 
tion to  the  people  of  the  United  States. 
The  former  of  these  was  not  returned 
to  me.  If  stolen,  I  can  not  conjec- 
ture wherefor.  If  it  had  been  re- 
turned, although  the  publication  had 
not  been  intended,  events  would  have 
induced  me  to  have  enabled  the  public 
to  judge  of  it,  as  I  now  enable  them 
to  do  of  the  other  paper''',  which  was 
meant  for  circulation,  and  only  re- 
strained by  its  seizure  and  our  deten- 
tion from  being  sent  round  for  sig- 
natures by  all  the  people.  My  coun- 
trymen will  find  it  annexed.  It  will 
show  them  how  far  my  accusers  have 
been  justified  in  attempting  my  de- 
struction as  an  exciter  of  the  Cher- 
okees to  rise  and  murder  the  whites ! 

I  must  not  omit  here  to  mention 
that  often  and  often  since  this  affair 
have  I  blessed  the  chance  which  kept 
out   of   my   reach    any   of   these   aboli- 


72 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


tion  pamphlets  which  have  been  so 
much  talked  about.  I  have  never  seen 
any  and  have  had  some  desire  to  see 
one  for  I  am  in  the  habit  of  gather- 
ing scraps  of  that  sort  as  curiosities, 
and  if  one  had  come  in  my  way  I 
should  certainly  have  preserved  it,  as 
valuable  for  a  future  illustration  of 
our  times;  and  that  would  have  sealed 
my  fate,  for  had  the  slightest  docu- 
ment of  such  a  nature  been  discovered 
in  my  possession,  no  explanation  could 
have  saved  me.  A  pretext,  and  not 
the  truth,  was  wanted;  and  such  an 
accident,  and  by  no  means  an  un- 
likely one,  could  ere  this  have  cost 
my  life  upon  a  scaffold. 

Before  I  close  my  list  of  escapes, 
let  me  mention  one  more.  Mr.  Ross 
had  told  me  during  our  ride  when  first 
captured  how  glad  he  was  of  the  pre- 
cautions which  had  been  taken  a  long 
time  before  to  prevent  any  resentment 
on  the  part  of  the  Indians  of  any 
wrong  whatever  to  their  nation  or  its 
chiefs.  Some  indignity  to  him  had 
long  been  expected  and  he  felt  satis- 
fied that  the  Cherokees  would  be  dis- 
creet. I  learned  afterwards,  however, 
that  the  indignation  of  some  of  them 
at  this  enormity  almost  overpowered 
the  efforts  of  their  leaders  to  keep 
them  patient.  Had  they  attacked  the 
camp  for  our  rescue  I  am  convinced 
that  as  a  first  step  of  the  defenders, 
we  should  have  been  shot.  A  scheme 
was  also  on  foot,  I  have  been  told,  in 
the  bordering  counties  of  Tennessee,  to 
raise  a  force  and  bring  us  and  the 
Guard  back  over  the  line,  and  there 
punish  the  intruders.  This  attempt 
would  equally  have  exposed  our  lives, 
and  in  either  case  we  should  have 
been  branded  as  having  caused  a  civil 
war,  and  the  first  bloodshed  might 
have  been  made  an  excuse  to  extermi- 
nate the  Indians.  In  more  than  one 
instance  during  our  imprisonment  I 
remarked  some  uneasiness  in  the  camp, 
but  have  only  since  learned  whence 
it  probably  arose. 

But  to  resume  my  story.  I  sent  a 
messenger  across  the  forest  to  Red 
Clay,  for  the  purpose  of  knowing  what 
had  become  of  Mr.  Ross.  With  the 
messenger  next  day  Mr.  Ross  and  his 
Assistant  Principal  Chief''  and  Dr. 
Butler**  came  to  congratulate  me  on 
my  escape.  Of  Dr.  Butler  I  ought  to 
make  some  special  mention.  He  was 
one  of  those  who  had  been  imprisoned 
in  the  Georgia  penitentiary  under  the 
famous  attack  upon  the  Missionaries. 
He  had  deeply  felt  my  danger,  had 
written     to     my     friends,     though     a 


stranger  to  them,  in  order  that  the 
result  he  secretly  apprehended  might 
not  come  upon  their  knowledge  too 
suddenly,  and  had  travelled  a  long  road 
through  a  dreary  night  to  seek  influ- 
ence in  my  favor.  His  little  family 
had  implored  Heaven  for  me  with  their 
prayers,  and  when  I  met  them  again, 
welcomed  me  with  a  touching  enthu- 
siasm, which  told  the  story  of  the  peril 
I  had  escaped.  It  was  when  I  went 
back  with  my  visitors  to  the  house 
of  Mr.  Ross  that  I  saw  them,  and 
soon  after,  Mr.  Ross  and  Mr.  Lowry 
accompanied  me  as  far  as  the  agency. 
There  the  venerable  Eena-tah-naah-eh, 
commonly  called  Going  Snake,  speaker 
of  the  Council,  and  one  or  two  of  its 
other  members  were  in  waiting  to  con- 
gratulate me.  Old  Eena-tah-naah-eh, 
though  he  could  not  speak  a  syllable 
of  English,  was  eloquent  with  looks  of 
joy.  He  had  told  Mr.  Ross  when  he 
first  called  to  see  him  after  his  eman- 
cipation, "It  makes  me  happy  to  find 
you  here.  .  But  I  am  only  half  happy. 
I  do  not  see  our  friend.  I  look  at  the 
chair  where  he  used  to  sit,  and  it  is 
empty.  I  look  at  the  door  and  he  does 
not  enter.  I  listen  for  his  voice,  but 
all  is  silent." 

On  hearing  I  was  to  be  at  the 
agency,***  the  old  man  hastened  thither. 
There,  too,  the  officers  of  the  United 
States  army  hailed  me  with  the  cor- 
diality of  compatriots  and  gentlemen, 
feeling  that  the  republic  had  been  in- 
f:ulted  in  the  treatment  I  had  received, 
a  spirit  which  appeared  to  prevail 
wherever  I  happened  to  pass  people  in 
my  lonely  ride  to  Knoxville,  where  I 
have  had  ample  proof  that  Tennessee 
disdains  the  baseness  of  which  I  have 
been  the  victim  within  her  sway. 

It  may  be  asked  whence  this  high- 
handed outrage  of  which  Mr.  Ross  and 
myself  have  been  the  victims  arose. 
There  must  have  been  some  cause  for 
it.  The  only  cause  I  can  guess  for 
it  is  this :  There  was  a  wish  to  get 
possession  of  certain  documents  re- 
garding the  treaty  discussions  from 
Mr.  Ross,  which  had  been  asked  for 
by  the  government  agents  and  not 
given.  It  was  known  that  I  had  made 
copies  of  all  the  recent  public  docu- 
ments of  the  Cherokee  nation.  The 
seizure  of  the  papers  of  both  Mr.  Ross 
and  myself  would  probably  supply  all 
that    had   been   asked.      Thei-e   was   no 


*  George   Lowrey. 

**Rev.  Elijah  Butler,  who  had  charge  of  Mis- 
sionary Station  at  Coosa,  and  who  had  spent 
a  year  and  four  months  in  the  penitentiary  at 
Milledgeville   for   "interfering"   with   the  Indians. 

***Calhoun,    Tenn. 


John  Howard  Payne's  Arrest  by  the  Georgia  Guard 


73 


force  sufficiently  lawless  to  undertake 
this  but  the  Georgia  Guard.  Having 
adventured  on  the  step,  it  was  re- 
quisite to  invent  a  pretext,  and  to 
cover  themselves  from  indignation  by 
keeping  us  out  of  view  until  the  coun- 
try could  be  excited  against  us.  The 
mad-dog  cry  of  the  day  is  Abolitionist. 
That  was  the  most  obvious  mode  of 
strangling  complaint  against  the  in- 
jury, for  it  was  the  most  certain  to 
get  the  injured  themselves  strangled, 
and  "dead  men  tell  no  tales."  Besides, 
if  a  mob  rould  be  raised,  mischief 
could  be  done  without  responsibility. 
In  order  to  make  "assurance  doubly 
sure"*  the  slander  was  heightened 
by  the  imputations  of  a  French  and 
Indian,  connected  with  a  negro  plot,  for 
universal  massacre.  The  scheme,  how- 
ever, did  not  take  the  effect  expected. 
Then  was  Mr.  Ross  set  free,  under  the 
plea,  probably,  that  he  had  more 
friends  than  I.  He  was  even  treated 
at  the  dismissal  with  a  show  of  court- 
liness, that  his  story  might  discredit 
mine. 

I  was  probably  detained  after  him 
for  two  reasons.  My  papers  contain- 
ed fair  copies  of  all  such  among  his 
as  might  be  wanted.  Mine  were  fair- 
ly written  and  arranged  and  could 
more  easily  be  made  use  of  by  the 
transcriber.  It  was  convenient  to  keep 
me  until  copies  could  be  made  of  what- 
ever Cherokee  documents  the  parties 
concerned   might  think   useful. 

The  other  reason  appears  very  like- 
ly to  have  been  this :  Alone  and  a 
stranger  in  a  strange  place,  I  might 
be  made  the  readier  victim  could  a 
stir  be  raised  against  me,  either  with- 
in the  camp  or  within  the  neighbor- 
hood. The  frequent  mention  by  the 
officers  of  my  having  "abused  the 
guard"  was  intended  to  spirit  them 
to  do  me  an  injury.  I  heard  one  of 
them  intimate  with  some  indignation 
one  day  that  he  himself  so  understood 
it.  To  them  and  to  all,  my  continued 
imprisonment  was  doubtless  meant  to 
convey  the  idea  of  proven  guilt.  The 
mode  of  my  dismissal  was  evidently 
intended  to  be  understood  as  an  en- 
couragement to  any  violence  that  the 
"boys"  within  might  choose  to  perpe- 
trate, and  the  hostile  pursuit  by  threats 
as  an  excitement  to  the  "boys"  with- 
out. By  crushing  me,  my  persecutors 
might  crush  a  witness  and  prevent 
future  inquiry.  Perhaps  I  was  only 
saved  by  taking  a  road  which  no  one 


*A     favorite     expression     used     by     Woodrow 
Wilson. 

**So    far    as    is   known,    Ross   remained    silent. 


expected  I  w-ould  take,  though,  in 
truth,  as  I  said  before,  I  think  the 
"boys"  considerably  better  than  their 
leaders. 

But  whatever  the  pretext  for  this 
enormity,  there  can  be  no  excuse.  If 
my  visit  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Ross 
was  objected  to  by  the  government 
agents,  a  hint  would  have  been  enough. 
If  doubt  were  entertained  of  the  na- 
ture of  my  memoranda,  a  request 
would  have  opened  them  to  examina- 
tion. Violence  would  have  been  early 
enough  when  a  disposition  had  been 
shown  to  respect  gentleness.  But  that 
I  was  re-ally  engaged  in  any  plot  of 
any  sort,  I  am  persuaded  never  was 
believed  by  those  who  have  commit- 
ted this  outrage.  What  could  I  gain 
by  the  Cherokees?  Every  moment  that 
I  have  passed  in  their  country  has 
been  a  loss  to  me  and  an  inconven- 
ience. Nothing  which  they  can  offer 
can  render  me  services,  and  men  do  not 
contrive  treason  when  they  can  gain 
no  advantage.  I  have  been  swayed  in 
the  very  little  I  have  gathered  re- 
garding the  Cherokees  by  a  pure  and 
distinterested  wish  to  render  my  own 
country  service,  in  leading  it  to  be 
simply  just  to  theirs,  and  I  have  wish- 
ed to'  supply  myself  with  such  mate- 
rial that  the  fairness  which  it  might 
be  impossible  for  me  to  excite  for  them 
from  present  legislation,  I  might  my- 
self bestow  on  them  in  future  history. 
In  party  questions  I  take  no  interest. 
I  repeat  again  and  again  that  I  have 
looked  into  this  matter  as  a  philan- 
thropist, not  as  a  politician. 

Mr.  Ross  will  presently  tell  his  own 
story.**  His  affairs  have  prevented 
him'  from  joining  me  here  in  time  to 
give  it  to  the  world  with  mine.  I  have 
wished  to  put  my  portion  of  the  facts 
on  record  as  speedily  as  possible,  be- 
cause I  am  aware  that  great  false- 
hood must  be  resorted  to  by  my  op- 
pressors in  order  to  prevent  public  in- 
dignation against  a  great  wrong.  In- 
deed, with  such  foes  and  such  modes 
as  they  adopt  for  gaining  ends  and 
such  a"  long  and  lonely  road  to  travel, 
who  knows  how  soon  the  complaincr 
may  bo  yet  silenced?  It  is  but  a  week 
since  I  was  a  prisoner.  But  whatever 
may  be  the  risk,  I  deem  it  a  duty  to 
my'  country  not  to  shirk  from  speak- 
ing the  entire  truth. 

People  of  Tennessee,  to  you  I  appeal ! 
I  was  a  peaceful  visitor  to  your  state. 
I  had  dwelt  in  it  some  weeks.  A  band 
of  armed  men,  who,  in  overpassing  the 
limits  of  their  own  region,  surely  ren- 
dered   themselves   felons    and   banditti. 


74 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


burst  into  my  retreat  at  midnight, 
dragged  me  four  and  twenty  miles 
through  a  forest  and  during  a  drench- 
ing tempest.  I  was  denied  to  com- 
municate with  friends,  with  your  gov- 
ernment, with  our  common  protector, 
the  President  of  the  Union.  I  was 
denied  a  knowledge  of  the  charge 
against  me,  or  my  accuser.  After 
nearly  two  weeks  of  imprisonment  I 
was  insultingly  and  without  examina- 
tion ordered  back  into  Tennessee  by 
the  Captain  of  the  outlaws  who  had 
laughed  at  your  power  of  protection, 
your  own  chartered  boundaries  to 
scorn.  People  of  Tennessee,  will  you 
bear  these  things?  Will  you  see  your 
hospitality  thus  dishonored?  Will  you 
know  that  the  stranger  who  comes  to 
visit  you  can  not  be  safe,  even  in  his 
blamelessness,  from  injury  and  in- 
sult within  your  domain? 

People  of  Georgia,  I  appeal  to  you! 
I  came  among  you  as  a  fellow  coun- 
tryman. I  came  to  make  myself  ac- 
quainted with  your  history  and  your 
character  and  with  the  numberless 
natural  beauties  and  with  the  count- 
less riches  of  your  domain.  I  came 
under  the  guarantee  of  the  compact 
between  the  sister  states  of  the  Re- 
public, which  secures  to  the  citizens 
of  each  unobstructed  communication 
with  all.  I  came  relying  upon  the 
spirit  of  hospitality  which  has  distin- 
guished the  South.  I  have  told  you 
how  I  have  been  treated.  If  any  mem- 
ber of  the  Republic  has  been  especially 
remarkable  for  her  resistance  to  the  in- 
trusion of  one  state  upon  the  rights 
of  another,  it  is  Georgia.  How,  then, 
can  I  believe  that  she  will  uphold  her 
officers,  who  have  in  the  most  glar- 
ing and  the  coarsest  manner  been 
guilty  of  such  an  intrusion?  I  do  not, 
therefore,  identify  the  state  with  the 
wrongs.  I  can  not  again  enter  the 
state  until  the  people  do  the  justice 
to  tell  me  that  I  have  judged  them 
fairly  in  believing  they  feel  themselves 
insulted  by  the  insults  which  have 
been  heaped  in  their  name  upon  a 
neighboring  power  and  upon  the  con- 
stitution, our  common  protector — in 
the  person  of  a  stranger,  a  country- 
man, a   friend. 

My  fellow  citizens  throughout  my 
native  land!  To  all  of  you  alike  I 
appeal,  for  there  is  not  one  in  our 
Republic  to  whom  this  case  is  not  of 
vital  import.  It  is  not  a  party,  but 
a   universal  question,   and   I   doubt  not 


but  that  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the 
Republic,  whose  government  has  been 
prophaned  by  being  made  by  subal- 
terns to  seem  the  source  of  the  wrong, 
will  be  foremost  in  declaring  this 
enormity.  Insulting  inquisitions,  dom- 
iciliary visits,  midnight  intrusions  into 
the  sanctuary  of  homes,  seizure  by 
armed  men  of  private  papers,  the  im- 
prisonment and  secreting  of  citizens, 
without  the  disclosure  either  of  the 
charge  or  the  accuser,  contempt  of  the 
boundaries  of  the  states,  mockery  of 
the  hallowed  privileges  of  the  consti- 
tution— all  these  the  worst  deeds  of 
the  basest  despotism  have  been  per- 
petuated already  in  the  instance  now 
before  you,  and  if  you  do  not  rise  like 
men  and  declare  such  things  shall  not 
be  suffered,  not  a  citizen  among  you 
can  say  he  sleeps  in  safety! 

This  is  no  idle  declamation.  It  has 
happened  to  me  and  it  may  happen  to 
any  one  of  you.  The  Rubicon  has 
been  passed.  But  think  of  me,  think 
of  yourselves,  think  of  those  most  dear 
to  you,  to  whom  you  would  bequeath 
the  freedom  you  inherited.  Not  for 
personal  chagrin,  but  for  the  honor 
of  our  country  I  will  tell  you,  and  oh! 
let  not  posterity  echo  the  assertion 
as  a  prophecy,  if  tamely  you  look  on 
and  see  these  things,  unmoved !  I  care 
not  for  proscriptions  nor  for  bayonets; 
neither  the  Guards  of  Georgia  nor  the 
denunciations  of  reckless  and  wily  and 
insidious  hirelings  shall  frighten  me 
into  silence;  for  I  will  tell  you  and 
with  my  last  breath,  if  tamely  you 
behold  these  things  you  are  only  slaves 
— heartless,  abject  slaves,  and  un- 
worthy of  the  immortal  ancestors  who 
bravely  fought  and  nobly  died  to  make 
their  country  free.  But  for  this,  I  am 
satisfied,  you  will  give  no  cause.  The 
spirit  of  your  fathers  is  not  dead  with- 
in you.  My  country  will  not  see  even 
the  humblest  of  her  sons  oppressed. 
JOHN  HOWARD  PAYNE. 

Saturday,  November,  1835.* 


♦Evidently  Nov.  28.  Since  he  was  released 
Friday,  Nov.  20.  he  could  not  have  reached 
Knoxville,  125  miles,  in  less  than  four  days. 
Payne  was  born  June  S,  1792,  at  33  Pearl  St., 
New  York,  N.  Y.,  and  died  at  60  years  of  age 
Apr.  10.  1852,  while  serving  as  United  States 
consul  at  Tunis,  Morocco.  He  lay  buried  there 
until  W.  W.  Corcoran,  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
brought  his  body  back  to  his  native  land  late 
in  March,  1883,  and  reinterred  it  in  George- 
town, a  suburb  of  Washington.  He  corre- 
sponded with  such  literary  lights  as  Washing- 
ton Irving  (who  also  died  a  bachelor),  Samuel 
Taylor  Coleridge  and  Chas.  Lamb,  and  roomed 
with    Irving    in    Paris    for    a    while. 


CHAPTER  IV 
Aftermath  of  the  Payne- Ross  Affair 


THE  arrest  of  Payne  and 
Ross  stirred  up  a  "hornet's 
nest"  in  Georgia  and  Ten- 
nessee and  to  a  less  extent 
at  Washington  and  throughout 
the  country.  Governor  William 
Schley  had  just  come  into  of- 
fice at  jMilledgeville  as  the  suc- 
cessor of  Wilson  Lumpkin,  and 
he  was  bombarded  with  protests. 
President  Jackson  was  bombard- 
ed at  Washington.  A  volunteer 
force  of  soldiers  was  organized  in 
Tennessee  to  patrol  "the  border" 
and  keep  the  rambunctious  Geor- 
gians on  their  "own  side."  Con- 
gress and  the  Georgia  Legislature 
prepared  to  review  the  case.  The 
Georgia  Guard  began  to  "spew 
out." 

Major  Currey  explained  to  Presi- 
dent Jackson  through  Elbert  Her- 
ring, commissioner  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs, and  called  Payne  a  prevari- 
cator. He  was  supposed  to  have 
ordered  the  arrest,  or  at  least  to 
have  inspired  it.  Some  said  the 
order  came  from  Milledgeville. 
Schermerhorn  contended  that  he 
was  at  Tuscaloosa,  Ala.,  when  he 
heard  the  news  ;  had  nothing  to  do 
with  it.  l)ut  \v(iuld  have  had  Payne 
arrested  had  he  knoAvn  of  his  de- 
signs. 

Two  Indians  from  near  Rome 
figured  in  the  afifair.  Payne's  ac- 
count mentions  that  one  of  them 
hung  himself  in  the  guard  house  at 
v^pring  Place,  which  became  his 
own  "home"  for  nearly  a  fortnight. 
Combatting  Payne's  statement  that 
the  Indian  was  driven  to  despera- 
tion by  the  Georgia  Guard,  Major 
Currey  offered  this  cxj^lanation  : 

*The  Howling  Wolf  was  oC  the  Chickamaugra 
District,  which  included  part  of  Rome.  He  was 
no  dout)t  identical  with  Crying  Wolf.  Rohbin 
was  a  member  of  Challoogee  district,  which  in- 
clude<l  half  of  Floyd  County.  Goth  attended  the 
Running  Waters  council  in  .luly,  and  Robbin 
voted    with    the    faction    U'<l    by    Ridge. 


The  HowHng  Wolf,  charged  with 
stabbing  an  Indian  for  supporting  the 
treaty,  and  Lowny,  or  Robbin,  charged 
with  killing  and  robbing  a  white  man, 
were  being  held  at  Spring  Place.  An 
old  man  named  Trigg  was  arrested 
and  confined  with  the  Indians;  he 
told  them  their  own  people  would  shoot 
them  through  the  cracks  of  the  cala- 
boose in  the  early  morning.  Lowny, 
or  Robbin,  tried  to  persuade  the  Howl- 
ing Wolf  that  they  should  hang  them- 
selves. The  latter  refused,  but  the 
former  committed  suicide  by  hanging 
from  a  rafter  with  a  small  cord  that 
had  been   tied  loosely  to   his   arms.* 

The  occurrence  was  avcII  calcu- 
lated to  inflame  public  oj^inion. 
John  Ross  knew  this,  and  he  tact- 
fully refrained  from  rusliing  into 
the  discussion.  Theodore  Freling- 
huysen,  Edward  Everett,  Jas.  K. 
Polk,  Jno.  C.  Calhoun,  Sam  Hous- 
ton, John  Bell,  Plugh  Lawson 
White  and  other  leading"  friends 
of  the  Indians  took  up  the  cudgels 
at  Washington.  Mr.  Bell,  who  be- 
came the  candidate  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Union  party  for  President 
in  1860  (with  Mr.^  Everett  in  the 
minor  position)  undertook  to 
bring  abcutt  a  Cmigressional  in- 
vestigation. 

The  Georgia  Journal,  of  Mil- 
ledgeville, a  consistent  opponent  of 
CjOV.  Lumpkin  and  his  "strong-arm 
gang,"  ])rinted  tlie  following  pro- 
test under  date  of  Tuesdav,  Nov. 
24,1835: 

A  rumor  reached  us  sometime  since 
of  another  outrage  committed  by  the 
Georgia  Guard.  It  was  vague  and 
uncertain,  however,  and  as  we  did  not 
wish  to  array  in  the  catalogue  of  vio- 
lations of  law  committed  by  this  arm- 
ed force  a  single  outrage  that  was  not 
.stated  on  good  authority,  we  hesitated 
to  give  it  publicity.  This  rumor  has 
l)roved  true. 

It  seems  that  this  Guard,  under  the 
command  of  one  of  the  subalterns, 
crossed  the  line  of  the  State  and  kid- 
napped from  the  State  of  Tennessee 
John    Ross,   the   principal    chief  of  the 


76 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Fi.oyd  County 


A  FEW  THINGS  THE  INDIANS  LEFT  BEHIND. 

Here  is  part  of  Wesley  O.  Connor's  collection  of  relics  at  Cave  Spring.  These  articles 
were  mostly  uncovered  on  the  Moultrie  farm,  Foster's  Bend,  Coosa  River,  in  the  freshets  of 
1881  and  1886.  Included  among  the  more  obvious  articles  are  a  bone  necklace,  Indian  money, 
spear  points  and  arrow  heads,  pipes,  pestles  and  bits  of  pottery.  The  skulls  are  undoubtedly 
Indian. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


77 


Cherokees.  They  also  arrested  John 
Howard  Payne,  a  gentleman  of  great 
celebrity  in   the  literary  world. 

The  pitiful  reason  urged  to  palliate 
this  gross  enormity  seems  to  have  been 
that  Mr.  Payne  "was  conspiring 
against  the  welfare  of  Georgia."  Mr. 
Payne's  real  offense,  in  the  eyes  of 
these  vandals,  was  his  copying  certain 
documents  relative  to  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  Indian  tribes,  which 
their  wiseacre  of  a  leader  construed  to 
be  high   treason  against  the   State. 

It  was  indeed  time  that  this  scourge 
to  the  peaceful  citizens  of  Murray 
County  was  removed ;  it  is  high  time 
the  military  rule  and  despotism  was 
made  to  give  place  to  the  authority  of 
the  laws.  We  should  like  to  inquire 
of  the  Governor  by  what  legal  author- 
ity these  arrests  were  made,  and  why 
on  the  receipt  of  information  orders 
were  not  immediately  given  for  the  re- 
lease  of   the    prisoners? 

The  officious  members  of  this  armed 
force  ought  to  be  made  to  smart  in 
damages;  an  action  on  the  case  for  il- 
legal arrest  and  false  imprisonment 
will  clearly  be  made  against  them.* 

John  H.  Underwood,  Rome  gro- 
cer, who  was  a  member  of  the 
Guard  in  the  arrest,  did  not  give 
any  interviews  to  newspaper  ed- 
itors, so  all  he  observed  is  lost  save 
what  little  he  told  Bill  Arp,  wdiich 
is  to  1)6  found  elsewhere  herein. 
Rut  a  number  of  others  "writ  upon 
time's  immortal  scroll." 

Thatcher  T.  Payne,  a  brother  of 
John  Howard,  penned  the  follow- 
ing letter : 

**New  York,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  27,  1835. 
Hon.   Lewis   Cass, 
Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,    D.    C. 

Sir:  I  have  just  received  informa- 
tion that  my  brother,  John  Howard 
Payne,  on  the  night  of  the  10th  of 
November,'^**  inst.,  while  in  company 
with  John  Ross,  the  Cherokee  chief,  at 
his    dwelling    in    the    Cherokee    nation, 

♦Payne's  effort  to  have  something  definite  done 
at  Washington  failed,  and  in  a  letter  from 
New  York  to  C.en.  Harden  at  Athens  in  1S36,  he 
said  he  would  try  to  proceed  against  Col.  Bishop, 
Major   Currey   and  Sergt.   Wilson    Young. 

*'Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835),    ps.    488-9. 

***.]ohn  Howard's  own  statement  says  it  was 
Saturday,    Nov.    7,    near    midnight. 

****The  brother  estimated  21  miles.  Blue 
Spring,  Bradley  County,  Tenn.,  where  the  ar- 
rest took  place,  is  eight  miles  north  of  the 
Georgia  line,  and  about  10  miles  from  Spring 
Place  as   one  would  travel  by  horseback   in   1835. 


was  seized  by  a  party  of  about  25  of 
the  Georgia  Guard,  and  conducted  by 
them  to  their  headquarters,  at  about 
20****  miles  distant  from  the  place  of 
seizure,  where,  as  I  am  informed,  he 
is  now  imprisoned. 

Mr.  Payne's  general  object,  in  a 
tour  through  the  western  and  south- 
ern states,  has  been  partly  to  obtain 
subscribers  to  a  periodical  work  in 
which  English  and  American  writers 
may  meet  upon  equal  ground,  and 
partly  to  collect  such  materials  for  his 
own  contributions  to  the  woi'k  as  a 
personal  acquaintance  with  the  various 
peculiarities  of  our  diversified  country 
may  supply.  To  one  acquainted  with 
his  pacific  disposition  and  exclusive 
literary  habits,  the  supposition  of  his 
entertaining  any  views  politically  dan- 
gerous, either  in  reference  to  Georgia 
or  the  United  States  in  their  respec- 
tive relations  to  the  Cherokees  if  it  were 
not  accompanied  with  results  pain- 
ful and  perhaps  perilous  to  himself, 
would  seem  ludicrous.  My  informant, 
a  stranger,  states  that  "it  is  there  re- 
ported that  he  is  considered  by  the  of- 
ficers of  Government  to  be  a  spy." 
Whether  by  officers  of  Government  is 
meant  those  of  Georgia  or  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  I  am  not  informed.  He  like- 
wise states  that  "Mr.  Payne  is  sup- 
posed to  have  had  some  influence  in 
producing  the  failure  of  a  late  treaty 
v/ith  the  Cherokees." 

In  the  present  excited  state  of  feel- 
ing in  that  section  of  the  country,  on 
subjects  connected  with  the  Indian  re- 
moval, there  may,  perhaps,  be  serious 
danger  to  the  personal  safety  of  one 
coming  under  suspicions  of  the  char- 
acter above  alluded  to,  however 
groundless. 

I  take  the  liberty,  I  hope  not  un- 
warrantable, to  request  and  urge  a 
speedy  inquiry  into  the  circumstances 
of  the  case,  and  the  use  of  the  means 
within  the  province  of  your  depart- 
ment of  the  Government  to  procure  his 
release,  if,  as  will  undoubtedly  ap- 
pear upon  investigation,  he  shall  be 
found  to  have  been  wrongfully  de- 
tained. 

I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obe- 
dient  servant, 

THATCHER  T.   PAYNE. 

Payne  himself  was  making  (luill 
and  ink  fly,  to  such  an  extent  that 
Col.  ilishop  resigned  his  commis- 
sion in  December.  Soon  thereafter 
the  Standard  of  I'nioii  threw  Bish- 
op this  l)ou([Uct : 


78 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Col.  Bishop  at  Home. — Aftei'  all  the 
abuse  that  has  been  heaped  upon  Col. 
Bishop  as  a  man  and  a  public  officer, 
the  people  of  Murray  have  given  an 
additional  proof  of  their  confidence  in 
his  capacity  and  integrity  to  serve 
them.  From  the  returns  of  the  elec- 
tion in  that  county  on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  January  last  (1836),  Col.  Wm. 
N.  Bishop  received  for  the  office  of 
clerk  of  the  superior  court  158  votes, 
and  his  opponent  12.  We  are  sincere- 
ly gratified  at  the  support  which  Col. 
Bishop  has  received  from  his  country- 
men, and  hold  it  as  the  highest  evi- 
dence of  his  value  as  a  private  citizen 
and  a  public  officer.  Well  done,  Mur- 
ray County;  you  know  you  are  right 
— go  ahead! 

As  for  Georgia,  "Never  again !" 
exclaimed  the  outraged  playwright 
and  budding  historian  in  a  letter 
of  Dec.  5  from  Knoxville  to  Gen. 
Harden  :* 

My  Dear  Sir:  You  have  no  doubt 
ere  this  heard  of  my  adventures.  I 
sent  you  the  statement  by  last  post. 
Have  you  ever  known  of  a  more  im- 
pudent enormity?  There  has  been  a 
public  meeting  here,  spirited  and  dig- 
nified. The  proceedings  will,  I  hope, 
be  printed  at  Athens.  This  example 
ought  to  be  followed  throughout  the 
Union ;  I  hope  especially,  for  these 
measures  offer  the  only  opportunity  he 
has  of  casting  the  blame  upon  the  de- 
linquents  who   deserve   it. 

I  have  no  time  to  write  now,  but 
could  not  allow  myself  to  depart  on 
my  way  homeward  without  a  card  of 
remembrance.  It  will  perhaps  be  as 
well  for  me  not  to  make  my  line  of 
march  generally  known,  but  I  want  to 
go  to  Hamburg''*  because  my  trunks 
are  all  in  Augusta,  Ga.  I  shall  never 
enter  again  without  a  formal  public 
invitation.  I  will  go  to  the  border  and 
look  in.*** 

It  would  give  me  sincere  pleasure  to 
find  a  line  from  you  at  the  Augusta 
postoffice. 

Mr.  Ross  and  many  of  the  delega- 
tion are  here.  Many  have  made  for- 
mal protest  against  their  mission  from 
Currcy,  but  of  this  they  take  no  heed. 

Mj  way  must  be  made  alone  and  on 
horseback.  I  should  not  wonder  if 
these  scoundrels  made  my  journey  a 
longei  one  than  I  have  intended.  But 
no  matter  if  the  worst  happens — I  shall 
not  be  the  first  who  has  not  lived  out 
his  time  in  a  free  country,  and  unless 


the   nation   awakens,   shall   not   be   the 
last! 

Pray  offer  my  best  remembrances 
to  Mrs.  Harden,  your  daughter,  son, 
to  Col.  Hamilton  and  family,  to  Judge 
Clayton,    in    short,    to    all. 

From  Knoxville,  Dec.  2,  Payne 
had  written  S.  L.  Fairchild,  of  Phil- 
adelphia,  Pa.  :**** 

(Private.) 
Dear   Fairchild : 

I  write  to  you  in  great  haste,  and 
enclose  the  statement  of  a  great  wrong 
I  have  suffered.  I  wish  you  to  exert 
your  talent  on  this  affair,  not  because 
I  have  been  personally  insulted,  but 
because  it  is  only  by  a  strong  expres- 
sion of  feeling  that  any  man's  liberty 
can  be  secured.  There  is  no  freedom 
in  America  if  these  things  can  be  tol- 
erated. 

If  I  reach  Charleston,  S.  C,  in 
safety,  I  shall  be  there  just  in  time 
to  have  your  answer,  provided  you 
wish  further  information.  At  any  rate, 
it  will  afford  me  sincere  pleasure  to 
hear  of  you  and  your  fortunes. 

With  regards  to  all  at  home,  and 
believe  me,  most  truly  yours, 

JOHN  HOWARD  PAYNE. 

In  a  communication  from  Wash- 
ington on  Mar.  3,  1836,  to  Secre- 
tary of  War  Lewis  Cass,  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  commented  as  fol- 
lows     on      the      Payne-Ross      af- 

Permit  me  also  to  make  a  few  ob- 
servations in  reference  to  the  arrest 
of  Messrs.  John  Howard  Payne  and 
John  Ross  by  the  Georgia  Guard, 
which,  I  perceive  from  the  public  pa- 
pers, they  charge  or  insinuate  was 
done  by  the  direction  of  the  commis- 
sioner  and   agent   of   the    Government. 

Although  the  statements  of  Mr. 
Payne  in  reference  to  myself  were  ex- 
ceedingly unjust  and  incorrect,  I  could 
not    condescend    to    a    newspaper    con- 

*Courtesy  of  Miss  Evplyn  Harden  Jackson, 
of  Harden  Home,  Athens,  a  cousin  of  Miss  Mary 
Harden  and  author  of  an  interesting  booklet  on 
the  love  affair  between  the  college  beauty  and 
Mr.    Payne. 

♦♦Hamburg,  Aiken  County,  S.  C,  across  the 
Savannah    river    from   Augusta. 

***Miss  Jackson  is  authority  for  the  state- 
ment that  Payne  came  back  in  1842  to  Athens 
to  "re-press  his  suit,"  but  that  he  had  no  bet- 
ter   success    than   before. 

****Courtesy  of  Mr.  G.  H.  Buek,  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  American  Lithographic  Co.,  New 
York,  N.  Y.,  and  owner  of  the  old  Payne  home 
(and    collection)     at    Easthampton,    Long    Island. 

*****Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Chero- 
kee  Treaty     (183.5),    p.    ,5.38. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


79 


troversy  with  him;  therefore,  I  have 
passed  it  by  in  silence;  but  lest  my 
silence  should  be  interpreted  by  some 
of  the  members  of  the  Senate,  as  I 
find  it  has  been  by  some  others,  as 
a  tacit  acknowledgement  of  the  truth 
of  his  statement,  I  now  say  that  I 
had  no  knowledge  or  agency,  directly 
or    indirectly,   in    this    matter. 

The  first  information  I  received  on 
this  subject  was  through  the  Geor- 
gia newspapers,  while  I  was  at  Tusca- 
loosa, Ala.;  and  immediately  on  hear- 
ing it  I  left  there,  to  use  my  best  en- 
deavors to  obtain  their  release,  and  I 
arrived  at  the  agency  only  a  few  days 
after  Mr.  Payne  had  been  liberated. 
It  was  owing  to  my  interference  that 
Mr.  Ross  was  not  taken  by  the  Geor- 
gia Guard  last  July,''^  for  some  vio- 
lations of  the  laws  of  that  State. 

I  must,  however,  say  that  it  is  evi- 
dent from  Mr.  Payne's  own  state- 
ments, which  he  has  given  to  the  pub- 
lic, that  he  did  interfere  at  Red  Clay 
in  a  very  improper  and  unwarrantable 
manner  with  the  negotiations  then 
pending  between  the  Government  and 
the  Cherokee  Indians,  and  I  should 
have  been  perfectly  justifiable  to  have 
had  him  arrested  and  removed  from 
the  treaty  ground;  and  if  I  had  known 
what  he  has  since  disclosed  of  the  part 
he  acted  there,  I  should  have  done  it. 

A  Legislative  conmiittee  severe- 
ly scored  the  C.uard  :** 

The  committee  to  whom  were  refer- 
red the  several  communications  of  His 
Excellency,  the  Governor,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  establishment  of  the  Geor- 
gia Guard  in  the  Cherokee  Circuit, 
have  had  the  same  under  considera- 
tion, and  beg  leave  to  make  the  follow- 
ing report: 

.  .  .  Your  Committee  beg  to  proceed 
now  to  the  further  discharge  of  their 
duty,  by  enquiring,  first,  as  to  the  con- 
duct of  the  Guard  in  the  recent  arrest 
and  detention  of  John  Howard  Payne. 
.  .  .  Your  Committee  greatly  regret 
that  they  have  not  all  the  facts  in 
such  a  shape  that  implicit  credit  might 
be  given  to  them.  They  are  compell- 
ed then,  in  the  investigation  of  this 
branch  of  the  subject,  to  discard  all 
the  contradictory  statements  found  in 
newspapers,  and  to  decide  only  from 
such  facts  as  have  been  legitimately 
brought  before  them,  in  the  commu- 
nications of  the  Governor. 

It  is,  however,  admitted  on  all  hands 


♦Concurrently   with   the   pow-wow  near   Rome. 
**House   Journal    (1835),  ps.   427-433. 


that  the  recent  arrest  of  Mr.  Payne 
was  made  in  the  State  of  Tennessee. 
Your  Committee  conceives  that  the 
Guard  transcended  their  power  in 
crossing  the  line  of  the  State  of  Geor- 
gia to  arrest  an  individual  out  of  the 
limits  of  this  State.  And  your  Com- 
mittee believes  that  it  was  an  act  of 
which  the  sovereign  State  of  Tennes- 
see has  just  right  of  complaint  against 
the  authorities  of  Georgia.  The  only 
testimony  before  your  Committee  rel- 
ative to  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Payne  will 
be  found  in  the  communication  of  His 
Excellency,  William  Schley,  of  the  10th 
instant.  ...  It  appears  then  to  your 
Committee  that  the  Georgia  Guard,  in 
the  recent  arrest  of  John  Howard 
Payne,  trampled  under  foot  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States.  .  .  .  How 
long  he  was  kept  under  guard  before 
the  arrival  of  Col.  Bishop  at  Spring 
Place  your  Committee  are  uninform- 
ed. .  .  .  But  the  commander  of  the 
Guard  says,  after  examining  his  pa- 
pers, and  finding  him  guilty  of  no 
offense  for  which  he  was  answerable 
in  our  courts,  I,  the  commander  of  the 
Guard,  kept  him  in  custody  a  few  days 
and  then  discharged  him. 

Your  Committee  would  ask  with 
feelings  of  mortification,  why  he  was 
kept  in  custody  one  minute  beyond  the 
time  when  it  was  ascertained  he  had 
committed  no  offense.  Was  it  to  pun- 
ish him  for  his  indiscreet  statements 
in  relation  to  the  Georgia  Guard?  Per- 
haps so.  But  in  so  doing  the  Guard 
have  violated  every  principle  of  the 
Constitution,  which  guarantees  liberty 
and  equal  rights  to  the  citizens  of 
this  country.  They  have  jeopardized 
the  character  and  reputation  of  the 
state  of  Georgia  abroad,  by  this  act 
of  wanton  and  uncalled  for  vandalism, 
and  will  bring  down  upon  the  people 
of  the  State  the  inevitable  and  odious 
charge  of  inhospitality  and  cruelty  to 
the  stranger.  .   .  . 

Resolved,  That  the  Legislature  high- 
ly disapproves  of  the  conduct  of  the 
Georgia  Guard  in  the  recent  arrest 
and  confinement  of  John  Howard 
Payne  in  the  Cherokee  Nation. 

Tlic  ])n  )-a(lministrati(>n  press 
sounded  a  diUc-reiil  note  tm  tlie  in- 
cident. .\.  Nashville  Uaniier  view 
proved  good  enougli  lor  the  Geor- 
e-ia  Telegraph  (Macon)  of  Thurs- 
day, Dec.  24.  lS.i\  and  The  Tele- 
graph   reprinted    it    Ncrhatini  : 

Mr.  John  Howard  Payne,  who,  to- 
gether  with   John   Ross,   the   Cherokee 


80 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


chief,  was  lately  seized  at  the  house 
of  the  latter  by  the  Georgia  Guard,  has 
availed  himself  of  the  occasion  to  in- 
flict upon  the  public  eight  mortal  col- 
umns of  the  dullest,  most  fatiguing 
narrative  it  was  ever  our  fortune  to 
encounter.  A  concise  statement  of  the 
principal  facts  connected  with  the  out- 
rage, if  given  in  about  half  a  column 
of  an  ordinary  newspaper,  would  have 
been  read  with  interest ;  but  to  wade 
through  this  mass  of  verbiage  merely 
to  learn  that  Messrs.  Ross  and  Payne 
were  seized  by  a  party  of  desperadoes, 
called  the  Georgia  Guard,  carried  over 
the  Georgia  line,  kept  under  duress 
for  a  day  or  two  and  then  released, 
would  be  paying  quite  too  much  for 
the  whistle. 

If  Mr.  Payne  succeeds  in  making 
his  intended  "literary  periodical"  as 
uninteresting  as  he  has  this  account 
of  his  capture,  it  will  certainly  be  a 
remarkable  work! 

Governor  Lumpkin's  explanation 
admitted  the  illegality  of  the  seiz- 
ure, but  gave  Payne  very  much  of 
a   left-handed   vindication  :* 

It  was  while  these  efforts  were  mak- 
ing to  induce  the  Cherokees  to  emi- 
grate that  the  literary  pursuits  of  the 
celebrated  John  Howard  Payne  led 
him  to  visit  the  Cherokee  people  and 
country.  He  was  known  to  be  strong- 
ly opposed  to  the  views  of  the  Gov- 
ernment in  regard  to  Indian  emigra- 
tion and  this  led  to  his  arrest  by  Col. 
Bishop,  the  State's  agent.  The  arrest 
was  both  premature  and  illegal,  but  the 
impertinent  intermeddling  of  Payne 
was    very   unbecoming     a     stranger,   a 


"BIG  JOHN"  UNDERWOOD,  Rome  grocer, 
who  was  one  of  the  Georgia  Guard  detail 
which    arrested    Payne. 


gentleman,  or  an  author  professedly 
collecting  facts  for  history.  He  was 
the  partisan,  if  not  the  agent,  of  North- 
ern fanatics,  whose  avocation  is  to  re- 
pent for  the  sins  of  everybody  except 
themselves. 

The  charge  made  by  Payne  that 
President  Jackson  (through  his 
agents)  had  offered  Ross  a  bribe 
stirred  Washington  as  mtich  as  the 
arrest  itself.**  This  charge  was 
carried  in  an  anonymous  commu- 
nication printed  by  several  news- 
papers in  the  "Pr.yne  Free-Serv- 
ice Syndicate,"  and  is  believed  to 
h.ave  been  played  up  especially  by 
the  Knoxville  Register,  wi;h  whose 
editor  Payne's  liaison  was  com- 
I'lete.***  The  sum  and  substance 
was  that  Ross  could  have  had 
$50,000  if  he  had  stood  out  of  the 
way  of  the  Cherokee  removal ;  a 
Creek  chief  is  said  to  have  offered 
it  to  him,  and  to  have  been  ordered 
from  the  wrathy  presence  of  Ross. 

Here  is  the  anonymous  communi- 
cation attributed  to  Payne.  It  was 
undoubtedly  written  from  the  Red 
Clay  Council  ground  in  Whitfield 
County,  one  day  before  the  council 
convened  with  Payne  prominently 
present : 

****Cherokee  Nation, 
Tennessee  Border, 
Sunday,  Oct.   11,   1835. 

Sir :  I  am  no  politician.  Of  this 
you  are  aware.  I  generally  avoid,  if 
possible,  even  thinking  upon  what  are 
called  political  questions.  Their  dis- 
cussion is  apt  forthwith  to  become 
personal,  and  instead  of  eliciting  truth, 
to  produce  brawls.  But  there  are 
points  of  policy  upon  which  we  are 
sometimes  forced  to  think;  and  when 
we  are  called  upon  to  detest  the  Mus- 
sulman for  his  tyranny  over  the  Greek, 
and  to  pity  the  exile  from  what  once 
was  Poland,  we  are  at  a  loss  to  be- 
lieve that  there  are  scenes  passing  in 
our  free  country  at  this  very  moment, 

*Removal  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  from  Geor- 
gia    (Lumpkin),     Vol.    2,     p.    265. 

**Authorities:  Letter  of  Apr.  16,  1836,  Major 
Currey  to  Elbert  Herring,  Commissioner  of  In- 
dian Affairs,  and  Exhibit  14  as  inclosure  of 
Bame,  both  included  in  Report  of  Secretary  of 
War  on  Cherokee  Treaty    (183.5),  ps.  549-590. 

***Payne  asserted  it  was  never  published,  but 
Maj.  Currey's  report  to  Jackson  claimed  The 
Register   editor   used   it   anonymously. 

****E.xhibit    14   of   Currey    inclosures. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


81 


to  which  both  the  Turk  and  the  Rus- 
sian might  triumphantly  appeal,  for  a 
sanction  to  the  despotism  at  which  all 
have  shuddered.  Shall  I  tell  you  what 
they  are? 

In  travelling  through  Georgia  I,  of 
course,  heard  frequent  mention  of  the 
Cherokees;  but  I  took  little  heed  of 
what  I  heard.  I  considered  the  Cher- 
okees as  they  had  been  represented, 
as  but  the  miserable  remnant  of  a 
broken  race,  given  up  to  all  sorts  of 
degradation;  and  I  thought  the  sooner 
they  could  be  transported  beyond  the 
bounds  of  civilization,  the  better  for 
the  world.  Accident,  however,  brought 
me  to  some  very  different  views  of  the 
question.  I  inquired  more  thoroughly. 
I  determined  to  judge  them  with  my 
own  eyes.  I  purchased  a  horse,  trav- 
ersed the  forests  alone  and  went  among 
them. 

Still  I  was  perplexed.  I  was  desir- 
ous of  seeing  the  head  men  of  the  na- 
tion ;  I  was  particularly  desirous  of 
seeing  John  Ross.  Some  Georgian  told 
me  I  ought  not  to  see  him,  that  he 
was  a  selfish,  and  a  sordid,  and  a  si- 
lent man,  in  whom  I  should  take  no 
interest,  from  whom  I  should  obtain 
no  information.  At  one  moment  I  had 
turned  aside  from  my  purpose,  and 
was  proceeding  homeward.  But  I  felt 
as  if  my  errand  would  be  a  fruitless 
one  if  I  went  away.  So,  little  instruct- 
ed, I  changed  my  course,  and  travelled 
the  wilderness  for  three  days  to  the 
abode  of  Mr.  Ross. 

I  found  Mr.  Ross  a  different  man 
in  every  respect  from  what  I  had  heard 
him  represented  to  be.  His  person  is 
of  the  middle  size,  rather  under  than 
over;  his  age  is  about  five  and  forty; 
he  is  mild,  intelligent  and  entirely  un- 
affected. I  told  him  my  object.  He 
received  me  with  cordiality.  He  said 
he  regi-etted  than  he  had  only  a  log 
cabin  of  but  one  room  to  invite  me  to, 
but  he  would  make  no  apologies.  If 
I  could  put  up  with  rough  fare,  he 
should  be  glad  if  I  would  stay  with 
him. 

From  a  visitor   I   afterwards  learn- 

*Fourth    Ward,    site   of    Rome. 

♦♦Lavender  or    Alto. 

***Al)out    10   o'clock,    according   to   Ross. 

****SilaK  and  (um).  W.  R<jss  were  undoubtedly 
born  at  Rome,  and  an  infant  died  there  and 
was  buried  on  the  lot,  as  was  Daniel  Ross, 
father  of  John. 

*****Land  Lot  237,  Twenty-third,  District 
Third  Section  (160  acres)  was  drawn  by  Hugh 
Brown,  of  Deavour's  District,  Habersham  Co., 
Ga.  The  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  the 
Capitol,  Atlanta,  has  the  date  Nov.  11,  183.'). 
Most  of  the  lottery  drawings  were  held  in  Oc- 
tober, 1H32.  Land  lot  244  was  drawn  by 
Stephen  Carter,  of  Robinson's  District,  Fayette 
County.      (The   Cherokee  Land  Lottery,   p.  288). 


ed  how  the  principal  chief  happened  to 
live  in  such  discomfort.  The  story  con- 
tains the  story  at  this  moment  of  the 
whole  nation.  Last  winter  he  was 
delegated  with  others  to  Washington, 
in  order  to  attempt  a  treaty  upon 
available  terms — such  terms  as  his 
people  would  accept.  He  could  not 
obtain  such.  It  was  evening  when  he 
had  arrived,  on  his  returning  way, 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  dwelling  he 
had  left,  then  a  beautiful  abode  at  the 
head  of  Coosa'%  upon  a  rising  ground, 
overlooking  a  luxuriant  plain  below, 
and  rivers  running  through  it,  and  in 
the  distance  a  noble  mountain.^''''  A 
friend  desired  him  to  remain  all  night. 
No,  he  was  approaching  home  after  a 
long  absence;  he  was  impatient  to  see 
his  family.  He  hurried  on.  In  the 
dead  of  night''' ''''•'  he  aroused  the  house; 
strange  voices  answered  him.  His  fam- 
ily had  just  been  turned  from  the  spot 
where  his  children  were  cradled.**** 
and  it  was  occupied  by  a  Georgian. 
The  land  was  drawn  in  the  Georgia 
lottery,*****  and  though  not  claim- 
able until  the  Indians  should  be  remov- 
ed by  treaty,  was  seized  in  his  absence 
to  petition  Congress  for  his  country — 
seized  under  the  delusion  of  that  way- 
ward and  selfish  policy  which  has  led 
Georgia  to  defy  the  General  Govern- 
ment and  all  its  solemn  pledges  to  pro- 
tect the  Indians  and  vindicate  its 
honor,  in  not  swerving  from  its  treat- 
ies. 

It  was  this  hard  conduct  which  had 
driven  the  principal  chief  to  one  of 
the  humblest  dwellings  in  his  nation. 
But  he  made  no  complaint,  even  after 
I  had  grown  familiar  with  him.  I 
learned  this  wrong  from  other   lips. 

Some  of  your  readers  may  have 
glanced,  but  lightly,  as  I  did,  at  the 
real  position  of  the  Cherokee  case. 
Though  so  often  and  so  eloquently 
stated,  I  will  recapitulate  it  in  brief; 
disputes  between  the  General  Govern- 
ment and  Georgia  were  a  long  time  ago 
compromised  by  an  arrangement  for 
certain  advantages  for  Georgia,  in  re- 
turn for  advantages  given  by  her  to 
the  General  Government;  and  as  a  part 
of  the  compensation  from  the  Govern- 
ment, Georgia  was  to  receive  the 
Cherokee  lands,  as  soon  as  the  Indian 
title  could  be  peaceably  extinguished, 
and  upon  reasonable  terms.  But  the 
Cherokees  are  proverbial,  and  have 
been  so  for  ages,  for  a  peculiar  devot- 
edness  to  their  native  soil. 

"The  Cherokees,  in  their  disposition 
and  manners,  are  grave  and  steady; 
dignified  and  circumspect  in  their  de- 


82 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


portment;  rather  slow  and  reserved  in 
their  conversation,  yet  frank,  cheerful 
and  humane;  "tenacious  of  the  liber- 
ties and  natural  rights  of  man;  secret, 
deliberate  and  determined  in  their 
councils;  honest,  just  and  liberal,  and 
ready  always  to  sacrifice  every  pleas- 
ure and  gratification,  even  their  blood 
and  life  itself,  to  defend  their  terri- 
tory and  maintain  their  rights." — Bar- 
haiii's*  Travels,  1791,  London  Edi- 
tion, Page  483. 

"It  may  be  remarked  that  the  Cher- 
okees  differ  in  some  respects  from 
other  Indian  nations  that  have  wan- 
dered from  place  to  place  and  fixed 
their  habitations  in  separate  districts. 
From  time  immemorial  they  have  had 
possession  of  the  same  territory,  which 
at  present  they  occupy.  They  affirm 
that  their  forefathers  sprung  from 
that  ground,  or  descended  from  the 
clouds  upon  those  hills.  These  lands 
of  their  ancestors  they  value  above  all 
things  in  the  world;  they  venerate  the 
places  where  their  bones  lie  interred, 
and  esteem  it  disgraceful  in  the  high- 
est degree  to  relinquish  these  sacred 
repositories.  The  man  who  would  re- 
fuse to  take  the  field  in  defense  of 
these  hereditary  possessions  is  regard- 
ed by  them  as  a  coward  and  treated 
as  an  outcast  from  their  nation." — 
Historical  account  of  the  rise  and 
progress  of  South  Carolina  and  Geor- 
gia,  Vol.    II,    201,    London,    1777. 

This  was  known  to  the  Georgians. 
This  has  been  felt  by  the  General  Gov- 
ernment in  the  extreme  difficulty 
which  it  has  experienced  in  the  at- 
tempt to  persuade  the  Cherokees  to 
part  with  their  lands.  Millions  after 
millions  of  acres  were  reluctantly 
wrung  from  them,  until  at  length 
they  came  to  a  pause:  "We  have  not 
lands  enough,"  exclaimed  they,  "for 
ourselves;  we  part  with  no  more  land!" 
A  Creek  chief  endeavored  to  tamper 
with  their  councils  and  offered  a 
bribe  from  the  United  States  of  many 
thousand  dollars  to  their  principal  men, 
if  they  would  countenance  the  sale  of 
the  country  to  our  Government;  but 
their  principal  men  repelled  the  bribe, 
and  drove  the  Creek  from  their  terri- 
tory with   scorn. 

Threats  and  gold  and  persecution 
and  sufferings  unprecedented  have 
been  equally  incapable  of  overpower- 
ing their  sacred  love  for  the  wild 
wood  of  their  birth  and  the  resting- 
place  of  their  ancestors.  Other  Indians 
have  been  lured  away,  but  the  Chero- 
kee remains  inflexible.  And  when  the 
Georgian   asks,    "Shall    savages    infest 


our  borders  thus?"  the  Cherokee  an- 
swers him,  "Do  we  not  read;  have  we 
not  schools,  churches,  manufactures; 
have  we  not  laws,  letters,  a  constitu- 
tion;  and   do  you  call  us  savages?" 

The  Georgian  can  only  reply  by 
pointing  to  a  troop  of  border  cavalry 
whose  appearance  reminds  one  of  ban- 
ditti more  than  of  soldiers,  and  ex- 
claiming "dare  prate  to  us  and  these 
men's  muskets  shall  be  our  spokes- 
men!" 

And  true  enough  it  is  that  they  are 
not  savages.  Never  has  a  tribe  of  the 
aborigines  made  such  advances  in  civ- 
ilization. They  have  even  produced 
among  themselves  an  alphabet  and  let- 
ters of  a  fashion  entirely  original,  and 
they  have  books  among  them  printed 
with  their  own  letters  in  their  own 
language,  and  with  this  alphabet  they 
daily  communicate  from  one  end  of 
the  nation  to  the  other;  they  clothe 
themselves  in  stuffs  of  their  own  man- 
ufacture ;  they  have  made  roads, 
bridges,  established  a  seat  of  Govern- 
ment. But  Georgia  has  hated  them 
the  more  because  of  their  civilization; 
she  has  made  it  treason  for  them  to 
keep  up  their  courts  and  councils  and 
laws;  she  has  broken  down  their  turn- 
pikes and  bridges,  and  denies  them  the 
right  of  appearing  to  testify  in  her 
courts  against  any  insult  or  injury 
they  may  receive.  They  have  conse- 
quently removed  their  seat  of  internal 
government  beyond  her  borders  to  the 
corner  of  another  State,**  and  the  de- 
crees issued  thence  are  obeyed  with  rev- 
erence even  by  the  offender,  who 
knows  if  he  were  to  resist,  he  would  be 
upheld  by  the  stronger  power,  to  which 
he  never  will  appeal,  because  he  re- 
gards it  as  the  irreconcilable  foe  of 
l;is  country. 

This  state  of  things  has  convinced 
all  parties  of  the  necessity  for  a  set- 
tlement of  the  question,  by  the  re- 
moval of  the  Cherokees  from  the  neigh- 
borhood of  those  whose  interests  will 
not  let  them  understand  the  Chei'okee 
rights.  The  Cherokees  themselves  at 
length  acknowledge  that  it  is  better 
for  them  to  remove.  "But  let  us  not 
remove,"  say  they,  "till  we  can  be 
assured  of  a  kindlier  dwelling  place. 
The  Government  of  America  has  given 
us  no  reason  to  confide  in  its  power 
to  protect  us  against  Georgia,  and 
therefore,  we  must  remove,  for  if  we 
do  not,  we  must  perish.     If  we  do  re- 


*Bartram's. 

**Reference  is  to  Tennessee,  but  the  capital 
after  New  Echota  was  wherever  John  Ross 
happened   to   be. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


83 


move,  then  let  us  remove  not  only 
from  the  country  where  we  are 
wronged,  but  from  the  Government 
where  we   can   not   get  our   rights." 

The  United  States,  on  the  other 
hand,  wish  the  Cherokees  to  go  to  a 
country  of  their  selection;  they  wish 
the  Cherokees  to  sell  their  own  coun- 
try (in  which  the  United  States  are 
solemnly  pledged  to  protect  them,  un- 
til they  choose  to  select)  upon  such 
terms  as  the  United  States  think  fit 
to  offer. 

"Take  our  price  for  your  land,"  says 
Gen.    Jackson,    "and    I    will    not    insist 
on   governing  you;   buy   another   coun- 
try   with    it."      "We    can    not    buy    an- 
other  country   and  be   indemnified   for 
our    owTi    by    what    you    offer,"    says 
the   Cherokee;   "give  us  our  price  and 
you    may   have   our    land,    if    we    must 
go;    but    we    do    not    wish    to    go;    no 
money    can    pay    us    for    our    homes." 
"You    ask    too     much,"     answers     Gen. 
Jackson;    "you     can     not     have     your 
price."     "Then  let  us  remain,"  replies 
the   Cherokee;    "keep  your  money,  and 
give   us   your   protection ;    take    all   the 
rest   of   the    land   we    have,   and    leave 
us    such    portions    as     are     connected, 
and    incorporate    us    in    counties    with 
the   states    on   which   these    poor    frag- 
ments, which  we  ask  to  retain  for  our- 
selves,   border;    and    let    us    belong    to 
your  nation,  and  send  our  representa- 
tives, like  other  countries,  to  Congress; 
and    satisfy    Georgia    as    you    may   for 
her    disappointment,    from    the    impos- 
sibility you  find  of  purchasing  all  our 
land  from  us,  on  such  terms  as  we  can 
sell    it    for.      Georgia    has    no    fathers, 
mothers,    children    buried    in    the    land. 
She  has  never  seen  it.  She  has  no  na- 
tion to  establish.  She  would  rather  have 
money    than    the    land.      You    can    not 
give  her  the  land.  Give  her  the  money." 
To  this   Gen.  Jackson   answers   with   a 
peremptory  "No!" 

What  is  the  next  step  taken?  The 
agents  of  Government  tamper  sepa- 
rately with  the  Indians.  They  get  to- 
gether a  few  unauthorized  Cherokees ; 
make  up  a  scheme  of  a  treaty  upon 
their  own  terms,  and  endeavor  to  in- 
veigle the  men  who  possess  the  entire 
confidence  of  the  nation:  First,  they 
withhold  the  annuity  to  the  nation  on 
frivolous  pretexts,  thus  taking  away 
their  only  resource  for  defiance  in  the 
courts  of  law,  and  for  remonstrance 
in  the  House  of  Congress.  A  party 
is  attempted  to  be  conjured  up   in  the 

*At   Runnins  Waters,  near  Rome. 
**Refert'nce   to    Mr.    Schermerhorn's    harrangue 
at   Running   Waters. 


nation  by  the  acts  of  the  Government 
agents;  and  twice  attempts  have  been 
made  to  parade  that  little  and  reluc- 
tantly gathering  party,  and  on  both 
occasions  the  people,  the  great  body  of 
the  people,  have  looked  them  down; 
on  the  last,  especially,  not  three  months 
since,  when  they  poured  their  thou- 
sands upon  a  plain,  upon  which  the 
agents  of  Government,  with  all  the 
magic  of  their  promises  and  their  pat- 
ronage, could  bring  against  them 
scarcely  more  than  a  miserable  hun- 
dred.* 

The    immediate    position    of    the    na- 
tion  is  this:      The   Government  treaty 
has    been    exhibited    to    the    Cherokees, 
and   rejected.     It   has   been   attempted 
to  shake  their  confidence  in  their  prin- 
cipal  chief,   but   in   vain.      The   council 
established  a  newspaper,  and  the  Gov- 
ernment agents  have  seized  their  press, 
avowedly  for  the  purpose  of  changing 
it  to  a   Government  vehicle,  for  sway- 
ing the  people  to  such  a  treaty  as  Gen. 
Jackson  longs  for.     Here  at  once  is  an 
acknowledgment   how   base  is   the   pre- 
tense that   the    Cherokees   ought  to  be 
dealt  with  as  a  separate  tribe!     Were 
they    truly    looked     upon    as    savages, 
would   any   importance   be   attached   to 
their  press?     Were  they  not  known  to 
be  much  advanced  in  civilization,  would 
the  agents  of  the  Administration  have 
entered  upon  the  perilous  extravagance 
of    seizing    an    instrument    over    which 
they  had  no  legal  power,  for  selfish  and 
corruptive  purposes?     But  the  Jackson 
myrmidons    have    the    press;    and    pos- 
session   in    law    is    like    power    in    poli- 
tics—it takes  the  place   of  reason  and 
of  right. 

Then    let   us    leave    our    Government 
the    Cherokee  national   paper,   however 
disreputably   obtained,   and   proceed   to 
the    next    point.      Having   juggled    the 
written    power    into    their    hands,    the 
agents  are  now  seeking  the  oral  power ; 
they  are  wandering  about  with   inter- 
preters to  talk  up   their  cause.     "You 
may   speak,    if   you    like,"    say   the    In- 
dians, "but  must  we  listen?"     "Let  us 
speak,"  is  the  reply;  and  the  commis- 
sioner rises,  and  the  people  walk  away 
and   leave   him   to   listen   to    himself.'- 
The  next  measure  is  force;   arrests 
are   made   upon    the    most   absurb   pre- 
texts; influential   Indians  are  seized  by 
the   Georgia   Guard   and   detained,   and 
then    set    free,    no    reason    being    as- 
signed   either    for    the    capture    or    for 
the    release.       Some    laugh    and    defy 
their    fate;    some    are     driven     to    de- 
spair, for  the  arrest  is  so  often   made 
a   punishment  that  an  innocent   Indian 


84 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


a  few  days  ago  actually  hung  himself 
in  the  guard  house*  to  escape  the 
torture  apprehended   from  the  guard. 

But  all  the  Indian  hater's  hate  is 
concentrated  against  the  inflexible 
chief  of  the  Cherokees,  John  Ross.  In- 
timidation has  been  attempted  against 
him  to  no  purpose;  so  has  seduction. 
He  has  resisted  bribery  in  every  in- 
stance, even  in  one  amounting  to  $50,- 
000;  rather  than  enrich  himself  by  his 
country's  ruin,  he  will  remain  poor, 
but  honest.  The  agents  insult  him; 
still  he  goes  on.  The  Georgia  guard 
watches  for  a  pretext  to  make  him 
l)risoner,  but  the  pretext  is  not  to  be 
found,  and  in  some  cases,  where  they 
would  not  be  deterred  by  the  fear  of 
wrong,  they  are  understood  to  have 
been  held  back  through  the  fear  of  the 
people.  It  is  rumored,  however,  that 
some  attempt  of  the  sort  is,  even  at 
this  moment,  in  contemplation. 

Even  the  President  himself  has  now 
and  then  lost  his  temper  because  he 
cannot  shake  Mr.  Ross,  and  has  called 
the  impoverished  and  discreet  patriot 
of  the  wilderness  "wicked  and  selfish," 
and    has   swo  n    if   he  does   not  forego 


JOHN  ROSS  at  age  of  (;:>,  a  lew  years  l>,-fore 
he  died  in  WashiriKton,  D.  C.  (Picture  loaned 
by    S.    W.    Ross,    Tahlequah,    Okla.). 


his  policy  and  do  as  Andrew  Jackson 
bids  him,  that  Andrew  Jackson  will 
never  listen  to  the  Cherokees,  but  give 
them  up  to  ruin.  With  internal  dis- 
sensions attempted  to  be  fomented  by 
the  agents  of  Government,  and  v/ith 
incessant  external  attacks  from  Geor- 
gia, and  not  only  undefended  by  their 
legitimate  protector,  the  United  States, 
but  threatened  by  the  Chief  Magis- 
trate of  those  states,  the  Cherokee  na- 
tion now  stand  alone,  moneyless,  help- 
less, and  almost  hopeless,  yet  without 
a  dream  of  yielding. 

With  these  clouds  around  them,  in 
their  little  corner  of  Tennessee,*'''  to 
which  they  have  been  driven  fi'om 
Georgia  for  shelter,  their  national 
council  holds  its  regular  annual  con- 
vention tomorrow.  I  can  not  imagine 
a  spectacle  of  more  moral  grandeur 
than  the  assembly  of  such  a  people 
under  such  circumstances.  This  morn- 
ing offered  the  first  foretaste  of  what 
the  next  week  is  to  present.  The 
woods  echoed  with  the  trampling  of 
many  feet;  a  long  and  orderly  pro- 
cession emerged  from  among  the  trees, 
the  gorgeous  autumnal  tints  of  whose 
departing  foliage  seemed  in  sad  har- 
mony with  the  noble  spirit  now  beam- 
ing in  this  departing  race.  Most  of 
the  train  was  on  foot;  there  were  a 
few  aged  men,  and  some  few  women, 
on  horseback.  The  train  halted  at 
the  humble  gate  of  the  principal  chief; 
he  stood  ready  to  receive  them.  Every- 
thing was  noiseless.  The  party,  en- 
tering, loosened  the  blankets  which 
were  loosely  rolled  and  flung  over 
their  backs,  and  hung  them  with  their 
tin  cups  and  other  paraphernalia  at- 
tached,   upon    the    fence. 

The  chief  appi-oached  them.  They 
formed  diagonally  in  two  lines,  and 
each,  in  silence,  drew  near  to  give  his 
hand.  Their  dress  was  neat  and  pic- 
turesque; all  wore  turbans,  except 
four  or  five  with  hats;  many  of  them 
tunics  and  sashes;  many  long  robes, 
and  nearly  all  some  drapery;  so  that 
they  had  the  oriental  air  of  the  old 
scripture  pictures  of  patriarchal  pro- 
cessions. 

The  salutation  over,  the  old  men 
remained  near  the  chief,  and  the  rest 
withdrew  to  various  parts  of  the  en- 
closure; some  sitting  Turk  fashion 
against    the    trees,    others    upon    logs 

*At  Spring  Place,  where  Payne  was  im- 
prisoned  a   month   later. 

**Red  Clay  was  so  near  the  line,  and  the  line 
30  poorly  defined,  that  the  impression  was  often 
given  that  it  was  in  Tennessee.  Ross  had  a  hut 
there  as  well  as  at  Blue  Spring,  eight  miles  to 
the  north. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


85 


and  others  upon  the  fences,  but  with 
the  eyes  of  all  fixed  upon  their  chief. 
They  had  walked  sixty  miles  since 
yesterday,  and  had  encamped  last 
night  in  the  woods.  They  sought  their 
way  to  the  council  ground.  It  was 
explained  to  them.  At  one  moment 
I  observed  a  sensation  among  them, 
and  all  arose  and  circled  around  their 
chief.  Presently  an  old  man  spoke 
above  the  rest;  each  one  went  for  his 
pack,  and  all  resumed  their  way.  There 
was  a  something  in  the  scene  which 
would  have  subdued  a  sterner  spirit 
than  mine.  All  who  gazed  stood  rooted 
to   the   spot   with   involuntary   awe. 

"Oh!"  cried  an  old  negi'o  woman, 
wringing  her  hands  and  her  eyes 
streaming  with  tears,  "Oh !  the  poor 
Cherokees,  the  poor  Cherokees;  my 
heart  breaks  and  wnll  not  let  me  look 
on  them!" 

Parties  varying  from  30  to  50  have 
been  passing  the  main  road,  which  is 
somewhat  distant  from  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Ross,  all  day.  All  seem  to  con- 
template the  approaching  meeting  as 
one  of  vital  import.  I  myself,  though 
a  stranger,  partake  in  the  general 
excitement.  The  first  movements, 
which  will  probably  be  the  most  im- 
portant, I  will  communicate  to  you; 
perhaps  I  may  find  leisure  to  do  more, 
for  I  wish  our  countrymen  to  under- 
stand this  subject.*  It  becomes  us 
as  Americans,  devoted  to  our  coun- 
try's glory,  not  to  slumber  over  the 
wrongs  of  a  nation  within  our  power. 
This  people  does  not  approach  us  de- 
nouncing vengeance;  they  do  not,  like 
the  ferocious  spirits  we  would  repre- 
sent them,  avoid  lingering  extermina- 
tion as  exiles  in  the  desert,  by  spring- 
ing up  in  a  mass,  and  inscribing  them- 
selves with  a  terrible  lesson  of  blood 
among  the  illustrious  martyrs  to  in- 
sulted liberty;  but  in  the  patient  and 
meek  spirit  of  Christians  they  come 
again,  and  again,  and  again,  and 
again,  imploring  humanity,  implormg 
justice,  imploring  that  we  will  be  hon- 
est to  ourselves. 

Americans,  turn  not  away  from  such 

*Here  is  a  hint  that  Tayne  mado  arranfce- 
ments   with   certain    editors   to   print    his   articles. 

**Paync  claimed  this  original  article  was 
signed    "Washington." 

***This  is  still  standing  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation.  It  was  literally  a  "House  of  Trag- 
edies." On  Sunday,  Nov.  S,  183.->.  John  How- 
ard Payne  and  John  Ross  arrived  as  prisoners 
of  the  Gua^d,  and  occupieii  an  outhouse  used  to 
quarter  troublesome  Indians.  On  Dec.  16,  1836, 
Major  Henj.  F.  Currey,  who  had  been  active 
against  Payne  and  Ross,  died  in  the  house  of 
Vann    or    at    a    nearby    house. 


a    spectacle;    be    not    deaf    to    such    a 
l^rayer! 

(No    Signature).** 
A    true   copy : 
Dyer    Castor. 

The  wilds  of  Cherokee  Georgia 
were  getting  more  and  more  dan- 
gerous as  tlie  whites  sf|uatted  upon 
the     Indian     lands.      Murders     and 
robberies    were    things    of    almf)st 
every-day      occurrence.       Spencer 
Riley,  a  sort  of  constable,  formerly 
of  Bibb  County,  then  of  Cass,  had 
an  exciting  experience  in  1835  with 
Col.  Wm.  N.  Bishop  and  the  Geor- 
gia Guard.    It  seems  that  Riley  had 
a     lottery     claim     on     the     Vann 
house***  near    Spring    Place,  and 
Bishop   sought   to   dispossess   him. 
The    Georgia    Journal     (Milledge- 
ville)    of  Tuesday,    Apr.    7,    1835, 
printed  Riley's   side  of  the  affair: 
March  11,  1835. 
To   the   Public:      There  being   many 
erroneous  reports  concerning  the  trans- 
action  detailed  in  the  following  state- 
ment,   I    have    deemed    it   necessary   to 
present    to    the    public    a    succinct    ac- 
count  of   the   facts.      I   can    not   for    a 
moment    believe    that     this     flagitious 
outrage    upon    the    rights    of    the    citi- 
zen under  color  of  the  law  and  under 
pretense  of   executive   sanction   can   be 
viewed    with    indifference    by    my    fel- 
low citizens,  or  approbated  by  the  Gov- 
ernor.    The  facts  are  these: 

I  became  a  boarder  of  Joseph  Vann, 
a  Cherokee  residing  near  Spring  Place, 
in  Murray  County,  in  October  last, 
and  continued  to  board  with  him  up 
to  the  2d  March  inst.,  when  the  out- 
rage hereinafter  stated  took  place. 

On  the  23d  of  February  last,  Mrs. 
Vann,  in  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
received  a  written  notice  to  quit  the 
possession  of  the  lot,  from  Wm  N. 
Bishop,  one  of  the  agents  of  the  State 
of  Georgia,  appointed  by  the  Governor 
under  the  law  of  1834.  This  was  done 
without  the  request  of  the  drawer  or 
any  person  holding  or  claiming  under 
him.  It  was  known  that  one  Kinchin 
W  Hargrove,  brother  to  Z.  B.  Har- 
grove, had  obtained  a  certificate  from 
Wm  N.  Bishop  with  the  view  of  ob- 
taining the  grant  from  Milledgeville. 
in  consequence  of  which  the  grant  is- 
sued some  time  in  February  upon  his 
application.  This  lot  on  which  Joseph 
Vann   lived   is  an   Indian  improvement 


86 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


and  his  right  of  occupancy  is  not  for- 
feited by  any  provision  of  the  laws  of 
Georgia.  It  is  known  as  Lot  No.  224, 
9th  district  and  3d  section,  and  was 
drawn  by  a  Mr.  Turley  of  Warren; 
it  contains  a  spacious  two-story  brick 
house  and  many  outhouses  and  is  very 
valuable,  particularly  as  a  public 
stand.  It  had  been  returned  as  a 
fraudulent  draw  by  Major  Bulloch, 
■whose  scire  facias  had  obtained  pref- 
erence by  being  first  filed.  It  was 
also  returned  by  Z.  B.  Hargrove  as 
informer   in   a    second   scire   facias. 

Such  was  the  situation  of  the  lot 
on  the  2d  of  March,  when  W.  N, 
Bishop,  as  agent  and  acting  under  the 
state's  authority,  summoned  some  20 
men  and  placed  in  their  hands  the 
muskets  confided  to  him  by  the  Gov- 
ernor for  another  purpose,  and  fur- 
nished them  with  ammunition,  came 
over  to  Mr.  Vann's  at  the  head  of 
his  guard,  resolved  to  clear  the  house 
and  put  his  brother,  Absalom  Bishop, 
in  possession,  who  afterwards  opened 
a  public  house.  Some  articles  of  Mr. 
Vann  were  allowed  to  remain  in  the 
house  and  he  was  permitted  to  occupy 
at  sufferance  a  small  room.  I  occu- 
pied a  room  on  the  second  floor  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs.  This  armed 
force  was  accompanied  by  one  Kinchin 
W.  Hargrove,  a  sort  of  deputy  to 
Bishop.  When  they  approached  the 
house,  I  inquired  of  W.  N.  Bishop 
what  all  of  this  meant,  and  stated 
to  him  that  he  had  given  Mrs.  Vann 
until  Saturday,  the  7th,  in  which  to 
move.  He  replied  that  Joshua  Holden 
was  the  agent.  This  man  Holden  is 
notorious  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
state  for  his  vices  and  subservience 
to  Bishop.  Upon  receiving  this  re- 
ply from  W.  N.  Bishop,  I  inquired 
of  Holden  if  he  was  the  agent  for 
the  drawer.  He  replied,  "No,  I  am 
agent  for  Mr.  Hargrove,  and  have  a 
power  of  attorney  from  him."  Mr. 
Hargi'ove  did  not  claim  to  have  any 
right  or  title  to  the  lot  as  derived 
from  or  through  the  drawer.  Con- 
vinced as  I  was  that  this  was  all  a 
trick  to  get  Vann  out  of  the  house, 
and  to  put  him  out  unlawfully  and 
fraudulently,  in  order  to  get  posses- 
sion for  Absalom  Bishop,  I  demanded 
of  W.  N.  Bishop  to  see  the  plat  and 
grant  and  his  authority  for  thus  act- 
ing. He  stated  that  Holden  was  seek- 
ing possession,  but  exhibited  no  au- 
thority, and  there  was  no  agent  of  the 
drawer  or  person  claiming  under  him 
seeking   possession. 

W.  N.  Bishop  rushed  into  the  house 


with  his  guard  and  commanded  them 
to  present  arms.  Having  some  things 
in  the  room  I  occupied,  I  went  up  to 
take  care  of  them.  I  heard  Bishop 
demand  possession  of  Vann,  who  an- 
swered that  he  considered  himself 
out  of  possession  from  the  Monday 
previous.  "Where  is  that  damned 
rascal  Riley?"  inquired  Bishop.  The 
reply  was,  "He  is  in  his  room."  By 
this  time  I  had  got  to  the  head  of  the 
stairs*  and  called  out  to  Bishop  that 
there  was  no  use  for  any  violent  meas- 
ures or  for  bloodshed,  for  if  he  would 
acknowledge  he  had  taken  forcible 
possession  from  me,  he  could  throw 
my  things  out  of  doors.  His  reply 
was,  "Hear  that  damned  rascal;  pre- 
sent arms  and  march  upstairs,  and  the 
first  man  that  gets  a  glimpse  of  him, 
shoot  him  down."  Upon  hearing  these 
orders  given  to  his  guard,  I  thought 
it  high  time  to  defend  myself  as  best 
I  could,  and  exclaimed,  "The  first 
man  that  advances  to  obey  Bishop's 
orders    I    will    kill!" 

One  man  named  Winters,  an  itiner- 
ant carpenter,  advanced  upstairs  with 
a  loaded  musket,  and  his  valiant  com- 
mander behind  him.  As  soon  as  they 
saw  me  they  fired  upon  me  and  fell 
back ;  I  then  fired,  too.  Their  shot 
slightly  wounded  me  in  my  hand  and 
arms,  and  immediately  after,  ten  or 
twelve  muskets  were  fired  at  me,  but 
being  protected  by  the  stairs,  the  shots 
did  not  take  effect.  I  being  out  of 
sight,  they  aimed  at  the  spot  where 
they  supposed  I  was  and  shot  the  ban- 
isters to  pieces.  I  then  presented  a 
gun  in  sight  to  deter  their  further  ap- 
proach, and  prevent  if  possible  the  ac- 
complishment of  their  murderous  de- 
sign. Then  a  rifle  was  fired  by  Ab- 
salom Bishop;  the  ball  struck  my  gun 
and  split,  one  part  of  it  striking  me 
glancingly  on  my  forehead  just  above 
my  right  eye,  and  fragments  of  it 
wounding  me  on  several  other  places 
on  my  face.  I  desired  them  to  bear 
witness  to  who  shot  that  rifle,  for  I 
had  been  severely  wounded.  Wm.  N. 
Bishop  called  out  tauntingly,  "The 
State  of  Georgia  shot  the  guns!" 
After  I  was  thus  wounded  and  bleed- 
ing freely,  I  opened  the  door  of  the 
room  and  called  out  to  them  that  I 
was  severely  wounded,  and  they  could 
come  and  take  my  arms.  As  soon  as 
I  showed  myself,  several  more  mus- 
kets were  fired  on  me.  One  shot  struck 
me  on  the  left  cheek,  another  wound- 
ed  me    severely   on   the   head   and   one 

*A  curious,  winding  architectural  contraption 
with   no  visible  support. 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


87 


went  through  the  dooi'  over  my  head. 

During  this  extraordinary  outrage, 
W.  N.  Bishop  was  heard  frequently 
exclaiming,  "Kill  the  damned  rascal ; 
we've  got  no  use  for  nullifiers  in 
this  country!"  and  K.  W.  Hargrove 
also  often  exclaimed  I  should  come 
down  dead  or  alive.  W.  N.  Bishop 
procured  a  flaming  firebrand  and 
threw  it  upon  the  platform  of  the 
stairs,  exclaiming  that  he  would  burn 
him  out  or  burn  him  up.  After  the 
fire  had  made  some  progress,  and 
probably  recollecting  that  if  the  house 
was  destroyed,  Absalom  Bishop  would 
have  no  house  to  occupy,  Vann  was 
requested  to  go  up  and  extinguish  the 
fire. 

Being  much  debilitated  by  the  loss 
of  blood,  I  laid  down  on  the  bed.  They 
soon  after  entered  my  room  and  seized 
my  desk  and  papers  as  if  I  had  been 
a  malefactor.  I  desired  them  to  per- 
mit me  to  put  up  my  papers  in  my 
secretary  and  to  lock  it.  Hargi'ove 
replied,  "Let  him  put  what  he  pleases 
in  the  desk,  but  don't  let  him  take 
anything  out."  I  had  $10  in  money 
in  the  desk.  After  I  had  locked  it, 
they  took  the  keys  from  me  and  the 
desk  also,  under  the  pretext  that  they 
would  secure  the  costs.  The  money  I 
never  saw  afterwards. 

Just  before  the  close  of  the  con- 
flict, Hargrove  called  out  to  me  and 
asked  if  I  did  not  know  that  there 
was  an  officer  who  had  a  warrant 
against  me.  I  answered,  no,  but  if 
such  were  the  case  I  would  submit  to 
the  laws  of  my  country  and  surrender 
to  the  sheriff.  Bishop  then  abused  the 
sheriff  and  cursed  him.  In  a  short 
time  the  sheriff,  Col.  Humphreys, 
came,  and  I  was  asked  to  show  my- 
self, which  I  no  sooner  did  than  sev- 
eral muskets  were  levelled  and  fired  at 
me,  but  happily  without  much   injury. 

It  afterward  appeared  that  in  order 
to  give  their  conduct  the  semblance 
of  law,  they  had  procured  this  tool  of 
Bishop,  Holden,  to  make  an  affidavit 
to  procure  a  warrant  for  forcible  en- 
try and  detainer.  Both  affidavit  and 
warrant,  upon  being  produced,  proved 
to  be  in  the  handwriting  of  Z.  B.  Har- 
grove, and  dated  first  in  February, 
but  that  month  was  stricken  and  2nd 
March  inserted.  It  is  believed  that 
this  notable  proceeding  was  planned  in 
Cassville,  4.5  miles  oft',  and  given  to 
Kinchin  W.  Hargrove  when  he  went 
up  to  Spring  Place. 

After    my   surrender    to    the    sheriff, 

*SprinB  Bank,  the  country  estate  of  Rev. 
Chas.    Wallace    Howard. 


I  was  taken  out  of  his  custody,  con- 
veyed before  a  magistrate,  also  under 
the  control  of  Bishop,  charged  with 
an  assault  with  intent  to  murder,  and 
immediately  ordered  off  in  my  wound- 
ed condition,  45  miles,  in  a  severe  snow 
storm  under  a  strong  guard,  my 
wounds  undressed,  and  filched  of  the 
little  change  I  had  in  my  pockets,  and 
lodged  in  the  Cassville  jail  in  the 
dungeon.  The  guard  received  their  or- 
ders from  Bishop  and  Hargrove  not 
to  allow  me  to  have  any  intercourse 
with  my  friends,  and  so  rigidly  were 
these  orders  observed  that  when  I  ar- 
rived at  Major  Howard's"  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  my  family  and  desired  him 
to  inform  them  of  my  situation,  and 
not  to  be  alarmed,  the  guard  threat- 
ened to  use  their  bayonets  if  I  did  not 
proceed.  Bishop  even  designated  the 
houses  at  which  we  were  to  stop  on 
our  way.  I  was  placed  in  a  dungeon 
until  my  friends  at  Cassville,  hearing 
of  my  situation,  relieved  me  on  bail. 

The  foregoing  statement  can  be  at- 
tested by  many  respectable  witnesses, 
and  is  substantially  correct.  The 
transaction  has  created  a  great  sen- 
sation in  Murray  County,  and  must 
have  received  the  unqualified  condem- 
nation of  every  law-abiding  citizen. 
SPENCER  RILEY. 

In  the  same  issue  The  Journal 
commented    editorially  : 

We  had  flattered  ourselves  that  the 
State  had  drained  the  cup  of  humili- 
ation to  the  dregs  and  had  suffered 
all  it  could  suffer  from  violence,  fraud, 
proscription  and  misgovernment.  But 
unhappily  we  were  mistaken ;  low  Jis 
we  had  sunken,  we  find  that  there  is 
a  point  still  lower.  The  letter  of 
Spencer  Riley,  Esq.,  in  this  paper  dis- 
plays a  state  of  things  in  a  part  of 
the  country  where  the  dominant  fac- 
tion has  had  full  sway  that  is  abso- 
lutely  appalling. 

We  have  personally  known  Mr. 
Riley  twelve  years  as  a  freeholder  and 
citizen,  as  deputy  sheriff  and  high 
sheriff  of  Bibb  County,  where  they 
have  had  no  officer  we  know  of  whose 
l)ublic  services  were  more  generally 
approved.  Since  then,  we  understand, 
he  has  held  a  commission  of  the  peace 
in  Cass  County,  and  his  word,  we 
think,  will  hardly  be  doubted  by  any 
to  whom  he  is  known.  His  statement 
presents  a  picture  at  which  the  most 
careless  and  the  most  thoughtless  man 
must  pause.  It  is  one  of  the  consc- 
(luenecs  of  subverting  the  judicial  au- 
thority throughout  one  whole  circuit 
in  a  new  country. 


88 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Finally  the  toe  hold  of  the  Indian 
bei?an  to  s^ive  way.  For  a  decade 
the  Indian^s  had  been  going  west  in 
small  detachments,  under  the  dip- 
lomatic urge  of  the  Ck)vernment.  At 
the  slow  rate  of  moving,  it  was  cal- 
culated that  half  a  century  would 
be  required  to  be  rid  of  them  all. 
In  1829,  the  old  records  show,  quite 
a  number  of  Indians  enrolled  with 
the  Government  agents  to  go  west, 
received  their  bounty  and  then 
failed  to  go,  thinking,  perhaps,  that 
they  might  successfully  pass 
around  the  hat  again.  Many  of 
these  Indians  appeared  in  1835  at 
the  council  at  Running  Waters  and 
voted  for  the  annuity  measure 
proposed  by  John  Ross. 

But  the  patience  of  Federal  and 
State  authorities  was  threadbare. 
If  the  Indians  would  emigrate 
peaceably,  all  well  and  good ;  if 
they  balked,  bayonets  would  move 
them.  The  white  man's  necessity 
under    the    program    of    civic    and 


DANIEL  ROSS,  Scotch  father  of  John  Ross. 
He  died  in  DeSoto  (Rome)  and  was  there 
buried. 


commercial  progress  was  the  red 
man's  misfortune.  Gen.  Winfield 
Scott,  of  the  United  States  army, 
was  selected  to  gather  the  Indians 
in   stockades. 

Under  the  pressure  from  Gov. 
Lumi)kin,  Alajor  Currey,  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  and  others,  2,000  of 
the  Indians  prepared  to  depart  by 
Jan.  1,  1837;  but  the  death  of  Ma- 
jor Currey,  Dec.  16,  1836,  at  Spring 
Place,  set  the  movement  back  se- 
riously. Hence  the  general  round- 
up did  not  get  under  way  until 
May  24,  1838. 

Numerous  Indians  submitted 
without  protest ;  many  others  se- 
creted themselves  in  the  mountains 
and  in  caves,  and  were  vigorously 
hunted  out.  A  few  resisted  and 
shot  or  were  shot ;  some  commit- 
ted suicide  rather  than  leave  the 
lands  they  had  learned  to  love  and 
the  sacred  bones  of  their  departed 
ancestors. 

'i'he  Rev.  George  White  tells  as 
follow^s  of  the  removal  in  his  His- 
torical Collections  of  Georgia  (ps. 
152-3)  and  incidentally,  defends  the 
troopers  who  had  this  unpleasant 
duty   to   perform  : 

Gen.  Scott  called  upon  the  Governoi' 
of  Georg-ia  for  two  regiments,  to  which 
call  there  was  an  immediate  response. 
On  Friday,  the  18th  of  May,  1838,  a 
sufficiency  of  troops  had  arrived  at 
New  Echota,  the  place  of  rendezvous, 
to  organize  a  regiment  and  warrant 
the  election  of  officers.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  24th  of  May,  the  regiment 
took  up  the  line  of  march  for  the 
purpose  of  collecting  the  Indians,  Five 
companies,  viz. — Capt.  Stell's,  Dan- 
iel's, Bowman's,  Hamilton's,  Ellis' 
were  destined  to  Sixes  Town,  in  Cher- 
okee County;  two  companies,  Capt. 
Story's  and  Capt.  Campbell's  to  Rome; 
Capt.  Vincent's  to  Cedartown;  two 
companies,  Capt.  Horton's  and  Capt. 
Brewster's,  to  Fort  Gilmer. 

The  collecting  of  the  Indians  con- 
tinued until  the  3rd  of  June,  1838, 
when  they  started  for  Ross'  Landing, 
on  the  'Tennessee  River,  numbering 
about  1,560,  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Capt.  Stell.  They  arrived 
at  Ross'  Landing  at  10  o'clock,  the 
10th  of  June.    The  Georgia  troops  re- 


Aftermath  of  the  Payne-Ross  Affair 


89 


turned,  and  were  afterwards  regu- 
larly dismissed  from  the  service  of  the 
United  States.  Both  regiments  were 
commanded  by  Gen.  Chas.   Floyd.* 

In  small  detachments,  the  army  be- 
gan its  operations,  making  prisoners 
of  one  family  after  another,  and  gath- 
ering them  into  camps.  No  one  has 
ever  complained  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  work  was  performed.** 
Through  the  good  disposition  of  the 
army  and  the  provident  arrangements 
of  its  commander,  less  injury  was 
done  by  accidents  or  mistakes  than 
could  reasonably  have  been  expected. 
By  the  end  of  June,  nearly  the  whole 
nation  was  gathered  into  camps,  and 
some  thousands  commenced  their 
march  for  the  West,  the  heat  of  the 
season  preventing  any  further  emigra- 
tion until  September,  when  14,000 
were  on  their  march.  The  journey  of 
600  or  700  miles  was  performed  in 
four  or  five  months.  The  best  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  their  com- 
fort, but  from  the  time — May  24 — 
v/hen  their  removal  commenced,  to  the 
time  when  the  last  company  completed 
its  journey,  more  than  4,000  persons 
sank  under  their  sufferings  and  died. 

A  tragic  sequel  followed  the  re- 
moval and  the  stirring  events  pre- 
ceding it.  The  anti-treaty  or  Ross 
party  of  Indians  did  not  bury  in 
the  red  hills  of  Georgia  with  the 
hallowed  dust  of  their  ancestors 
the  resentment  they  felt  toward 
the  men  who  had  signed  away  their 
lands.  A  band  of  several  hundred 
Indians  took  a  secret  oath  to 
kill  Major  Ridge  and  his  clan 
brother  (nephew  by  blood)  Elias 
Lioudinot,***  and  John  Ridge,  his 
son.  They  bided  their  time,  and 
June  22,  1839,  killed  all  three. 

Major  Ridge  was  wa}'laid  on  the 
road  40  or  50  miles  from  home,  and 
shot.  His  son  was  taken  from  his 
bed  early  in  the  morning  and  near- 
ly cut  to  pieces  with  km'ves.  Air. 
Botidinot  was  decoyed  away  from 
a  house  he  liad  ])een  erecting  a 
short   distance    from   liis   residence, 

*The  father  of  Gen.  .lohn  Floyd,  for  whom 
Floyd    county     was    named. 

**Numerous  complaints  are  of  record  today. 
The  route  has  been  called  "The  Trail  of  Tear^.'" 

***A    native   of    Floyd    county. 

****Stand  Watie  lived  at  Coosawattie  Town, 
and   later    near   Rome. 

*****Assuminf;  that  Ridge  was  born  in  1771, 
as    usually    stated,    he    would    have    been    68. 


and  then  set  upon  with  knives  and 
hatchets.  One  version  lias  it  that 
Boudinot  was  a  sort  of  doctor,  and 
that  several  Indians  came  to  him  in 
a  friendly  way  and  asked  him  to 
get  some  medicine  for  a  sick  com- 
rade. Thrown  off  his  guard,  he 
A\'as  an  easy  prey. 

Mrs.  Mabel  Washbourne  Ander- 
son, of  Pryor,  Okla.,  daughter  of 
John  Rollin  Ridge,  grand-daughter 
of  John  Ridge  and  great-grand- 
daughter of  Major  Rulge,  tells  on 
ps.  11-12  of  her  Life  of  General 
Stand  Watie****  of  this  shocking 
tragedy : 

A  demon  spell  now  enveloped  the 
Cherokee  country,  as  is  ever  the  case 
when  feuds  and  factions  arise  within  a 
nation.  The  members  of  the  former 
Treaty  party,  headed  by  Ridge  and 
Boudinot,  were  called  traitors  by  the 
Ross  party,  and  this  continued  "accu- 
sation became  the  platform  of  strife 
and  bloodshed,  turbulence  and  suffer- 
ing for  a  newly-divided  people  in  a 
new  land.  Had  bitterness  and  disa- 
greement been  forgotten  and  a  united 
effort  made  toward  rebuilding  the 
broken  fortunes  of  a  broken  people 
the  cruel  history  from  1838  to  1846 
might  never  have  been  written. 

If  history  had  preserved  for  us  a 
record  of  the  ''Secret  Council"  of 
the  anti-Treaty  party,  said  to  have 
been  held  at  Double  Springs,  near 
Tahl.equah,  in  the  spring  of  1839, 
much  that  will  forever  be  a  question 
to  the  searcher  for  truth  would  be  re- 
vealed. 

Passing  hastily  over  this  black  page 
of  Cherokee  history,  so  closely  allied 
with  the  life  of  Gen.  Watie,  it  must 
be  mentioned  that  secret  police  forces 
of  100  men  each  soon  after  this  coun- 
cil were  organized  by  the  Ross  party, 
with  a  commander  for  each  company, 
whose  purpose  was  to  extinguish  the 
leading  men  of  the  Ridge  i)arty.  And 
the  pages  of  Cherokee  history  will  for- 
ever be  shadowed  by  the  atrocious 
tragedy  that  took  place  in  the  assassi- 
nation in  one  night  of  Major  Ridg", 
an  aged  man  of  75;*****  his  son,  John 
Ridge,  and  Elias  Boudinot,  three  of 
the  most  powerful  and  inlluential  men 
of  the  Treaty  party.  The  murders  of 
these  three  men,  which  took  place 
within  a  few  hours  of  each  other,  were 
most  systematically  carried  out, 
though  tliey  were  widely  separated  at 
the    time.     John     Ridge    was    slain    on 


90 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Honey  Creek,  Cherokee  Nation,  near 
the  Missouri  line;  Major  Ridge  was 
slain  in  the  Cherokee  Nation  near  Cin- 
cinnati, Ark.;  and  p]lias  Boudinot 
near  Park   Hill,   Cherokee   Nation. 

This  opened  an  international  wound 
of  sorrow  and  bloodshed  for  the  Cher- 
okee people,  extending  over  a  terrible, 
dark  period  of  eight  or  ten  years,  and 
whose  influence  lasted  for  decades  upon 
this  nation.  Stand  Watie,  Jack  Bell 
and  Walter  Adair  were  slated  to  die 
at  this  same  time,  but  were  absent 
from  home  the  night  these  foul  mur- 
ders were  committed.  Thereafter  they 
were  constantly  on  scout  and  guard 
against  some  hidden  plot  to  take  their 
lives.  A  short  time  after  this  horrible 
event.  Stand  Watie  organized  a  mili- 
tai'y  force,  stationed  at  Beattie's 
Prairie,  to  oppose  the  Ross  police 
force. 

Despite  opposition  and  oppression, 
Watie  became  after  the  assassination 
of  his  kinsmen  the  most  influential 
man  and  the  conceded  leader  of  the 
Ridge  party.  Among  the  incidents 
current  among  his  people  today  of  the 
bravery  of  Stand  Watie  is  one  con- 
nected with  this  terrible  tragedy. 
When  his  brother,  Elias  Boudinot,  lay 
dead  in  the  midst  of  his  foes,  Watie 
silently  rode  up  unarmed.  The  crowd 
of  his  enemies  suddenly  drew  back, 
making  way  for  this  grim  horseman. 
Removing  the  sheet  that  covered  the 
face  of  his  murdered  brother,  he 
looked  down  long  and  earnestly  upon 
the  still  features.  Then  turning  to 
the  crowd,  he  said  in  a  voice  that  each 
could  hear,  "I  will  give  $10,000  to 
know  the  name  of  the  man  who  struck 
that  blow!" 

All  who  knew  Stand  Watie  were 
aware  of  his  ability  to  pay  this  lee- 
ward, but  not  one  in  that  guilty  crowd 
answered  him,  and  he  rode  away  as 
fearlessly  as  he  had  oome,  though 
there  were  fully  100  men  in  that  same 
company  who  had  sworn  to  take  his 
life  the  night  before. 

Thos.  Watie  and  James  Starr  were 
killed  by  the  Ross  party  in  1845,  but 
the  old  tradition  among  the  full-blood- 
ed Indians  that  "No  weapon  was  ever 
made  to  kill  Stand  Watie,"  seemed 
verily  to  fulfil  itself,  and  he  success- 
fully passed  through  the  dangerous 
and  trying  years  from  1838  to  1846. 


A  PAYNE  MEMORIAL.— A  patri- 
otic service  was  performed  Saturday 
morning,  Oct.  7,  1922,  by  the  Old  Guard 
of  Atlanta  in  the  unveiling  of  a  hand- 
some   marble    tablet    at    Spring    Place 


to  John  Howard  Payne.  The  exercises 
had  been  planned  for  Friday,  Oct.  6, 
but  bad  roads  delayed  the  party,  trav- 
eling in  automobiles,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  postpone  the  aff'air  a  day.  The 
speaker  of  the  occasion  was  Col.  Geo. 
M.  Napier,  attorney  general  of  Geor- 
gia and  a  member  of  the  Guard.  He 
was  introduced  by  Jos.  A.  McCord, 
commandant  of  the  Guard  and  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank  in 
Atlanta.  Prof.  Ernest  Neal,  school 
superintendent  at  Chatsworth,  Murray 
County,  recited  his  poem,  "The  Rivers 
of  Cherokee  Georgia;"  the  poem  will 
be  found  in  the  poetry  section  herein. 

The  Payne  tablet  stands  within  200 
yards  of  the  Vann  house,  at  a  con- 
spicuous road  crossing  where  it  will 
be  beheld  by  thousands  of  tourists 
yearly.  It  is  of  rough  gray  Elbert 
County  granite,  mined  at  a  place  near 
which  Payne  journeyed  in  1835  on 
horseback  from  Augusta  to  inspect  the 
natural  wonders  of  Northeast  Georgia. 
It  is  sunk  deep  in  concrete,  and  a 
concrete  platform  six  feet  in  radius 
surrounds   it.     The   inscrption   follows : 

"John  Howard  Payne,  author  of 
'Home,  Sweet  Home,'  suspected  as  a 
spy  of  the  Cherokee  Indians,  was  im- 
prisoned here  in  1835,  but  released. 
Erected  by  Old  Guard  of  Atlanta,  Oct. 
G,  1922;  Jos.  A.  McCord,  command- 
ant." 

The  Old  Guardsmen  were  the  guests 
of  Mr.  McCord  at  his  apple  orchard 
twelve  miles  to  the  north.  Prominent 
in  their  entertainment  was  the  Gov- 
ernor John  Milledge  Chapter  of  the 
D.  A.  R.,  of  Dalton,  and  Dr.  T.  W. 
Colvard,  at  whose  estate  they  enjoyed 
a  barbecue.  Prior  to  the  exercises  they 
inspected  the  home  of  Jos.  Vann,  the 
Indian  chief,  near  which,  in  a  log  hut, 
Payne  was  incarcerated.  It  is  said 
this  hut  now  stands  in  the  park  at 
Chatsworth,  near  the  L.  &  N.  railroad 
station,  having  been  removed  from 
Spring  Place. 

Other  Old  Guard  members  who  at- 
tended were  Robt.  A.  Broyles,  Ossian 
D.  Gorman,  Jr.,  Sam  Meyer,  Jr.,  H. 
M.  Lokey,  G.  A.  Wight,  W.  E.  Han- 
cock, Dr.  L.  P.  Baker,  Henry  C.  Beer- 
man,  Fred  J.  Cooledge,  E.  H.  Good- 
hart,  W.  M.  Camp,  Peter  F.  Clarke, 
W.  S.  Coleman,  W.  B.  Cummings,  Dr. 
Thos.  H.  Hancock,  W.  T.  Kuhns,  Ed- 
mund W.  Martin,  M.  L.  Thrower,  Jas. 
T.  Wright,  A.  McD.  Wilson,  G.  G. 
Yancey,  Jr.,  and  Walter  Bennett. 
Others  included  Jos.  A.  McCord,  Jr., 
Walter  Sparks,  and  J.  A.  Hall,  of  De- 
catur, formerly  of  Calhoun,  an  author- 
ity on  Indian  lore. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Growth  From  Village  to  Town 


O 


NCE  the  Indians  were  out 
of  the  way  and  their  lands 
thrown  open  to  the  white 
settlers,  Rome  and  Floyd 
County  began  to  grow  with  a  vim. 
As  early  as  1837,  according  to  a 
report  from  Capt.  J.  P.  Simonton, 
disbursing  agent  of  the  Cherokee 
Removal,  sent  from  New  Echota 
to  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs, and  dated  Sept.  27,  1837,  Col. 
Wm.  C.  Hardin  was  president  of 
the  Western  Bank  of  Georgia,  of 
Rome.*  Col.  Hardin  and  Andrew 
Miller,  agent  of  the  Bank  of  Geor- 
gia, of  Augusta,  loaned  the  Govern- 
ment $25,000,  transmitted  through 
the  Rome  bank,  toward  the  re- 
moval of  the  Cherokees. 

The  Western  was  undoubtedly 
the  first  bank  in  Rome,  and  Col. 
Hardin  its  first  president.  It  was 
located  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Fifth  Avenue  and  East  First  Street. 
An  old  $10  bank  note  shows  that 
William  Smith  was  president  on 
July  13,  1840,  with  R.  A.  Greene 
as  cashier.  Zachariah  B.  Hargrove 
had  been  connected  with  it  prior 
to  his  death  in  1839.  The  Bank  of 
the  Empire  State,  which  also  got 
into  financial  difficulties  and  was 
forced  to  suspend,  was  organized 
much  later.  In  1851  the  Rome 
Weekly  Courier  expressed  the  hope 
that  a  bank  would  soon  be  formed 
at  Rome. 

The  first  inn  was  kept  by  Wil- 
liam Quinn  at  "Cross  Keys,"  as 
the  local  neighborhood  at  the  pres- 
ent "Five  Points."  North  Broad 
Street,  was  then  known.  A  Mrs. 
Washington,        descended        from 


*Report  of  Secretary  of  W^r  on  Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835),    p.    995. 

**Destroyefl  in  1864  by  soldiers  of  the  Union 
Army,  accordintr  to  the  late  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey. 
No  reason  can  be  assigned  for  the  destruction 
of  this  property  except  that  Ross  was  in  bad 
odor  with  the  United  States  Government  at  the 
time. 


George,  kept  the  Washington  Ho- 
tel. The  McEntee  House  was  in 
operation  in  1845  when  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  J.  M.  M.  Caldwell  stopped 
over  in  Rome  on  their  way  to  Sel- 
ma,  Ala.,  where  Dr.  Caldwell  had 
been  ofifered  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church.  James 
McEntee,  the  proprietor,  and  oth- 
ers persuaded  the  newdy-married 
couple  to  remain  in  Rome,  and 
they  taught  one  of  the  first  schools 
of  any  pretensions  in  a  part  of 
their  dwelling,  the  old  John  Ross 
House,**  in  which  they  had  been 
temporarily  settled  by  the  owner. 
Col.  Alfred  Shorter.  Aftei*  as- 
suming charge  of  the  Rome  Fe- 
male College  on  Eighth  Avenue 
in  1856,  they  taught  on  East  Second 
Street. 

Another  early  hotel  was  the 
Choice  House,  built  l^y  John 
Choice,  probably  prior  to  1850.  This 
was  conducted  from  1855  to  1857 
by  Wm.  Melton  Roberts,  father  of 
Frank  Stovall  Roberts,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  It  was  located  where 
the  Hotel  Forrest  now  stands.  For 
several  years  around  1857  it  had 
six  colonial  columns  of  white  in 
front. 

The  Ijuena  Vista,  at  the  south- 
cast  ct)rner  of  Broad  Street  and 
vSixth  Avenue,  was  built  in  1843  b}' 
an  Irishman  named  Thos.  Burke, 
who  soon  got  into  a  serious  diffi- 
culty and  turned  the  property  over 
to  Daniel  R.  Mitchell  as  a  fee  for 
re|)resenting  liim. 

.\l)out  1850  Will.  Kctcham  was 
pr(iprietor  of  the  Ivtowah  1  louse, 
scjutheast  corner  of  I'.ro.iil  Street 
and  Second  Avenue,  and  in  1863 
the  pi"oprit.lor  was  (icn.  Geo.  S. 
r.lack. 

The  Tennessee  llouse  was  start- 
ed at  the  end  of  the  Civil   War  1)V 


92 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Jas.  A.  Stansbury.  It  stood  at  the 
northeast  corner  of  Broad  Street 
and  First  Avenue,  and  later  be- 
came the  Rome  Hotel. 

The  first  newspaper,  according 
to  The  Weekly  Bulletin  of  Thurs- 
day, Jan.  8,  1876,  was  the  Western 
Georgian,  published  by  Gen.  Jas. 
Hemphill  and  Samuel  S.  Jack.*  It 
was  started  in  1837,  and  Mr.  Jack 
was  the  first  editor.  The  location 
was  at  602  East  First  Street,  wdiere 
a  hand  ])rcss  was  installed.  This 
was  (Ml  tlic  s])()t  where  Mrs.  Naomi 
P.  Bale  now  lives. 

Pisgah  Baptist  church  at  Coosa 
is  the  oldest  religious  institution 
of  its  kind  in  the  county.  It  was 
organized  in  the  spring  of  1833  by 
Rev.  Hugh  Quin  and  associates. 

The  First  Presbyterian  of  Rome 
was  founded  at  Livingston  Oct. 
29,  1833,  and  removed  to  Rome 
Apr.  17,  1845,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  M. 
Caldwell. 

The   First   Baptist   is   the   oldest 


REV.  J.  M.  M.  CALDWELL,  Presbyterian 
minister  and  for  about  40  years  teacher  of 
young    women   at   Rome. 


church      in      Rome,     having     been 
founded  May  16,   1835.** 

The  First  Methodist  was  organ- 
ized at  Rome  in  1840  by  Mrs.  Sam- 
uel S.  Jack,  Mrs.  James  Hammet. 
Mrs.  Daniel  R.  Mitchell,  Mrs' 
Jesse  Lamberth,  Mrs.  Samuel 
Stewart  and  Miss  Ernily  McDow. 
The  location  was  the  southwest 
corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and  E.  Sec- 
ond Street.  The  circuit  of  which 
Rome  was  an  appointment  in  1836 
extended  from  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  to 
the  Chattahoochee  River,  and  Rev. 
J.  B.  McFerrin,  of  Tennessee,  stood 
every  four  months  on  a  stump  at 
Fifth  Avenue  and  W^est  First  Street 
(now  the  courthouse  property)  and 
preached  to  mixed  crowds  of  In- 
dians, negroes  and  wdiites.***  On 
one  of  these  occasions  Dr.  McFer- 
rin converted  John  Ross,  wdio 
thereafter  spread  the  doctrines  of 
Methodism  among  his  tribes- 
men.**** It  is  considered  w^orthy 
of  note  in  this  connection  that 
Sam  P.  Jones,  the  Methodist  evan- 
gelist, went  to  preaching  40  years 
later  four  blocks  from  this  spot 
and  two  blocks  from  the  Fourth 
W^ard  home  of  Ross. 

St.  Peter's  Episcopal  church  was 
first  located  at  Fifth  Avenue  and 
E.  First  Street,  and  w^as  establish- 
ed Mar.  31,  1854,  by  Rev.  Thos. 
Fielding  Scott,  of  INIarietta,  and 
associates. 

The  First  Christian  church  was 
organized    Feb.    13,    1896. 

Sardis  Presbyterian  church  at 
Livingston  and  churches  in  Ridge 
Valley  and  Vann's  Valley  (such  as 
the  Baptist,  the  Methodist  and  the 
Episcopal  at  Cave   Spring)   and  at 

*Mrs.  Naomi  P.  Bale  states  that  Mr.  Jack's 
daughter,  Amanda  (the  first  white  child  born 
in  Rome),  said  it  was  the  Rome  Enterprise. 
.J.  O.  Winfrey  calls  it  the  Northwest  Georgian, 
and  says  Miles  Corbin  was  associated  with  Mr. 
Jack.  Mr.  .Jack's  father  was  a  soldier  in  the 
American    Revolution. 

**According  to  Acts,  1S37,  p.  48,  the  trustees 
of  the  corporation  on  Dec.  25,  1837,  were  Wes- 
ley Shropshire,  Elijah  Lumpkin,  Jobe  Rogers, 
Thos.   W.    Burton   and   Alford    B.    Reece. 

***Directory,  First  Methodist  Church,  His- 
torical sketch   by  Mrs.   Naomi    P.    Bale,   1918. 

****Authority  :  Belle  K.  Abbott  in  The  At- 
lanta   Constitution,    1S89. 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


93 


Armiichee,  Chulio,  Everett  Springs 
and  the  other  pioneer  districts  o-f 
the  county  are  also  very  old.  Some 
folks  say  Sardis  Presbyterian  is 
older  tlian  Pisgah  Baj)tist ;  others 
say  it  ain't. 

The  Episcopal  church  at  Cave 
Spring",  by  the  way,  was  built 
through  the  generosity  of  Francis 
S.  Bartow  and  his  parents,  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Theodosius  Bartow,  of  Sa- 
vannah, who  maintained  a  summer 
home  there  a  number  of  years  be- 
fore 1860.  The  land  for  this  church 
was  given  by  Maj.  Armistead  Rich- 
ardson. 

The  Baptist  church  of  Cave 
Spring  stands  on  the  Hearn  Acad- 
emy campus.  The  brick  it  contains, 
still  in  a  fine  state  of  preservation, 
were  made  of  Floyd  County  clay 
by  the  slaves  of  Alaj.  Armistead 
Richardson,  Alexander  Thornton 
Harper  and  Carter  W.  Sparks. 

The  Prospect  Baptist  church, 
near  Coosa,  was   foundefl  in   1856. 

Undoubtedly  the  oldest  religious 
agency  in  the  county  (now  only 
a  memory)  was  the  mission  at  Coo- 
sa (then  known  as  Missionary 
Station).  This  was  established 
in  1821  by  Rev.  Elijah  Butler  and 
his  wife,  Esther  Butler,  of  the 
North,  who  were  succeeded  in  the 
work  by  Rev.  Hugh  Ouin,  about 
1827. 

Such  business  e.staljlishmcnls  as 
might  be  expected  in  a  growing 
town  sprang  up  between  1834  and 
1861.  C<il.  Alfred  Shorter  began  to 
trade  in  cotton,  merchandise  and 
real  estate,  and  was  recognized  as 
Rome's  leading  financier  ancl  l)usi- 
ness  man.  Col.  Cunningham  M. 
Pennington,  a  civil  engineer,  ap- 
peared on  tlic  scene  as  Col.  v^hor- 
ter's  agent,  and  also  gave  consid- 
erable attention  to  railroad  enter- 
prises. Chas.  M.  Harper,  a  ne])hew, 
likewise  was  early  associated  with 
Col.  Shorter. 

A  postoffice  was  set  u])  at  a  con- 
venient s])ot  in  the  center  of  t<nvn 


and  all  the  folks  came  for  their 
mail.  Tlie  streets  were  bad  for 
many  years,  and  pigs  and  cattle 
roamed  over  them  at  will,  and 
many  a  Roman  of  the  period  kept 
a  pig-sty  in  his  yard.  The  thor- 
(  ughfares  were  lighted  at  night 
with  oil  lamps  and  the  homes 
v/ith  lamps  or  candles,  and  early  re- 
tiring was  the  rule,  and  early  ris- 
ing, too. 

Stage  coach  lines  were  estab- 
lished, with  thrice  a  week  service, 
leading  to  Cassville  through  North 
Rome,  to  New  Echota  via  Oosta- 
naula  River  road,  to  Jacksonville, 
Ala.,  and  Cave  Spring  via  the  Cave 
Spring  road,  to  the  towns  of  Chat- 
tooga County  via  the  Summerville 
road,  and  to  Livingston  and  points 
beyond  through  the  r)lack's  B>luit' 
road. 

Practically  all  these  roads  of  the 
present  were  originally  Indian 
trails,  notably  the  Alabama  road, 
which  was  the  old  Creek  path  from 


MRS.  J.  M.  M.  CALDWELL,  of  the  old  Rome 
Female  CoIIokc,  who  taught  Mrs.  Woodrow 
Wilson  and  many  others. 


94 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Alabama  through  northwest  Geor- 
gia. These  stages  were  joggling, 
rickety  affairs,  pulled  by  four 
horses.  As  we  view  it  now,  it  was 
worth  a  man's  life  to  undertake 
a  long  journey,  but  somehow  they 
always  reached  their  destination 
and  the  trouble  of  getting  there 
was  forgotten  in  a  delightfully 
long  sta}'.  Mail  was  carried  in 
pouches  and  the  stage  driver  was 
res])onsil)le  for  its  safe  delivery. 
To  facilitate  this  object,  the  driver 
usually  went  armed,  and  was  sel- 
dom molested.  Among  the  early 
drivers  and  proprietors  might  be 
mentioned  John  H.  Wisdom,  who 
in  1863  warned  Romans  of  the 
approach  of  Col.  Streight's  raid- 
ers, and  Esom  Graves  Logan,  J. 
R.  I'owell,  Jos.  H.  Sergeant  and 
other  old   timers. 

Connections  were  made  by  stage 
with  more  remote  points,  such  as 
Athens,  Covington,  Milledgeville, 
Macon  and  Augusta.  Atlanta  did 
not  appear  until  Dec.  23,  1843,  when 
it  was  incorporated  as  Terminus.* 
Her  name  was  changed  to  Marthas- 
ville,  and  then  by  an  act  approved 
Dec.  29,  1847,  it  became  Atlanta.** 
Nine  years  before  a  village  sprang 
u])  on  the  site  of  Atlanta,  Romans 
had  had  a  vision  of  a  "terminus" 
on  their  own  jmrticular  spot.  Rome 
was  the  frontier  outpost  of  Chero- 
kee Georgia,  as  far  as  the  rest  of 
the  state  was  concerned.  It  was 
the  connecting  link  between  "Old 
Georgia"  and  "Old  Tennessee,"  the 
clearing  house  for  the  cotton,  corn, 
wheat  and  produce  of  the  rich  Coo- 
sa Valley  and  the  northeastern 
Alabama  towns. 

Rome's  strategic  position  was 
])erhaps  l)cst  realized  jjy  William 
Smith,  who  in  1836  was  elected  to 
the  State  Senate  with  the  idea  that 
he  might  have  a  bill  ]xissed  at  Mil- 
ledgeville which  would  cause  the 
proposed  State  Railroad  io  stop  at 
Rome  instead  of  at  some  ])oint  in 
Tennessee,     which      later     became 


Chattanooga.  The  people  were  not 
ready  for  such  a  radical  step,  how- 
ever. The  Steamboat  Coosa  had 
ccMne  all  the  way  up  from  Greens- 
port,  Ala.,  had  given  the  natives  a 
good  fright,  and  this  was  enough 
of  transportation  improvements  for 
a  long  time.  When  Col.  Smith  of- 
fered for  re-election,  he  was  de- 
feated by  James  Wells.  Col.  Smith 
bided  his  time,  unloosed  a  new  sup- 
ply of  political  thunder  and  defeat- 
ed Mr.  Wells  in  1838.  Success  still 
did  not  come,  and  in  1839  he  was 
defeated  by  Jos.  Watters,  who 
served  two  years  and  then  was 
defeated  by  Col.  Smith  in  1841.  For 
tliree  years,  through  1843,  Col. 
Smith  pushed  this  project  and  oth- 
ers. He  was  given  strong  assur- 
ance that  Rome  would  be  made 
the  terminus  of  the  road,  which 
would  certainly  have  caused  the 
place  to  boom  like  a  mining  town 
of  the  far  West.  vSuch  a  strong 
fight  was  made  by  Col.  Smith  dur- 
ing these  years  that  an  association 
of  citizens  at  Chattanooga  invited 
him  to  come  there  to  live  in  a  hand- 
some home  that  would  cost  him 
nothing.  He  was  too  strongly  com- 
mitted to  the  place  of  his  adoption, 
and  continued  the  fight  for  Rome. 

When  success  seemed  certain. 
Col.  Smith  and  another  founder  of 
the  town,  Maj.  Philip  W.  Hemp- 
hill, built  a  steamboat  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  tremendous  trade  that 
would  be  created.  The  hull  of  the 
boat  was  made  by  William  Adkms, 
father  of  Wm.  H.  Adkins,  of  At- 
lanta, formerly  of  Rome.  It  was 
eased  into  the  Oostanaula  with  ap- 
propriate ceremonies  and  her  flag 
raised,  bearing  the  name  of  ^er 
projector,  William  Smith.  The  iv.a- 
chinery  was  not  installed  for  a 
time,  possil)ly  due  to  a  delay  in 
delivery,  or  the  desire  of  the  ovvn- 

*Acts,    1843,   p.    S3. 

**Acts,  1847,  p.  .50.  It  was  by  this  act  that 
Rome  advanced  from  the  status  of  town  to  that 
of  city,  and  the  city  limits  were  extended  to 
include  all  territory  in  a  radius  of  half  a  mile 
from    the    courthouse. 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


95 


ers  to  see  the  l)ill  pass  before  they 
should    increase   their    investment. 

Something-  went  wrong  at  Mil- 
ledgeville.  The  Whiteside  interests 
at  Chattanooga,  augmented  by  a 
faction  in  Georgia  who  thought 
better  of  the  Chattanooga  termi- 
nus, proved  too  strong  for  the 
Cherokee  Georgia  contingent.  Tb.e 
bill  as  passed  included  Chattatioo-- 
ga.  Rome  was  to  be  isolated  to 
some  extent ;  the  road  was  to  pass 
16  miles  away,  through  Cass  Coun- 
ty, from  Marthasville  northwest- 
ward. 

Col.  Smith  smiled  his  acquies- 
cense,  but  there  was  no  estimating 
his  disappointment.  One  night  the 
William  Smith  sank,  at  the  point 
wiiere  tlie  Central  of  Georgia  tres- 
tle crosses  the  Oostanaula.  Prat- 
tling tongues  said  Col.  Smith  bored 
holes  in  her  bottom.  He  would 
never  talk  about  it  much,  l)e- 
}  ond  saying  that  the  action  of  the 
Legislature  had  greatly  crippled 
Rome.  He  did  not  try  to  raise  the 
boat,  and  up  to  25  years  ago  her 
muddy  hull  could  still  l)e  seen  at 
"low   tide." 

In  these  days  of  slave  labor,  lim- 
ited transportation  facilities,  heavy 
crops  and  lack  of  industrialism, 
the  thoughts  of  the  upper  classes 
naturally  turned  to  politics.  The 
newspapers  printed  four  pages  of 
six  columns  each  once  or  twice  a 
week.  The  advertisements  were 
usually  small  and  the  other  space 
must  be  filled  up.  When  people 
married,  they  remained  married, 
and  a  divorce  was  a  rarity  and  con- 
sidered a  disgrace.  There  were  a 
good  many  fights  witli  knives  in 
grog  shops,  and  an  occasional  duel, 
but  news-gathering  facilities  had 
not  ])een  developed,  and  the  papers 
were  consequently  filled  with 
"views."  Every  editor  was  a  savior 
of  the  countr}',  and  spread-eagle 
literary  efiforts  readily  found  their 
way  into  the  newspapers  from  ])()li- 
ticians  or  statesmen.  Presidential 
and   Gul)ernatorial    messages    were 


DR.  ELIJAH  L.  CONNALLY,  Atlantan,  Floyd 
County  native,  who  as  a  baby  was  nursed 
by    Indian    Chiefs    Tahchansee    and    Turkey. 


printed  in  full  and  were  considered 
choice  morsels  for  the  head  of  the 
house.  Greer's  Almanac  furnished 
weather  predictions  for  everybody. 
Politics  often  consumed  a  page 
or  two,  and  communications  on 
topics  that  toda}-  are  of  nnich  less 
consequence  often  ran  into  two  or 
three  columns.  As  for  the  women, 
tliey  religiotisly  read  "("lodey's  La- 
dies' IU)ok,"  an  eastern  ])ul)lica- 
tion  which  met  needs  like  tlie  La- 
dies' Home  Journal  of  today. 

It  is  not  necessarily  a  reflection 
on  Rome  that  in  the  lirst  26  years 
of  her  existence,  Irmn  1834  to  1860, 
she  elected  more  men  to  Congress 
than  has  the  Rome  ot  the  S7  years 
from  1865  to  1922.  .V  new  country 
always  develops  rugged  leadership 
and  the  fearless  expression  of  opin- 
ion that  goes  with  a  daily  light 
for  existence,  in  this  i-arly  ])eriod 
l^ome  sent  fonr  men  ti>  Congress. 
They  were,  in  order,  judge  John 
It.  Lum]:)kin,  who  had  ]>reviously 
served  his  nncle,  (lox'ernur  Wilson 


96 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Lumpkin,  as  secretary,  and  had 
gone  to  the  legislature  in  1835; 
Thos.  C.  llackett.  judge  Lump- 
kin's law  partner,  ^vho  succeeded 
him;  Judge  Augustus  R.  Wright, 
who  had  removed  to  Rome  in  1855  ; 
and  Judge  ju".  W.  M.  Underwood 
who  was  a  member  of  the  Georgia 
delegation  which  walked  out  of 
Congress  early  in  1861  without 
taking  the  pains  to  resign.  Only 
two  men  living  in  Rome  at  the  time 
of  their  election  have  since  been 
sent  to  Congress — Judson  C.  Clem- 
ents and  Judge  Jno.  W.  Maddox. 
Judge  Lumpkin  came  near  put- 
ting Rome  on  the  map  as  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Governor  of  Georgia  ; 
that  is,  assuming  he  could  have 
h.een  elected  over  the  eloquent  and 
])olished  Benjamin  H.  Hill.  Also,  it 
is  likely  he  would  have  been  the 
War  (governor.  On  June  24,  1857, 
the  Democrats  met  at  INlilledge- 
ville  to  nominate  a  candidate  to 
oppose  the  new  American  or  Know- 
Nothing  part}-.  Lumpkin  led  the 
balloting  for  some  time,  but  he 
could  not  get  the  necessary  two- 
thirds,  and  in  a  stampede,  the  nom- 
ination went  to  Jos.  E.  Brown. 
Alfred  IT.  Col(|uitt,  later  Governor, 
also  missed  it  narrowdy.  In  the 
election  held  later,  Brown  defeated 
Hill,  the  American  party  nominee, 
by  about  10,000  popular  votes. 

This  convention  attracted  the 
leading  men  of  the  state,  and 
Rome's  re])resentatives  were  Judge 
Augustus  R.  Wright,  who  on  one 
ballot  received  five  votes ;  Judge 
Jno.  W.  H.  I'nderwddd  and  Daniel 
S.  Printup.  At  all  such  gatherings 
Rome  was  prominently  ]nit  for- 
w^ard.  Her  leading  men  went  to  the 
national  conventions  on  an  equal 
footing  with  tlie  large  cities  of  the 
state;  and  on  numerous  occasions 
Governors,  Senators  and  Congress- 
men came  to  Rome  to  seek  the  ad- 
vice of  these  noble  Romans.  Among 
the  Governors  were  Chas.  J.  Mc- 
Donald, Llerschel  V.  Johnson  and 
Jos.  E.  Brown.   When  judge  Lump- 


kin died  in  the  summer  of  1860  at 
the  Choice  House,  he  was  in  com- 
pany with  a  group  of  statesmen. 

Quite  often  the  Romans  suited 
the  convenience  of  their  political 
friends  ;  quite  often  also  they  wrote 
a  note  saying,  "Come  up  and  let 
us  talk  it  over."  The  Choice  House 
veranda  was  a  capital  place  for 
these  gatherings,  but  occasionally  a 
dignitary  accepted  an  invitation  to 
a  private  fireside  and  was  treated 
t(^  social  courtesies  which  had 
nothing  to  do  with  ])olitics. 

A  contemporary  writer  said  of 
Rome's  "quartette"  and  Dr.  H.  V. 
M.  Miller,  United  States  Senator 
elected  in  1868  while  residing  in 
Atlanta  : 

John  H.  Lumpkin  was  the  candidate 
of  North  Georgia,  which  section  vig- 
orouf.ly  claimed  the  right  to  have  the 
Governor.  Lumpkin  had  been  a  con- 
gresFman  and  a  judge  of  the  Superior 
Court  and  was  a  gentleman  of  excel- 
lent  ability. 

Dr.  Miller,  though  a  physician, 
won  the  soubriquet  of  "The  IDemosthe- 
nes  of  the  Mountains"  in  his  innumera- 
ble political  encounters,  for  which  he 
had  the  same  passion  that  the  Irish- 
man is  popularly  believed  to  have  for 
a  "free  fight."  Deeply  versed  in  con- 
stitutional law  and  political  lore,  a 
reasoner  of  rare  power  and  as  fine  an 
orator  as  we  have  ever  had  in  Geor- 
gia, capable  of  burning  declamation 
and  closely-knit  argument,  he  was  the 
peer  on  the  stump  of  any  of  the  great 
political  speakers  of  the  last  half- 
century  in  Georgia. 

Unfortunately  for  him,  he  had  two 
perilous  peculiarities — a  biting  sar- 
casm that  delighted  in  exhibition  of 
its  crushing  power,  and  that  spared 
neither  friend  nor  foe,  and  a  contempt- 
uous and  incurable  disregard  of  party 
affiliations.  He  never  in  his  life 
worked  in  harmony  with  any  party 
or  swallowed  whole  any  single  party 
platform.  And  no  man  ever  had  more 
stubborn  independence  and  self-asser- 
tion.* 

Judge  Wright,  of  Eome,  was  one  of 
the  brightest  thinkers  and  most  spark- 
ling orators  we  had,  but  an  embodied 
independent."* 

Judge  Underwood  was  a  racy  talker, 

♦History    of     Georgia,     1850-1881,     by     I.     W. 
Avery,   p.  40. 
**Ibid,    p.    33. 


l^!>'^MSk^^ 


LITTLF,  TEXAS^VALLEY— by  Lillian  Page  C.ulrer 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


99 


a  fluent,  eff^ective  speaker  and  a  ^ood 
lawyer,  with  a  portly,  fine  presence 
and  manner;  he  would  have  made  a 
far  more  commanding  figure  in  Geor- 
gia politics,  even,  than  he  has  with 
the  possession  of  a  greater  quota  of 
stability.* 

An  evidence  of  the  manner  in 
which  Romans  kept  pace  with  the 
poHtical  trend  is  furnished  in  the 
following  letter,  dated  at  Rome, 
Jan.  18,  1854,  from  Judge  Lump- 
kin to  Howell  Cobb  :** 

Dear  Cobb: — I  was  with  McDon- 
ald*** a  good  deal  while  he  was 
here,  and  he  was  in  fine  health  and 
most  excellent  spirits.  In  fact,  I  have 
never  seen  him  when  he  was  on  bet- 
ter terms  with  himself  and  the  most 
of  the  world.  He  has  not  much  fancy 
for  our  friend.  Col.  Underwood,  and 
I  think  he  has  not  a  great  deal  of  re- 
spect for  Dr.  Singleton.  I  had  no  con- 
versation with  him  in  regard  to  the 
position  of  United  States  Senator,  nor 
did  he  give  me  any  intimation  that  he 
expected  to  go  into  Mr.  Pierce's  cabinet. 
But  William  Fort,  of  this  place,  a 
nephew  of  Dr.  Fort,  and  who  is  the 
intimate  friend  and  supporter  of  Gov. 
McDonald,  informs  me  that  Jefferson 
Davis  is  in  correspondence  with  Mc- 
Donald, and  that  McDonald  informed 
him  confidentially  that  he  would  go  to 
Milledgeville  immediately  this  week, 
and  if  he  could  conti-ol  some  three  or 
four  of  his  friends  and  induce  them 
to  go  into  your  support  for  United 
States  Senator,  that  he  would  then 
tender  back  to  the  party  the  nomina- 
tion and  go  in  publicly  for  your  elec- 
tion; and  if  this  was  successful,  he 
had  no  doubt  of  your  election  to  the 
United  States  Senate,****  and  that 
he  would  be  appointed  Secretary  of 
War  in  the  place  of  Jefferson  Davis, 
would  would  also  go  into  the  Senate 
from  the  State  of  Mississippi.  He 
further  informed  me  that  Brown  was 
an  applicant  for  the  Senate  from  Mis- 
sissippi, and  that  this  difficulty  would 
have  to  be  accommodated  by  provid- 
ing for  Brown  in  some  other  way.  I 
feel  confident  that  this  arrangement 
will  be  carried  out,  and  if  so,  the  i)arty 

*Avery's    History    of    Gcortria,    p.    ^2. 

**Georgia  Historical  Quarterly,  .June,  1922, 
ps.    148-9. 

***Chas.  J.  McDonald,  Governor  from  ls:V.) 
to    1843. 

****The  election  was  held  .Jan.  23,  18.54. 
Wm.  C.  Dawson,  Whig  incumbent,  McDonald 
and  Cobb  were  lieaten  by  a  Southern  Ritjhts 
Democrat,     Alfred     Iverson.     of    Columbus. 

*****GeorKia's  Landmarks,  Memorials  and 
Legends,    Vol.    IL    i>.    1.5. 


in    Georgia    will    be    once    more    thor- 
oughly   united    and    cemented. 

Locally,  politics  was  active,  but 
it  was  not  confined  to  local  offices 
or  questions.  The  newspaper  ed- 
itors saw  to  it  that  their  readers 
were  well  posted  on  national  mat- 
ters and  characters.  To  inspire 
Georgians  and  Romans  there  stood 
the  examples  of  Wm.  H.  Craw- 
ford, United  States  Senator  and 
minister  to  France,  who  might 
have  occupied  the  Presidential 
chair  except  for  an  unfortunate 
stroke  of  paralysis  ;*****  Howell 
Cobb,  Georgia  Governor,  speaker 
of  the  National  House,  and  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury;  John  For- 
syth, Governor  of  Georgia,  United 
States  Senator  and  Secretary  of 
State  ;  Wm.  H.  Stiles,  minister  to 
Austria  ;  Benj.  C.  Yancey,  minister 
to  Argentine  ;  John  E.  VVard,  min- 
ister to  China  ;  Herschel  V.  John- 
son, United  States  Senator'  and 
candidate  for  vice-president  on  the 
ticket  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
against  AI)raham  Lincoln  in  1860; 
and  a  number  of  others  Avho  bore 
Georgia's  banner  in  the  front  of 
the  procession.  Georgia  did  not 
|)lay  "second  fiddle"  to  any  state  or 
the  village  of  Rome  to  any  city. 

Few  of  Rome's  early  records 
\vere  kept,  and  apparentl}'  no  news- 
paper files  before  1850  are  in  ex- 
istence. Several  copies  of  the  Rome 
Weekly  Courier  of  1850-51-52  were 
made  available  through  the  cour- 
tesy of  IT.  11.  \\'imi)ee,  of  South 
Rome,  and  from  these  we  get  the 
best  view  of  the  political  condi- 
tions up  to  that  time,  and  looking 
ahead  into  the  dark  days  of  1861-5. 

P.y  1850  wc  lind  the  old  Whig 
party  beginning  to  disintegrate, 
but  its  adherents  lighting  grimly. 
Tn  that  year  its  last  President.  Mil- 
lard Fillmore,  was  inaugurated. 
Democrats  were  holding  their  own  ; 
after  iMllniore  they  elected  I'rank- 
Im  I'ierce  and  James  lUichaiian. 
The  Republican  party  was  rising  in 
])o\\er.        The       American       1\irty 


100 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


JOSEPH  WATTERS,  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature  in  the  forties,  for  whom  the 
Watters    District  was   named. 


sprang  up  at  the  expense  of  the 
Whigs  ;  they  were  the  "middle  of 
the  road"  host,  or  "Know  Noth- 
ings." The  States  Rights  Demo- 
crats, often  called  "Fire-Eaters," 
were  a  wing  of  the  Democratic 
jjarty,  in  the  main.  The  Constitu- 
tional Unionists  were  formidable, 
North  and  South.  Smaller  factions 
likewise  existed. 

An  idea  of  the  intense  heat  issu- 
ing from  the  political  pot  may  be 
gained  from  the  statement  that 
meetings  at  this  time  were  at- 
tended ^^y  10,000  to  20,000  people. 
The  slavery  and  states'  rights  is- 
sues were  fast  coming  to  a  head. 
Elections  held  in  Georgia  showed 
a  large  majority  of  people  favora- 
ble to  maintaining  the  Union.  On 
Oct.  24,  1850,  Jos.  Watters  and 
Edward  W^are  received  882  and  809 
votes,  respectively,  and  Dr.  Alvin 
Dean  121  votes,  in  a  Floyd  County 
election  for  two  delegates  to  the 
state  convention  Dec.  10,  1850,  at 
Milledgeville.  Dr.  Dean  represent- 
ed the  disunionist  element,  or 
"fire-eaters."  The  vote  of  the  del- 
egates on  secession  measures  w^as 
heavily  in  favor  of  preserving  the 
status  quo.  The  eyes  of  the  nation 
were  focused  on  Georgia,  and  a 
difi^erent  result,  it  is  believed, 
would  have  hastened  the  Civil  War 
by   a   decade. 

The  following  political  letters 
were  published  in  A.  M.  Eddie- 
man's  Rome  Weekly  Courier  on 
Thursday  morning,  Oct.  24,  1850: 

Hermitage, 
Floyd    County,    Ga. 
Oct.   15,  1850. 
To   Messrs.    H.    V.    M.    Miller,  Jno.   H. 

Lumpkin    and    W.    T.    Price,    Union 

Party  Committee: 

Gentlemen:  Your  letter  of  the  10th 
inst.,  notifying  me  that  at  a  very 
large  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Floyd 
County,  held  in  Rome  on  the  10th,  I 
was  unanimously  nominated  as  one  of 
the  candidates  to  represent  the  coun- 
ty in  the  convention  which  is  to  as- 
semble in  Milledgeville,  Dec.  10,  has 
been  received.  You  enclose  a  copy  of 
the    resolutions    adopted   by   the    meet- 


3 
O 


P 

O 
Ui 

I 

O 
H 

< 

H 
iz; 
P 
O 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


103 


ing,  expressing  its  opinion  on  the  pend- 
ing issues,  and  calling  my  attention  to 
them. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  reso- 
lutions and  do  approve  of  them  as 
adopted  by  the  meeting.  As  such,  I 
accept  the  nomination  received,  and 
should  I  be  elected  by  the  voters  of 
the  county,  I  will  oppose  any  measure 
leading  to   a  dissolution  of  the  Union. 

Should  Congress  at  any  time  exhibit 
its  purpose  to  war  upon  our  property 
or  withhold  our  just  constitutional 
rights,  I  as  a  Southern  man  stand 
ready  to  vindicate  those  rights  in  the 
Union  as  long  as  possible  and  out  of 
the  Union  when  we  are  left  no  other 
alternative. 

Respectfully  yours, 

JOSEPH    WATTERS. 

^Courtesy,    Floyd    Co.,    Ga., 
Oct.    16,   1850. 
To    Messrs.   H.   V.    M.   Miller,  Jno.   H. 
Lumpkin    and    W.    T.    Price,    Union 
Party    Committee : 

Gentlemen :  I  received  your  polite 
note  of  the  10th  inst.  yesterday  eve- 
ning, informing  me  of  my  unanimous 
nomination  by  a  large  and  respectable 
meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Floyd  Coun- 
ty as  one  of  the  two  candidates  to 
represent  them  at  Milledgeville  Dec. 
10.  I  consent  to  represent  them  if  I 
should  be  elected. 

I  am  requested  by  your  honorable 
committee  to  give  a  pledge  to  support 
the  resolutions  submitted  to  me  for  my 
consideration.  I  pledge  myself  to  suu- 
port  no  measure  leading  to  a  violation 
of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  or  dissolution  of  the  Union. 

Gentlemen,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 
your  most  obedient  servant, 

EDWARD    WARE. 

Editor  Kddleman  was  a  staunch 
Union  man  himself,  and  his  views 
were  shared  by  many,  as  the  fol- 
lowing-  editorial  item  from  the 
same  issue  of  his  paper  will  show  : 

Kivgston  Maf<s  Mcetivrj. — Let  no  one 
forget  the  gathering  of  the  friends  of 
the  Union  at  Kingston  on  Nov.  S.  Am- 
ple accommodation  will  be  provided  for 
20,000  persons,  and  we  hope  to  see  at 
least  that  number  in  attendance.  The 
noblest  fabric  of  government  ever 
purchased  by  the  blood  of  patriotism 
or  formed  by  the  wisdom  of  man  is 
threatened  with  destruction.  Is  there 
public   virtue  enough   in   the   hearts   of 

♦Supposed  to  have  been  located  at  Six  Mile 
Station,    Vann's   Valley. 


the  people  to  save  it?  If  the  assault 
were  made  by  a  foreign  foe,  100,000 
bayonets  in  Georgia  would  bristle  in 
its  defense.  Shall  the  enthusiasm  be 
less  warm,  the  determination  less  firm, 
to  hazard  all  in  its  protection,  because 
the  enemy  is   in  our   midst? 

Come  out,  then,  to  the  meeting  at 
Kingston,  and  let  us  mingle  our  voices 
in  loud  and  long  huzzas  for  the  glo- 
rious old  government  of  our  ancestors, 
endeared  to  us  as  it  is  by  the  remi- 
niscences of  the  past,  the  incalculable 
blessings  of  the  present  and  the  bright 
anticipations  of  the  future — spreading 
before  the  imagination  a  career  of 
prosperity,  of  greatness  and  grandeur, 
to  which  all  history  affords  no  parallel. 
Let  us  meet  and  firmly  resolve  at  any 
cost  to  maintain  it  pure  and  inviolate, 
as  we  received  it.  Come,  people  of 
Cherokee  Georgia,  and  partake  of  the 
hospitality  of  your  fellow  citizens  of 
Cass  and  Floyd.  Come  and  listen  to 
the  eloquence  of  Stephens,  and  Cobb, 
and  Toombs,  and  Andrews,  and  Petti- 
grew,  and  a  host  of  others  who  are  to 
be  there  to  address  you.  Come  and 
enjoy  a  "feast  of  reason  and  a  flow  of 
soul."  Let  the  wisdom  of  age  be  there 
to  moderate  and  control  the  fire  and 
impetuosity  of  youth.  Let  the  pres- 
ence and  the  smile  of  woman,  as  in 
every  contest  of  patriotism  the  world 
over,  be  ready  to  cheer  and  encourage 
the  hardier  sex  in  the  performance  of 
its  duty. 

Let  no  one  stay  away  because  of 
the  supposed  weakness  of  our  adver- 
saries. They  are  more  numerous  than 
many  suppose.  They  have  talents, 
courage,  cunning  and  money,  and 
evince  a  determination  to  spend  them 
freely  in  the  desperate  cause  in  which 
they  have  embarked.  Come  and  show 
by  your  spirit  and  numbers  your  res- 
olution to  permit  no  sacrilegious  hand 
to  render  asunder  the  Glorious  Flag 
of  your  Country.  It  has  formed  the 
winding  sheet  of  many  of  your  patriot 
ancestors.  It  has  been  to  Americans 
in  every  land  and  on  every  sea,  as  far 
as  human  foot  has  trod,  the  Aegis  of 
Safety.  Proudly  has  it  waved  over  a 
thousand  bloody  but  victorious  battle- 
fields, and  it  is  for  you  to  say  whether 
it  shall  be  transmitted  unsullied  to 
your  posterity.  Let  there  be  for  cen- 
turies no  stain  upon  it,  no  erasure; 
but  on  its  bright  field  let  every  STAR 
and  every  STRIPE  forever  shine  re- 
splendently  in   glorious  equality! 

'I'hns  were  the  war  clouds  as- 
suming;- shape.  The  next  ten  years 
was  to  l)e  a  period  of  preparation 


104 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ill  tliuught  and  to  a  considerable 
extent  at  its  close  i)reparation  in 
arms  and  munitions  of  war.  Some 
years  before  this,  statesmen  and 
military  leaders  saw  the  prospect 
clearly!  In  1844  Lieut.  Wm.  T. 
Sherman,  just  out  of  West  Point, 
was  ordered  to  go  by  horseback 
from  Charleston  to  Marietta  to 
assist  in  hearing  claims  of  Georgia 
volunteers  in  the  Seminole  War  for 
lost  horses  and  equipment.  After 
finishing  at  Marietta,  he  passed 
through  Cass  (now  Bartow^) 
Cdunty.  and  examined  the  Tumlin 
Indian  mound  near  Cartersville 
with  Col.  Lewds  Tumlin ;  then  pro- 
ceeded to  Bellefonte,  Jackson  Co., 
Ala.,  to  continue  his  duties.  He 
made  a  thorough  study  of  the 
country  from  the  military  stand- 
point, especially  Kennesaw  Moun- 
tain, Allatoona  Pass  and  the  Eto- 
wah riv^er.*  After  spending  two 
months  at  Bellefonte,  he  returned 
to  Ft.  Moultrie,  Charleston  Har- 
bor, on  horseback  via  Rome,  Alla- 


COL.  ALFRED  SHORTER,  whom  William 
Smith  induced  to  come  to  Rome  from  Ala- 
bama,  and    who   gave   Dixie  Shorter    College. 


toona.  Marietta  (and  Kennesaw), 
Atlanta,  Macon  and  Augusta,  fol- 
lowing closely  parts  of  the  route 
he  took  20  years  later  on  his 
"March  to  the'  Sea."** 

x\nother  distinguished  gtiest  of 
Rome  who  came  on  a  different 
mission  was  Jefferson  Davis;*** 
and  still  another,  on  Tuesday,  Oct. 
29,  1850,  was  Col.  Albert  J.  Pick- 
ett, of  Alabama,  concerning  whose 
mission  the  Rome  W'eeklv  Cotirier 
of  Thursday,  Oct.  31.  1850,  printed 
the  following  notice  : 

Col.  Pickett  On  DeSoto's  Route. — 
Col.  Albert  J.  Pickett,  of  Montgomery, 
Ala.,  author  of  the  History  of  Ala- 
bama and  incidentally  of  Georgia  and 
Mississippi,  entertained  a  large  num- 
ber of  our  citizens  for  two  hours  Tues- 
day evening  at  the  courthouse,  giving 
an  interesting  account  of  the  invasion 
of  Georgia  by  DeSoto,  more  than  three 
ctnturies  ago.  Col.  Pickett  is  in  pos- 
session of  a  more  minute  account  of 
this  remarkable  adventure  than  any 
man  we  have  ever  seen.  Upon  the  site 
of  our  city,  he  asserted,  DeSoto  en- 
camped with  1,000  men  for  30  days, 
during  which  time  a  battle  was  fought 
between  the  Spaniards  under  his  com- 
mand and  the  Indian  tribes  then  in- 
habiting this  country.  Evidences  of 
this  battle  still  exist  in  the  shape  of 
human  hones  dug  out  of  a  mound  near 
the  junction  of  the  Etowah  and  the 
Oostanaula. 

From  1840  to  1861  Rome  grew 
fast.  Tn  this  period  Wm.  R.  Smith 
(called  "Long  l»iH"  because  he 
wore  his  hair  in  a  queue  down  his 
back).  Col.  W^ade  S.  Cothran  and 
Col.  Daniel  S.  Printup  appeared. 
All  engaged  in  railroad  enterprises, 
and  in  addition.  Col.  Printup  at- 
tended to  a  large  law  business,  and 
Col.  Cothran  acc^uired  an  interest 
in  the  steamboat  lines,  for  wdiich 
Capt.  F.  M.  Coulter  had  built  a 
number  of  handsome  and  service- 
able boats. 

*Sherman's    Memoirs,     1875,    Vol.    11. 

**U.  S.  Senate  Documents,  Vol.  40,  "Sher- 
man— a    Memorial   Sketch." 

***AccordinK  to  Mrs.  Hiram  D.  Hill,  Mr. 
Davis  visited  her  parents,  Col.  and  Mrs.  Danl.  R. 
Mitchell.  Mrs.  Mitchell  was  a  member  of  the 
Mann  family,  to  whose  members  Mr.  Davis  was 
also  related.  Mr.  Davis  and  Mrs.  Mitchell  were 
second    cousins,    according    to    Mrs.    Hill. 


/L 


y 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


107 


The  Rome  Railroad  (originally 
the  Memphis  Branch  Railroad  and 
Steamboat  Company  of  Georgia) 
was  chartered  Dec.  21,  1839,  and 
the  whole  town  turned  out  several 
years  later  when  the  first  train 
pufifed  in  from  Kingston,  16  miles 
and  a  good  hour  away.*  In  1855  the 
Nobles  came  from  Reading,  Pa.,  to 
give  Rome  a  decided  boost  in  iron 
manufactures.  The  LeHardys  ar- 
rived from  Belgium  to  found  their 
Belgian  colony,  an  experiment 
which  added  much  to  the  agricul- 
tural interest  and  the  social,  edu- 
cational and  cultural  importance 
of  Rome.  Major  Chas.  H.  Smith 
("Bill  Arp")  moved  over  from 
Lawrenceville  in  1851,  and  thus 
Rome  accjuired  a  literary  expound- 
er who  could  proclaim  her  glories 
abroad,  a  sweet-voiced  singer  who 
could  put  her  wonders  into  type 
and  an  artist  who  could  paint  her 
rude  characters  in  the  colors  of 
their  native  abode. 

Rome  soon  acquired  a  case  of 
"growing  pains."  The  editors  began 
to  call  for  better  things  than  what 
Rome  had  had.  The  flickering 
street  lamps  and  the  house  lamps 
and  candles  were  an  al)omination. 
An  enterprising  firm  advertised 
"camphine"  as  better  than  any  light 
except  the  sun  ;  ten  years  later,  in 
1860,  a  local  firm  started  selling 
machines  to  make  gas  out  of  pine 
logs. 

In  1850  a  volunteer  fire  company 
was  formed,  with  a  reel  that  would 
carry  buckets  of  water.  Robt.  Bat- 
tey  was  president  and  David  G. 
Love  secretary.  "Water,  water" 
was  everywhere,  but  there  were  no 
pipes  to  carry  it  in.  and  there  was 
no  ])um])  to  send  it  into  a  gravity 
tank.  Luckily,  the  early  fires  were 
usually  small,  exccjit  one  in  1858, 
which  took  most  of  the  block  on 
the  west  side  of  Broad  Street  be- 
tween Fourth   and    Fiftli   Avenues. 


The  volunteers  called  for  extra  ap- 
paratus, but  none  was  forthcoming 
for  a  while.  Rome  was  not  to  be 
built  in  a  day. 

Soda  water  and  ice  cream  ap- 
peared in  1850,  and  created  a  sen- 
sation. There  was  no  great  de- 
mand for  them  ;  the  people  needed 
such  money  as  they  had  for  more 
urgent  necessities  ;  most  of  all,  per- 
haps, they  were  new  and  untried. 
In  1860  the  druggists  attempted  to 
make  soda  water  go  again,  and 
gave  away  quantities  to  introduce 
it.  The  name  of  it  at  that  time 
was  soda  pop.  The  two  drug  stores 
were  conducted  by  Dr.  J.  D.  Dick- 
erson  and  Battey  &  Brother.  The 
senior  member  of  the  latter  was 
Dr.  Geo.  M.  Battey,  and  the  junior 
member  Robt.  Battey.  Dr.  Dick- 
crson  not  only  ran  his  drug  store, 
but  found  time  to  act  as  the  first 
mayor,  which  position  he  filled  two 
terms,  until  December,  1850,  when 
he  retired  in  favor  of  Jas.  P.  Per- 
kins. Mr.  Perkins  was  followed  by 
Nathan  Yarbrough  in  1852.  Other 
early  mayors,  of  uncertain  date, 
were  Wm.  Cook  Gautier  Johnstone 
and  Jas.  M.  Sumter.  In  1857  Judge 


*JudKe  John  W.  H.  Underwood  used  to  say 
it  was  the  only  railroad  in  the  country  that  a 
man   could  ride  all  day  for  a   dollar. 


MRS.  ALFRED  SH0RTP:R,  lonsr  prominent  in 
the  work  of  the  1st  Baptist  Church,  and  an 
able    assistant    to    her    remarkable    husband. 


108 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Robt.  D.  Harvev  was  mavor.  and 
in  1859-60  H.  A.  Gartrell,'  lawyer 
and  uncle  of  Henry  W.  Grady.*  Old 
newspapers  state  that  Dr.  Thos. 
Jefferson  Word  was  elected  mayor 
in  1861  and  succeeded  liimself  in 
1862. 

The  proprietor  of  The  Courier, 
an  occasional  traveler,  informed  his 
readers  as  follows,  Jan.  30,   1851  : 

Mail  Change. — We  are  informed  by 
Thos.  J.  Perry,  Esq.,  postmaster  at 
this  city,  that  he  has  received  a  com- 
munication from  the  Department  at 
Washington  giving  assurance  of  a 
speedy  and  salutary  change  in  the 
transportation  of  the  mail  and  pas- 
sengers between  this  place  and  Gun- 
tersville,  Ala.  A  four-horse  stage 
coach  will  soon  take  the  place  of  the 
spring   wagon.      Very   well. 

And  he  piped  this  summarizing 
panegyric  to  the  young  city  under 
date  of  Feb.  5,  1851 : 

Rome,  Its  Prospects. — It  is  grati- 
fying to  watch  the  gradual  but  certain 
growth  of  our  young  and  vigorous  city. 
Buildings  of  various  kinds  are  rap- 
idly going  up  and  valuable  accessions 
are  being  made  to  our  population. 
Since  the  completion  of  the  "Rome 
Railroad,"  business  has  steadily  in- 
creased, and  under  a  wise  and  liberal 
policy  will  be  largely  augmented  dur- 
ing the  next  few  years.  If  we  are  not 
greatly  deceived,  Rome  will  double  its 
population  of  more  than  3,000  in  the 
next  four  years,  provided  its  resources 
are  properly  directed  and  its  inter- 
ests prudently  fostered.  Its  popula- 
tion with  the  exception  of  some  20  or 
30  very  clever  doctors  and  lawyers, 
(who,  we  are  happy  to  say,  have  but 
little  to  do),  is  made  up  mostly  of  sub- 
stantial business  men  who  are  per- 
manently identified  with  the  place  and 
deeply  interested  in  its  prosperity  and 
reputation. 

Surrounded  by  a  country  of  unsur- 
passed beauty  and  fertility,  occupied 
by  an  unusually  dense  and  valuable 
agricultural  population — at  the  ter- 
minus of  railroad  and  steamboat 
transportation — Rome  is  and  must  even- 
continue  to  be  a  place  of  considerable 
commercial    importance. 

We  hope  before  the  commencement 
of  another  business  season  we  shall  be 
able  to  record  the  establishment  of  a 
bank  in  our  City.**  Such  an  institu- 
tion under  proper  regulations  will 
greatly    promote    the    convenience    and 


prosperity  of  every  class  of  our  citi- 
zens. Our  business  men  should  take 
this  matter  under  immediate  consider- 
ation, or  a  large  and  profitable  interior 
trade  may  be  forever  diverted  from 
their  control. 

"Ye  call  us  a  small  town?"  cpioth 
Editor  Melville  Dwinell  Mar.  3, 
1860.     "Harken  ye!": 

A  person  living  in  Middle  or  Lower 
Georgia,  who  has  never  visited  the 
"Metropolis  of  Cherokee,"  has  an  idea 
that  it  is  like  all  other  up-country 
towns,  composed  of  a  courthouse  in  the 
center  of  a  square,  surrounded  by  two 
taverns,  a  variety  store,  a  ten  pin  al- 
ley, a  blacksmith  shop  and  three  gro- 
ceries. He  therefore  expresses  great 
surprise  on  coming  to  our  City  for  the 
first  time,  to  discover  what  an  egregi- 
ous mistake  he  has  made.  One  eye  is 
opened  slightly  when  he  arrives  at  the 
depot  and  beholds  those  city  institu- 
tions, church  steeples,  and  an  omnibus, 
and  by  the  time  his  baggage  is  seized 
and  violently  tugged  at  by  zealous 
drummers,  from  our  two  large  rival 
hotels,  that  eye  is  wide  open.  The  lids 
of  the  other  begin  to  part  company,  in 
order  to  give  a  better  view  of  the  long 
line  of  fine  brick  stores,  stretching 
away  up  Broad  Street,  at  the  head  of 
which,  upon  an  eminence  overlooking 
the  city,  is  the  handsome  residence  of 
our  Ex-M.  C.,***  and  the  imposing 
building  of  "Rome  Female  College." 

At  night,  when  our  stores  and  street 
are  illuminated  with  gas,  the  rays  of 
enlightenment  begin  to  shine  in  upon 
his  benighted  mind. 

If  he  be  here  on  the  Sabbath,  and  is 
not  a  "heathen  or  a  publican,"  he  at- 
tends one  of  our  four  churches,  and 
finds  it  filled  with  an  intelligent  and 
attentive  congregation,  and  hears  a 
sermon  that  would  be  listened  to  with 
interest  and  profit  by  any  similar  as- 
sembly in  the  State.  On  Monday 
morning,  his  curiosity  being  aroused, 
he  strolls  down  one  side  of  Broad 
Street,  and  up  the  other  to  observe  the 
style  and  extent  of  our  business.  While 
he  stands  wondering  at  the  number  of 
cotton  and  produce  wagons  "coming 
to  town,"  and  our  energetic  business 
men  hurrying  to  and  fro,  if  it  be  a 
pleasant  day,  and  he  an  unmarried 
man,  his  heart  leaps  as  he  hears   tiny 

*This  list  of  before-the-war  mayors  is  the 
completest  and  most  accurate  that  it  has  been 
possible  to  obtain. 

•''Several  small  banks  of  a  fly-by-night  char- 
acter had  been  established  and  had  gone  out  of 
business  prior   to   1851. 

***Judge    John    H.    Lumpkin. 


BARNSLEY  GARDENS  (Bartow  County)— by  Lillian  Page  Coulter 


Growth  from  Village  to  Town 


111 


heels,  (bless  their  little  soles),  patter- 
ing on  the  pavement  behind  him.  He 
turns,  and  his  gaze  is  fixed  upon  a 
sweet  and  intelligent  face,  just  as  far 
in  advance  of  "a  dear  love  of  a  bon- 
net" as  the  most  enthusiastic  admirer 
of  "beauty  when  unadorned"  could 
wish. 

If  not  transfixed,  he,  like  one  of 
Dame  Nature's  loyal  subject.^,  obeys 
her  "supreme  law,"  and  immediately 
steps  off  the  sideivalk,  to  make  room 
for  the  widest  circles  of  fashion  that 
are  "trundling"  his  way.  Drawn  ir- 
resistibly, he  follows,  and  entering  one 
of  our  many  large  dry  goods  houses, 
he  sees  several  industrious  and  smil- 
ing clerks,  energetically  employed  in 
pulling  down  and  unrolling,  and  then 
rolling  and  putting  up  again,  an  ex- 
tensive assortment  of  calicoes,  bereges, 
silks,  satins,  muslins,  delaines,  etc., 
etc.,  to  accommodate  the  fair  custom- 
ers, who  throng  the  counters  "only  to 
see  the  latest  spring  styles."  All  doubts 
that  may  have  been  excited  by  the  in- 
formation that  Rome  has  furnished  the 
last  three  Congressmen  from  the  Fifth 
District*  are  dispelled,  and  he  is 
"convinced  against  his  will"  that  we 
have  reached  the  highest  point  of  civ- 
ilization. 

But  he  has  yet  to  learn  the  impor- 
tance of  Rome,  in  a  business  point  of 
view;  for  although  he  has  iobserved 
that  we  have  a  number  of  fashionable 
dry  goods  establishments,  various 
clothing  stores,  large  grocery  houses, 
three  livery  stables,  two  extensive 
hardware  and  four  drug  stores,  also 
one  of  jewelry,  another  of  crockery  and 
a  third  of  "books  and  stationery,"  he 
is  surprised  to  learn  that  besides  the 
"college,"  we  have  a  "Cherokee  In- 
stitute" for  boys  and  girls  together,  a 
high  school  for  the  former  by  them- 
selves, and  two  or  three  others,  where 
the  younger  ideas  are  just  taking  aim; 
that  we  have  two  "carriage  reposito- 
ries," where  fine  buggies  and  other  ve- 
hicles are  made,  and  that  two  cabinet 
shops,  with  steam  motive  power,  giv- 
ing employment  to  about  50  hands, 
are  daily  manufacturing  on  an  exten- 
sive scale  neat  and  durable  furniture 
of  the  latest  and  best  styles.** 

Upon  enquiring  the  cause  of  so 
much  blowing  and  whistling  of  steam 
engines,  some  one  of  our  obliging  citi- 
zens takes  his  arm  and  conducts  him 
down    to    the    foundry***     and    shows 

*No\v     thd     seventh. 

**Mayor    Sumter    conducted    one    of    these. 
***Nobles'. 

****In    1847    it    was    3,000. 

*****From  the  Southerner  and  Advertiser  of 
alx)ut    Aug.    26,    1860. 


him  a  large  number  of  mechanics 
busily  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
machinery  of  all  kinds. 

He  is  informed  that  they  built  the 
first,  and  one  of  the  best  locomotives 
in  the  State,  besides  numerous  engines 
for  mines,  mills,  steamboats,  etc.  He 
is  then  taken  to  the  "Nonpareil  Mills," 
and  sees  meal  and  flour  in  large  quan- 
tities, ground  by  machinery,  set  in  mo- 
tion by  one  of  these  same  engines. 

He  is  still  unprepared  for  the  most 
astounding  discovery  of  all.  When  told 
that  Rome,  away  up  in  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  State,  surrounded  by  the 
mountains  of  Cherokee,  is  situated  at 
the  confluence  of  two  streams,  upon 
one  of  which,  and  upon  the  river  which 
they  form,  four  steamboats  are  con- 
stantly arriving  and  departing,  he 
smiles  and  shakes  his  head  incredu- 
lously. In  order  to  convince  him,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  take  him  down  to 
the  wharves,  and  point  with  honest 
pride  to  the  floating  witnesses.  Three 
of  them,  he  is  informed,  make  weekly 
trips  down  the  Coosa  river,  to  Greens- 
port,  Ala.,  and  the  fourth,  three  times 
a  week,  up  the  Oostanaula  to  Calhoun, 
Gordon  County.  Each  leaves  her  wharf 
with  a  heavy  cargo  of  merchandise, 
and  returns  laden  with  cotton,  grain, 
lumber,   etc.,  etc. 

The  "chief  among  us  taking  notes," 
walks  thoughtfully  away  with  the  con- 
viction that  Rome  is  "no  mean  city," 
and  if  in  the  course  of  a  year  or  two 
he  returns  and  hoars  the  "Iron  Horse" 
snorting  through  Vann's  Valley,  bring- 
ing its  living  freight  from  Mobile  and 
New  Orleans,  on  their  way  to  the 
Northern  cities,  he  will  find  that  it  is 
making  rapid  strides  to  the  position  of 
influence  and  importance  to  which  the 
hand    of    Nature    points. 

The  Tri-Weekly  Courier  of  .Vti.s: 
8,  1860,  stated  that  the  population 
of  Floyd  County  in  1840  was  4.441, 
and  presented  the  following  census 
table    ci)mi)arisons  :**** 

Year.  Whites.  Slaves.  Free.  Total 
18,50  5,202        2,999  4  8.205 

1860  9,200       5,927  K?       15,233 

James  I.  Teat,  Floyd  Comity  tax 
receiver,  presented  the  tolU)\vinj:;' 
county  tax  return  figures  for  1859 
and    1860:***** 

Number  of  polls  in  1859,  1,651  ;  in 
1860,  1,738— gain,  87. 

Legal  voters  over  60  years  of  age, 
118. 

Total   number  of  voters,   1,856. 


112 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Lawyers  and  physicians  in  1859,  57 
in  1860,  56. 

Free    persons    of   color   in    1859,    13 
in  1860,  16. 

Value    of    land    in    1859,   $2,652,003 
in  1860,  $2,807,435. 

Town  property  in  1859,  $446,680;  in 
1860,  $537,951. 

Value  of  slaves  in   1859,  $4,454,207; 
in  1860,  $3,755,184. 

Amount    of    money,    etc.,    in    1859, 
$1,937,849;  in  1860,  $2,104,490. 

Merchandise    in    1859,    $309,559;    in 
1860,  $340,565. 

Capital    in   steamboats   in    1859,   $6,- 
400;  in  1860,  $14,910. 


All  other  capital  invested  in  1859, 
$23,776;  in  1860,  $11,784. 

Household,  etc.,  in  1859,  $35,283;  in 
1860,  $36,805. 

All  other  property  in  1859,  $496,365; 
in  1860,  $524,667. 

Total  aggregate,  1859,  $9,363,132; 
in  1860,  $10,133,791— total  gain,  $770,- 
669. 

Average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$9.30. 

Average   value  of   slaves,  $651.70. 
Number  of  men  over  60  years  of  age 
in   proportion  to   polls,   14%. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Views  and  Events  Leading  Up  to  War 


LTHOUGH  Floyd  had  been 
overwhelmingly    a    "Union 
county,"    her    citizens,    al- 
most to  a  man,  were  willing 
to  go  with  the  majority  in  any  sit- 
uation affecting  the  interests  of  the 
South.    Thus  we  see  the  local  sen- 
timent   gradually    changing,    until 
in    1860   the    anti-secession    forces 
had  lost  considerable  ground.  This 
was   brought   about   in   general   by 
the  drift  of  the  times,  in  particular 
by   the    abductions    of    slaves,   the 
propaganda    of    traveling    emissa- 
ries,   and    the    literary    efforts    of 
Northern       leaders       opposed       to 
slavery.      The     w^ritings     of    Wm. 
Lloyd  Garrison,  who  edited  an  abo- 
litionist    paper,    Harriet     Beecher 
Stowe,    author    of   "Uncle    Tom's 
Cabin,"  and  Hinton  Rowan  Helper, 
author  of  "The  Impending  Crisis," 
greatly     inflamed     sentiment     and 
tended  to  knit  i)nl)]ic  opinion  more 
closely. 

The  Rome  Tri-Weekly  Courier 
gives  a  good  view  of  some  of  these 
influences  and  the  incidents  which 
were  the  outgrowth  of  them.  Says 
Capt.  Dwinell  in  The  Courier  of 
Jan.  10,  1860: 

Loolc  Out  For  Him.— The  Knoxville 
Whig  gives  the  following  description 
of  an  abolition  emissary  who,  it  says, 
intends  "spending  the  winter  at  the 
South."  His  ostensible  business  seems 
to  be  selling  and  putting  up  gas  burn- 
ers, and  as  Rome  will  very  soon  have 
need  of  such  articles,  he  may  honor 
us  with   a  visit. 

He  is  about  23  or  25  years  of  age, 
weighs  about  135,  has  light  hair,  sort 
of  gray>  or  blue  eyes;  his  height  is 
about  5  feet,  6  inches;  he  is  fond  of 
music,  is  a  scientific  fiddler;  goes  about 
as  an  agent  for  gas  burners;  is  an  in- 
cessant talker;  is  well  informed  for  a 
man  of  his  age,  talks  up  freely  on  all 
subjects.  Has  letters  addressed  to 
him  at  different  points,  sometimes  Jolm 

*John  Brown  ;  hanged  Dec.  2,  1S59,  at  Charles- 
town,   Va.,  for   raid   on   Harper's   Ferry. 


Jenkins,   at   other   times  to  J.    P.   Jen- 
kins, and  again  to  J.  W.  P.  Jenkins. 

The  Whig  says  he  spent  some  time 
in  Jacksboro,  Tenn.,  and  on  his  return 
to  his  home,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  he  wrote 
a  long  letter  on  the  subject  of  slavei-y 
to  a  citizen  of  the  former  place.  We 
subjoin  an  extract,  and  hope  a  strict 
watch  may  be  kept  for  him: 

"Depend  upon  it,  when  Brown*  dies, 
the  ghost  will  haunt  many  that  may 
gloat  upon  the  sight,  or  imaginary  one 
of  Brown  and  his  party,  as  they  see 
them  dangling  on  the  scaffold  paying 
their  desire  of  revenge!  And  ere  long 
there  will  be  a  howling  in  their  ears, 
with  thunder  tones  the  snappings  and 
crackings  of  those  long-forged  chains, 
until  they  awake  as  from  a  dream  at 
last,  in  which  they  shall  see  their  folly 
in  having  executed  men  for  their  feel- 
ings of  iDcnevolence. 

"I  see  that  the  institution  is  getting 
very  sick.  It  has  the  ague  in  its  worst 
form  in  Virginia.  It  has  the  consump- 
tion, and  almost  a  galloping  one,  in 
Missouri.  So  it  has  in  portions  of  Ken- 
tucky and  many  parts  of  the  South. 
The  seeds  of  discontent  are  being 
sowed  broadcast,  even  to  the  most  re- 
mote regions.  Not  through  the  in- 
fluence of  emissaries  from  the  North 
particularly,  but  by  the  force  of  the 
power  of  emigration   and  civilization." 

There  are  too  many  of  these  scoun- 
drels prowling  about  through  the 
Southern  states.  Their  object  is  the 
same  as  is  proclaimed  in  the  "Impend- 
ing Crisis,"  and  attempted  to  be  car- 
ried out  by  John  Brown  and  his  con- 
federates—emancipation of  our  slaves 
— attended  by  murder,  arson  and  all 
that  is  terrible  and  revolting  in  a  ser- 
vile war.  We  are  no  advocates  of  mob 
law,  but  we  believe  in  the  first  law  of 
nature,  and  in  such  instances  as  these, 
freciuently  our  only  safety  is  in  sum- 
mary proceedings. 

We  learn  from  the  Atlanta  i)aper9 
that  last  week  in  that  city  one  of  these 
vile  incendiaries,  named  Newcomb,  a 
clerk  in  a  dry  goods  house,  drank  a 
toast  to  the  health  of  John  Brown,  and 
eulogized  his  character.  He  was  al- 
lowed to  escape  without  just  punish- 
ment for  his  temerity.  We  are  op- 
posed to  rashness  and  precipitancy  in 
such  cases,  but  when  guilt  is  fully  es- 
tablished, these  fellows  should  hv  dealt 


114 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


with  in  such  manner  as  will  cause  them 
to  remember  the  lesson  the  balance  of 
their  days,  and  enable  them  to  recite 
it  with  earnestness  and  eloquence  to 
such  of  their  friends  as  may  seem  in- 
clined to  embark  on  similar  enter- 
prises. 

The  Impendmg  Crisis. — We  find  the 
subjoined  extract  from  this  notorious 
book  in  one  of  our  exchanp,-es.  South- 
erners can  infer  from  it  the  purpose 
and  character  of  the  work : 

"So  it  seems  that  the  total  number 
of  actual  slave  owners,  including  their 
entire  crew  of  cringing  lick-spittles, 
against  whom  we  have  to  contend,  is 
but  347,525.  Against  the  army  for  the 
defense  and  propagation  of  slavery,  we 
think  it  will  be  an  easy  matter — in- 
dependent of  the  negroes,  who  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  would  be  delighted 
with  an  opportunity  to  cut  their  mas- 
ters' throats,  and  without  accepting  a 
single  recruit  from  the  free  states,  Eng- 
land, France  or  Germany — to  mus- 
ter one  at  least  three  times  as  large 
and  far  more  respectable,  for  its  utter 
extinction.  We  are  determined  to  abol- 
ish slavery  at  all  hazards — in  defiance 
of  all  opposition  of  whatever  nature, 
which  it  is  possible  for  the  slaveocrats 
to    muster    against    us.      Of    this    they 


CAPT.  MELVILLE  DWINELL,  native  of  Ver- 
mont, bachelor  and  noted  Rome  newspaper 
editor,   who  gave  Henry   Grady  his  first  "job." 


may  take  due  notice,  and  then  govern 
themselves    accordingly." 

It  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a 
declaration  of  war  against  the  South 
and  her  institutions,  in  which  we  are 
warned  to  "take  due  notice"  that  our 
slaves  will  be  given  the  opportunity 
of  cutting  our  throats.  And  this  trea- 
sonable document  is  recommended  by 
68  Northern  men,  including  Congress- 
men, Governors  and  clergymen.  It  is 
endorsed  by  leaders  of  the  Black  Re- 
publican party,  among  them  John 
Sherman,  of  Ohio,  their  speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives ;  Wm.  H. 
Seward.*  Senator  from  New  York, 
says   of  it: 

"I  have  read  'The  Impending  Crisis' 
with  deep  attention.  It  seems  to  me 
a  work  of  information  and  logical  anal- 
ysis." 

And  Mr.  Seward  will  in  all  proba- 
bility be  the  candidate  of  his  party  for 
the  presidency.  These  facts  will  do  for 
Southerners  to  ponder  well. 

The  Courier  of  Jan.  19.  186C,  re- 
prodticed  the  following  from  the 
Montgomer}'  Mail  as  embodying 
its  own  sentiments: 

Somefhivg,  Something,  Anything! — 
Now  that  the  state  convention  of  the 
dominant  party  has  adjourned,  the  gen- 
eral hope  is  that  the  Legislature  will 
do  something — anything — by  way  of 
preparing  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  war  that  is  almost  upon  us.  Let 
no  man  accuse  us  of  disunion  purposes. 
The  question  is  not,  will  not  be,  left 
to  the  South  for  decision.  The  forces 
of  Abolition  intend  to  leave  us  no  op- 
tion but  to  fight  for  our  firesides,  or 
do  as  cowards  do.  As  they  moved  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  so  they  are  prepar- 
ing to  move  all  over  the  South.  Plots 
have  already  been  detected  and  stifled 
in  Missouri.  "Irrepressible  Conflict" 
means  the  knife  at  your  throat  and 
the  torch  at  your  house,  reader,  and 
both  at  the  dead  of  night.  Whenever 
you  take  up  and  drive  off^  an  Abolition- 
ist fi'om  your  neighborhood,  he  goes 
to  the  next  county,  and  another  takes 
Ins  place.     The  dead  ones  cease  to  act. 

The  following  of  Jan.  24,  1860. 
illustrates  a  habit  of  traveling 
salesmen  from  the  North  : 

The  Latest  Dodge. — The  Yankees  are 
never  at  a  loss  for  expedients.  During 
this   "impending   crisis"  they   have   se- 

*Mr.  Seward  became  Lincoln's  Secretary  of 
War.  As  a  young  man  ne  taught  school  a 
while    at    Milledgeville. 


Views  and'^Events  Leading  up  to  War 


115 


■'-r^^.^i.^i^^ 


:mm. 


A  PAGE  DEDICATED   TO   THE   HORSE. 

as    a^'res'^Ht^  o?^h*l°"'''    '""Z    '''^  "'-/«V«^d    predecessor,    the    ox.    might    become    practically    extinct 
pfctures    herewith  ^  "?\  "'•  '^^    ^^ton^obile    and    the    flying    machine,    we    present    these 

livin/   till    in     th.    H     °"r    """^'•'"t'""     t°    the    perpetuation     of    his     fame.       No    doubt    men     now 
on'e^ode  one  of  thos""'""'    ""'"'    °"*    *°    *''"''    '*'"''''^"    ^"""^    '"''''■    "'^''    '""^    ^^•"^'■'^-    "' 


116 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


cured  a  large  amount  of  Southern  cus- 
tom by  sending  out  their  drummers 
dressed  in  homespun!  The  ruse  pays, 
and  as  drummers  are  generally  expect- 
ed to  be  an  accommodating  set,  per- 
fectly free  and  perfectly  persuasive, 
they  never  lose  an  opportunity  to  talk 
humorously  conservative,  as  if  the  po- 
litical hubbub  now  rampant  was  all  a 
meaningless  fudge,  and  the  North  and 
the  South  are  as  firmly  linked  as  ever. 
But  yet,  when  a  serious  discussion 
arises  they  are  intensely  Southern,  and 
their  homespun  is  proof  positive! — 
Petersburg   Express. 

The  Courier  of  Jan.  26,  1860,  ap- 
prizes us  of  an  attack  on  "The  Im- 
pending- Crisis"  from  the  floor  of 
tlie  House  by  a  Roman  :* 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the 
speech  of  the  Hon.  John  W.  H.  Under- 
wood, of  Rome,  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, Washington,  on  the  16th 
inst.  It  places  John  Sherman's  rela- 
tion to  the  Helper  book  in  a  new  and 
strong  light:  "Mr.  Clerk,  when  we  as- 
sembled in  this  hall  on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  December  last,  we  found  upon 
the  floor  of  this  House  40  members  who 
had  'cordially  endorsed'  Helper's  'Im- 
pending Crisis  of  the  South,'  a  book 
which  proposes  arson,  murder,  rapine, 
insurrection  and  servile  war.  Among 
the  signers  of  that  'coidial  endorse- 
ment' is  the  honorable  gentleman  from 
Ohio,  Mr.  Sherman,  the  candidate  of 
the  Black  Republican  party  for  speak- 
er. ..  .  That  man  Helper, 
some  months  prior  to  this  'cordial  en- 
dorsement,' was  exposed  by  the  honor- 
able Senator  from  North  Carolina  in 
the  Senate,  and  denounced  as  a  thief, 
and  this  was  put  into  the  records  of 
Congress;  and  not  only  that,  this  same 
Helper  assaulted  a  member  of  this 
House  (Mr.  Craige,  of  North  Caro- 
lina) in  his  seat,  about  this  same  work; 
and  I  respectfully  submit,  the  hon- 
orable gentleman  from  Ohio  was  too 
careless,  too  unmindful  of  public  events 
when  he  endorsed  this  author's  work 
without  knowing  the  contents  of  the 
book.  Sir,  if  ever  there  was  a  clear 
case  of  criminal  negligence,  this  is  the 
one,  if  it  were  a  crime  to  endorse  cor- 
dially that  Helper  work!" 

Judg^e  Underwood  shortly  passed 
throu.g'h  Athmta  : 

We  find  the  following  in  the 
Atlanta  Intelligencer  and  cheer- 
fully transfer  it  to  our  columns  as  a 
merited  compliment  to  our  immediate 
representative    and    fellow    townsman. 


We  commend  the  concluding  paragraph 
J  to  the  consideration  of  the  Floyd  Cav- 
alry, "quorum  ille  magna  pars,"  and 
also  to  those  interested  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  new  foot  company: 

"Hon.  John  W.  H.  Underwood,  the 
representative  of  the  Fifth  Congires- 
sional  District,  passed  through  our  city 
yesterday  morning.  He  was  looking 
in  fine  plight,  and  so  far  as  looks  are 
concerned,  is  an  ornament  to  the  Geor- 
gia delegation  in  CongTess.  But  he  has 
mental  ability  as  well  as  looks.  More- 
over, we  find  from  his  conversation  that 
he  is  fired  up  with  a  just  sense  of 
the  perils  impending  over  the  South. 
He  is  in  favor  of  arming  the  South, 
and  advocates  on  the  part  of  Georgia 
a  preparation  to  meet  the  'irrepressi- 
ble conflict'  which  he  says  must  sooner 
or  later  come  upon  us.  We  cordially 
respond  to  his  recommendation.  Let 
the  State  of  Geoirgia  arm  her  military 
forces,  encourage  volunteer  companies,  ' 
provide  arms  and  ammunition,  and  in 
times  of  peace  prepare  for  war.  This 
is  what  prudence  demands.  We  are 
for  peace  as  long  as  we  can  preserve 
our  rights  by  adherence  to  it,  but  when 
forbearance  ceases  to  be  a  virtue,  we 
say  let  the  fight  come  on.  We  have  no 
fears  of  the  final  result  of  such  a  con- 
flict."—Courier,   Feb.   9,   1860. 

While  the  polemics  of  stump  and 
I^rinting-  press  were  raging,  the 
boys  were  busy  currying  their 
mounts  and  polishing  their  old 
squirrel  guns  : 

Floyd  Cavalry — An  Infantry  Corps. 
— The  Floyd  Cavalry,  under  command 
of  Capt.  W.  S.  Cothran,  paraded  in 
our  streets  on  Saturday.  We  are  glad 
to  see  that  notwithstanding  the  dis- 
couragements this  company  have  met 
with,  they  have  persevered  in  their  de- 
termination to  succeed.  Their  ranks 
were  not  very  full,  but  we  hope  the 
election  of  Col.  Cothran  to  the  cap- 
taincy will  excite  additional  zeal.  We 
a're  rejoiced  to  learn  that  an  infantry 
company  is  about  being  organized  in 
this  place. 

We  call  the  attention  of  all  the  citi- 
zens interested  in  the  safety  of  the 
country  to  the  fact.  In  the  name  of 
patriotism  and  in  view  of  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  times  we  entreat  them  to 
render  all  the  aid  they  can.  The  spies 
sent  out  by  the  Abolition  leaders  of 
the  North  to  pry  into  the  conditions  of 
our  military  system  speak  in  the  most 

*Since  this  was  launched  a  week  before  the 
Georgia  delegation  left  Congress,  quite  likely 
it     was    Judge    Underwood's     parting    shot. 


Views  and  Events  Leading  up  to  War 


117 


contemptuous  terms  of  them.  They 
have  doubtless  thereby  been  embolden- 
ed in  their  attacks  upon  our  rights. 
An  ample  preparation  for  the  worst  is 
the  surest  way  to  avert  it.  Let  us  not. 
be  behind  the  rest  of  the  state  in  the 
work,  but  let  us  place  these  two  com- 
panies in  a  position  second  to  none. — 
Courier,  Tuesday,  Feb.  7,  1860. 

Failure  to  recognize  the  South 
as  the  "white  man's  country" 
caused  keen  embarrassment  to  a 
.sojourner  in  Rome,  as  told  vmder 
date  of  Feb.  9,   1860: 

An  Excitement. — An  individual  who 
claimed  to  be  a  drummer  for  a  New 
York  house  arrived  here  from  Mari- 
etta Tuesday  afternoon.  He  was  un- 
derstood by  passengers  on  the  car  to 
utter  heretical  sentiments  on  the  sub- 
ject of  negro  equality;  and  upon  in- 
formation being  given  to  this  effect  to 
some  of  our  citizens,  he  was  waited 
upon  and  none  too  politely  requested 
t(t  leave.  He  seemed  to  be  very  earn- 
estly desirous  of  complying  immediate- 
ly, but  was  left  by  the  evening  train 
and  compelled  to  wait  over  until  yes- 
terday. At  one  time  he  was  in  im- 
mediate danger  of  being  roughly 
treated,  and  was  so  badly  scared  that 
he  was  heard  to  express  a  preference 
for  a  climate  usually  considered  much 
warmer  than  the  tropics.  He  evidently 
thought  Rome  too  hot  for  him! 

It  is  a  most  astonishing  thing  to  us 
that  a  Northern  man  at  this  juncture 
will  permit  an  anti-slavery  opinion  to 
escape  his  lips  in  the  South.  They  must 
be  most  stupid  folks  if  they  cannot 
learn  under  the  experience  of  such 
teachings  as  they  have  had. 

This  incident  suggested  to  the 
citizens  of  Rome  a  mass  meeting 
two  days  later  to  pass  resolutions 
outlawing  Northern-made  goods. 
The  Courier  account  and  its  edito- 
rial comment  of  Saturday,  Feb.  11, 
1860,   are  herewith  presented: 

Non-Interconrse  Meeting. — In  an- 
other column  we  publish  the  proceed- 
ings of  this  meeting  held  in  the  City 
Hall  on  last  Thursday.  It  is  an  impor- 
tant step  in  the  onward  march  of  the 
South  to  independence  and  greatness. 
Now  the  question  arises,  do 
we  intend  to  abide  by  these  resolu- 
tions? Or  will  the  persons,  compris- 
ing a  large  number  of  our  wealthiest 
and  most  intelligent  citizens,  who 
adopted  them  with  such  unanimity, 
utterly    disregard    them,    as    was    inti- 


mated in  the  meeting,  whenever  they 
can  save  a  few  dimes  by  giving  the 
preference  in  the  purchase  of  thein 
goods  to  those  merchants  who  may 
bring  them  from  the  North?  If  so,  the 
whole  affair  will  be  a  most  absurd  fail- 
ui-e,  a  ridiculous  farce.  We  have 
greater  confidence  in  the  sincerity  and 
the  self-sacrificing  patriotism  of  the 
people  of  Floyd  County  than  to  enter- 
tain such  a  thought  for  a  moment. 

Citizens'  Non»Intercourse  Meeting. — 
Pursuant  to  a  call  from  a  committee 
made  up  of  W.  S.  Cothran,  J.  H.  Lump- 
kin, J.  R.  Freeman,  J.  M.  Spullock,  W. 
A.  Fort,  C.  H.  Smith,  J.  B.  Underwood, 
F.  C.  Shropshire,  Alfred  Shorter,  Dr. 
J.  King,  T.  W.  Alexander,  Dr.  T.  J. 
Word,  Thos.  G.  Watters  and  J.  H.  Mc- 
Clung,  a  portion  of  the  citizens  of 
Floyd  County  met  at  11  o'clock  at  the 
City  Hall,  and  on  motion  of  Dr.  Alvin 
Dean,  his  honor  the  mayor,  Henry  A. 
Gartrell,  was  called  to  the  chair.  The 
chairman  then  stated  the  object  of  the 
meeting  to  be  to  assert  our  Commer- 
cial Independence  of  the  North.  On 
motion  of  Hon.  J.  W.  H.  Underwood. 
Dr.  Alvin  Dean  and  Col.  Jos.  Watters 
were  named  vice-presidents,  and  J.  W. 
Wofford  and   Geo.   T.   Stovall  were  re- 


MAJOR  and  MRS.  CHAS.  H.  SMITH— "Bill 
Arp's"  "open  letter  to  Abe  Linkhorn"  in 
April,  1861,  proved  a  sensation  in  the  South. 


118 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


quested  to  act  as  secretaries.  The 
chairman  appointed  the  following  to 
act  as  a  steering  committee:  Thos.  E. 
Williamson,  D.  B.  Hamilton,  F.  C. 
Shropshire,  J.  R.  Freeman,  Green  T. 
Cunningham,  J.  F.  Hoskinson,  B.  F. 
Hooper,  J.  P.  Holt,  Jos.  Ford,  C.  P. 
Dean  and  B.  F.  Payne. 

While  the  committee  were  out,  Col. 
Underwood  set  forth  in  an  able  and 
eloquent  speech  the  relations  existing 
between  the  two  sections  of  the  coun- 
try— the  aggressive  and  unconstitu- 
tional policy  of  the  North  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  degrading  dependence  of 
the  South  on  the  other,  and  earnestly 
urged  upon  those  present  the  duty  and 
importance  of  throwing  off  the  finan- 
cial shackles  by  which  the  South  is 
bound. 

The  following  resolutions  were 
passed: 

"Resolved,  first.  That  the  merchants 
and  mechanics  of  this  city  and  county 
be  requested  to  patronize  Southern 
manufacturers.  Southern  markets  and 
direct  importations  to  Southern  ports, 
to  the  exclusion  of  all  others. 

"Resolved,  second.  That  in  the  pur- 
chase of  our  dry  goods,  groceries,  hard- 
ware and  other  merchandi.se  we  will 
support  and  sustain  those  who  comply 
with  the  foregoing  resolutions. 

"Resolved,  third.  That  while  we  have 
an  abiding  confidence  in  the  patriotism 
and  fidelity  of  some  of  our  Northern 
friends,  yet  duty  to  the  South  requires 
that  we  should  stand  to  and  abide  by 
the  foregoing  resolutions  until  the 
Northern  states  demonstrate  at  the  bal- 
lot box  their  fidelity  to  the  Constitu- 
tion and  the  laws,  by  driving  from  our 
national  councils  the  leaders  of  that 
demoniac  crew  known  as  the  Black  Re- 
publican party,  and  by  repealing  all 
their  local  laws  which  militate  against 
the  common  Constitution  of  our  coun- 
try. 

"Reso/ved,  fourth.  That  the  people 
of  the  whole  country,  irrespective  of 
party  affiliation,  are  requested  to  meet 
at  the  City  Hall  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
March,  next,  for  the  purpose  of  ratify- 
ing the  foregoing  resolutions." 

The  resolutions  were  adopted  with 
only  one  dissenting  vote.  Mr.  C.  H. 
Smith  then  offered  the  following  res- 
olution: 

"Resolved,  That  all  persons  who 
voted  for  the  foregoing  resolutions  sign 
the  same." 

Unanimously  cai-ried.  Messrs.  W. 
B.  Terhune,  R'.  D.  Harvey,  G.  S.  Black, 
H.   Allen   Smith,   F.   C.   Shropshire,  T. 


E.  Williamson  and  J.  W.  H.  Undei-- 
wood  had  discussed  certain  features  of 
the  matter.  Meeting  then  adjourned 
after  thanking  the   officers. 

On  Thursday,  May  10,  1860,  Capt. 
Dwinell  sounded  this  warning, 
which,  by  the  way,  was  highly 
prophetic  of  1922 : 

There  has,  perhaps,  been  no  time 
since  the  organization  of  our  govern- 
ment when  the  public  mind  has  been 
so  completely  in  confusion  as  it  now  is 
throughout  this  section  of  the  country. 
The  great  party  that  has  for  years 
claimed  to  be  the  only  national  one  in 
existence  is  disrupted  and  thousands 
of  its  members  now  stand  aghast,  in 
confused  amazement  and  know  not 
what  to  do.  A  fearful  struggle  be- 
tween love  of  party  and  patriotism  is 
going  on  in  their  breasts,  and  cow- 
ardly demagogues  with  timid  haste  and 
pale-faced  alarm  are  clambering  up  on 
the  neutral  fences  and  getting  ready 
at  the  first  safe  moment  to  jump  to 
the  stronger  side.  The  people  should 
mark  these  miscreant  polti'oons  who 
now  with  cringing  cowardice  sneak  be- 
hind; they  will  soon  appear  upon  the 
side  of  the  majority  and  ask  to  be  made 
leaders  of  the  victorious  hosts. 

A  fearful  responsibility  now  rests 
upon  the  shoulders  of  every  citizen  of 
the  South.  Political  parties  are  to  a 
great  extent  broken  up  and  disorgan- 
ized and  every  individual  now  has  to 
advise  himself  without  the  aid  of  po- 
litical leaders.  Under  these  circum- 
stances every  man  should  be  cautious 
and  prudent,  but  unwaveringly  deter- 
mined to  do  right  and  perform  his 
duty  whatever  that  may  be.  Old  party 
names  and  distinctions  should  be 
thrown  to  the  dogs,  and,  actuated  by 
pure  patriotism,  all  men  should  buckle 
on  their  armour  and  volunteer  to  fight 
for  our  unmistakable  constitutional 
rights  and  the  permanent  prosperity 
of  our  most  sacred  institutions. 

In  these  times  of  political  excite- 
ment there  is  danger  that  the  people, 
being  exasperated,  may  be  carried  to 
extremes;  therefore  be  on  your  guard, 
and  "let  all  the  ends  thou  aimest  at  be 
thy  country's,  God's,  and  truth's."  Bear 
in  mind  that  you  are  now  at  least  com- 
pletely untrammelled,  and  it  is  your 
most  imperative  duty,  with  patriotic 
zeal,  boldly  to  contend  for  justice  and 
the  rights  of  your  section.  Think  not 
too  much  of  "choosing  between  evils," 
but  rather  make  a  determined  choice 
between  right  and  wrong.  "If  the  Lord 
be  God,  serve  Him,  if  Baal,  serve  him." 


Views  and  Events  Leading  up  to  War 


119 


120 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


The  election  of  President  of  the 
United  States  was  to  be  held  Tues- 
day, Nov.  6,  1860.  The  tickets  in 
the  field  were  Abraham  Lincoln,  of 
Illinois,  and  Hannibal  Hamlin,  of 
Maine,  nominated  by  the  Repub- 
licans, or  "Black  Republicans,"  as 
they  were  called  at  the  South ; 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  of  Illinois,  and 
Herschel  \'.  Johnson,  of  Georgia, 
put  forward  by  the  "Squatter  Sov- 
ereignty"* hosts  ;  Jno.  C.  Breckin- 
ridge, of  Kentucky,  and  Jos.  Lane, 
of  Indiana  (a  native  of  Buncombe 
County,  N.  C),  running  on  the 
American  or  "Know  Nothing"  plat- 
form ;  and  John  Bell,**  of  Tennes- 
see, and  Edward  Everett,  of  Mass- 
achusetts, representing  the  Consti- 
tutional  Union   party.*** 

The  Courier  supported  Bell  and 
Everett  and  carried  Floyd  County 
for  them  ;  the  rival  newspaper,  the 
Southern  &  Advertiser,  backed 
Breckinridge  and  Lane  and  got 
them  second  place.  Douglas  and 
Johnson  were  a  poor  third;  they 
split  the  Democratic  vote  of  the 
United  States  with  Breckinridge 
and  Lane,  else  Lincoln  might  have 
been  defeated. 

On  Monday,  Apr.  23,  1860,  the 
various  factions  held  a  national 
convention  at  Charleston,  S.  C. 
This  proved  to  be  a  hot  session  for 
the  delegates;  the  disunionists 
\vithdrew,  and  it  was  voted  to  ad- 
journ the  convention  to  Baltimore 
Md.,  for  June  18,  1860.  Editor 
Dwmell  attended  the  Charleston 
meeting,  and  sent  back  to  his  read- 
ers some  vivid  accounts  of  the  tur- 
nioil  and  strife. 

The  Romans,  always  ready  with 
mass  meetings  and  resolutions,  met 
Tuesday,  May  3,  1860,  to  adopt  a 
policy.  Here  is  an  account  of  the 
proceedings,  as  presented  in  The 
Courier  of  two  days  later : 

Democratic  Meeting. — We  publish 
in  another  column  the  resolutions 
adopted  by  the  Democratic  party  of 
Floyd  County  on  last  Tuesday.  They 
fully    sustain    the    seceders    from    the 


Charleston  Convention  and  deal  a 
death  blow  to  Squatter  Sovereignty  in 
this  county. 

F.  C.  Shropshire,  Esq.,  offered  a 
substitute,  according  honesty  and  pa- 
triotic motives  to  the  seceders,  but  re- 
fusing to  say  whether  they  acted  right 
or  wrong.  Hon.  J.  H.  Lumpkin  re- 
viewed the  history  of  the  party  for 
four  years  past;  from  the  adoption  of 
the  Cincinnati  platform  to  the  deser- 
tion of  Douglas ;  from  the  rise  of 
Squatter  Sovereignty  to  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  Charleston  Convention.  He 
gave  a  succinct,  clear  and  correct  re- 
cital of  the  action  of  this  body;  the  de- 
termination of  Judge  Douglas'  friends, 
the  enemies  of  the  South,  to  force  him 
upon  us,  and  repudiate  the  Constitu- 
tional rights  of  the  South  so  clearly 
defined  by  the  Supreme  Court,  and  pre- 
sented in  the  majority  platform  by 
seventeen  Democratic  States — fifteen 
of  which  were  slave  states.  He  showed 
that  no  course  was  left  for  Southern 
men  who  respected  the  rights  and 
equality  of  their  section  but  to  with- 
draw from  the   Squatters. 

Mr.  Shropshire  followed  in  support 
of  his  resolutions.  He  exhorted  Dem- 
ocrats to  harmonize.  He  told  them 
that  the  party  had  been  pledged  since 
1847  to  abide  by  the  principles  of  non- 
intervention by  Congress  with  slavery 
in  any  way,  and  they  should  be  faithful 
to  their  pledge,  and  stand  by  their 
Northern  friends  who  had  stood  by 
them.  He  wound  up  with  a  most  af- 
fecting appeal.  He  assured  them  the 
party  would  be  ruined  unless  there  was 
a  compromise;  he  begged  his  friends 
opposed  to  him  to  yield  a  little — just  a 
little — and  the  great  Democratic  party 
would  once  more  unfurl  its  proud  ban- 
ner, etc.,  etc. 

W.  B.  Terhune,  Esq.,  made  a  few 
pointed  remai-ks  in  favor  of  the  ma- 
jority report;  read  the  resolution 
adopted  by  the  December  convention; 
said  the  seceding  delegates  had  acted 
in  accordance  with  the  principles  there- 
in laid  down  and  they  should  be  sus- 
tained by  the  party.  He  moved  to  lay 
Mr.  Shropshire's  substitute  on  the  ta- 
ble, which  was  carried  by  an  over- 
whelming  vote. 

*According  to  Avery's  History  of  Georgia, 
p.  103,  the  "squatter  sovereignty  doctrine 
claimed  the  right  of  territorial  legislatures  to 
determine  the  question  of  slavery  in  the  terri- 
tories." 

**As  a  member  of  Congress  in  1835,  Mr.  Bell 
was  requested  by  John  Ross  to  call  for  an  in- 
vestigation of  the  arrest  of  Ross  and  John 
Howard    Payne   by    the  Georgia    Guard. 

***It  appears  from  this  line-up  that  a  delib- 
erate effort  was  made  to  split  the  vote  of  the 
South    and   throw    the   plum   to   Lincoln. 


Views  and  Events  Leading  up  to  War 


121 


The  report  of  the  committee  was 
then  adopted  with  only  four  or  five 
dissenting  voices. 

We  observed  the  same  distinction 
between  the  speeches  of  Messrs.  Lump- 
kin and  Terhune  on  one  side  and  Mr. 
Shropshire  on  the  other,  which  char- 
acterized the  debate  in  the  Charleston 
convention  and  the  letters  of  distin- 
guished Democrats  in  reply  to  the  Ma- 
con committee. 

The  two  former  spoke  for  principle, 
for  the  Constitution  and  Southern 
equality,  while  the  latter  spoke  for 
party  and  nothing  but  party. 

Resolutions  Adopted. — First.  That 
the  protection  of  all  the  rights,  both 
of  person  and  property  of  all  citizens, 
is  the  sole  legitimate  purpose  for  which 
Grovernments   are  instituted. 

Second.  That  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment of  the  States  of  the  Union  is 
bound,  to  the  full  extent  of  the  powers 
delegated  to  it  by  them,  to  protect  all 
citizens  of  all  the  states,  in  all 
their  rights  of  person  and  property, 
everywhere,  and  more  especially  upon 
the  public  domain,  their  common  prop- 
erty. 

Third.  That  a  large  and  increasing 
majority  of  the  people,  under  the 
name  of  Black  Republicans,  of  the 
Eastern,  Middle  and  Northwestern 
States,  are  striving  to  get  control  of 
the  Federal  Government,  with  the 
avowed  purpose  of  withholding  this 
protection  from  more  than  three  thous- 
and 7nillions  of  Southern  property,  and 
of  thus  putting  this  property  in  a  state 
of  outlawry,  in  a  government  which 
derives  from  it  more  than  two-thirds  of 
all  its  revenues. 

Fourth.  That,  therefore,  the  demand 
made  by  the  Southern  delegates  to  the 
Charleston  convention  of  a  distinct 
recognition  of  the  equal  right  of  South- 
ern citizens  and  property  to  protection 
by  the  Common  Government,  upo(n 
common  soil,  was  highly  expedient, 
reasonable   and  just. 

Fifth.  That  the  obstinate  refusal  of 
the  delegations  from  the  sixteen  States 
now  under  the  control  of  the  Black 
Republicans,  to  make  this  recognition, 
demanded  by  the  seventeen  Democratic 
States  of  the  Union,  and  recognized 
as  just  by  many  individual  delegates 
from  all  the  States,  gives  painful  evi- 
rip.ric.e  that  a  majority  of  those  delegy 
tions  already  sympathize  with  the 
Black  Republicans  in  their  unrelenting 
hostility   to   our    Constitutional    rights. 

Sixth.  That  the  withdrawal  of  a 
large  portion  of  the  Southern  delegates 
from    the    convention    upon    this    une- 


quivocal manifestation  of  sectional 
hostility  to  our  rights  was  tvise,  manly 
and  patriotic,  and  entitles  them  to  the 
thanks  of  the   tvhole   Southern  people. 

Seventh.  That  we  will  appear  by  our 
delegates  in  the  convention,  to  be'  held 
at  Milledgeville,  on  the  4th  day  of  June 
next,  to  deliberate  upon  the  course  to 
be  pursued  by  the  Democratic  party  of 
Georgia,  in  the  present  condition  of  po- 
litical  affairs. 

Eighth.  That  if  a  majority  of  that 
convention  shall  deem  it  expedient  that 
Georgia  should  be  represented  at  the 
adjourned  meeting  of  the  Charleston 
convention,  to  take  place  at  Baltimore, 
on  the  18th  of  June  next,  we  will  con- 
sent to  it  for  the  sake  of  harmony,  but 
upon  the  express  condition  that  we  will 
not  be  bound  by  the  action  of  that 
body  unless  it  shall  give  its  assent  in 
sincerity  of  purpose  and  good  faith  to 
the  principles  contended  for  by  the 
Democratic  states  at  Charleston,  and 
give  us  in  addition  a  sound  candidate. 

The  lightning-rod  salesman  was 
another  "gentleman  from  the 
North"  for  whom  Floyd  County 
citizens  kept  peeled  an  eager  eye. 
The  Courier  of  Aug.  30,  1860,  stat- 
ed that  a  correspondent  of  The  Sa- 
vannah News,  writing  under  date 
of  Aug.  10  from  the  Steamship 
Montgomery,  declared  a  man  on 
board  by  the  name  of  John  Owens, 
of  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  who  had  been 
putting  up  lightning  rods  in  Geor- 
gia and  West  Florida,  had  asserted 
that  John  Brown  died  in  a  good 
cause,  and  he  (Owens)  would  be 
\villing-  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the 
same ;  also  that  he  announced  his 
intention  of  returning  to  the  South. 

"Last  year  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Owens,  selling  patent  lightning 
rods,  passed  through  this  county 
and  met  with  considerable  success," 
continued  The  Courier.  "He  had 
much  to  say  against  abolitionists, 
wdiich  was  a  suspicious  circum- 
stance. Let  us  be  on  the  watch  for 
him,  and  when  he  returns,  have  an 
investigation,  ^^'ill  not  The  Savan- 
na li  News  olitain  from  its  corre- 
spondent a  description  of  John 
Owens,  in  order  that  he  may  be 
identified  on   his    return?" 


122 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


MINIATURE    PORTRAITS   OF    TWO     'OLD    TIMERS." 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jno.  Wesley  Connor,  the  parents  of  Prof.  W.  O.  Connor,  of  Cave  Spring. 
Mrs.  Connor  was  Henrietta  Mayson,  of  Ninety-Six,  S.  C.  As  a  girl  she  met  Gen.  LaFayette, 
who  pronounced  her  the  prettiest  young  lady  he  had  seen  in  America.  She  lies  buried  in 
the    Cave    Spring    cemetery. 


A  "Lincoln  defeat"  was  seen  by 
The  Courier  of  Thursday,  Sept.  1, 
1860: 

Lincoln's  Defeat  Certain. — Hereto- 
fore we  had  little  hope  that  the  Black 
Republican  candidate  could  be  defeat- 
ed. With  the  opponents  of  that  party 
divided  and  belligerent  we  saw  no  pos- 
sible chance  to  avoid  the  disgrace  of  a 
Black  Republican  Administration.  But 
our  fears  have  vanished,  for  the  defeat 
of    Lincoln   is   now   fixed. 

The  Rome  Light  Guards  received 
their  caps  by  July  4,  1860,  and  by 
Sept.  22,  1860,  one  of  the  l)rilliant 
sample  uniforms  appeared.  This 
uniform  was  of  blue  cloth,  scarlet 
fimmings  and  gold  buttons,  and 
made  the  boys  of  the  other  com- 
panies extremely  envious  of  the 
wearers. 

The  desire  of  the  political  lead- 
ers for  the  Cherokee  Georgia  vote 
was  emphasized  in  the  autumn  of 
1860  by  the  appearance  in  Rome  of 
some  of  the  "biggest  guns"  in  the 
state  and  section.    No  such  an  ar- 


ray of  orators  has  ever  declaimed 
against  Rome's  mountain  slopes. 

On  Thursday,  Sept.  20,  1860, 
Wm.  L.  Yancey,  of  Alabama,  whose 
speeches  did  as  much  as  any  other 
agency  to  stir  the  war  spirit  in 
the  South,  spoke  at  Kingston,  and 
a  large  crowd  of  Romans  went  on 
a  Rome  Railroad  excursion  to  hear 
him. 

On  Thursday,  Sept.  27,  1860,  Sen- 
ator Alfred  Iverson,  of  Columbus, 
addressed  a  crowd  at  the  City  Hall. 
Alexander  H.  Stephens  sat  on  the 
platform  at  this  meeting,  but  de- 
clined to  make  a  speech.  He  spoke 
on  the  day  following  at  a  barbecue 
at  Floyd  Springs,  after  an  intro- 
duction by  Judge  Augustus  R. 
Wright. 

On  Saturday,  Sept.  29,  1860,  Benj. 
H.  Hill  spoke  at  Sloan,  Berry  & 
Company's  warehouse.  On  Mon- 
day. Oct.  22,  1860,  Mr.  Hill  spoke 
again.  On  this  latter  occasion  he 
was    proceeding    to    Cedartown    to 


Views  and  Events  Leading  up  to  War 


123 


assist  in  the  defence  of  Col.  J.  J. 
Morrison,  charged  before  the  Polk 
Superior  Court  with  kilHng  Thos. 
W.  Chisohn  on  the  day  of  the  last 
general   election. 

On  Monday,  Oct.  29,  1860,  Steph- 
en A.  Douglas  ("The  Little  Gen- 
eral"), spoke  for  his  presidential 
ticket  at  Kingston,  and  was  heard 
by  many  from  Rome. 

The  county  was  on  the  brink  of 
the  war  precipice,  ready  for  a  head- 
long tumble  in. 

From  the  Tri-Weekly  Courier 
of  Tuesday  morning,  Dec.  4,  1860, 
we  quote  to  illustrate  the  rising 
war  sentiment : 

"Georgia's  Only  Hope  of  Safety  Is  in 
Secession.'' — A  large  portion  of  this 
paper  is  devoted  to  an  extract  from  a 
letter  with  the  above  heading.  We 
publish  this  instead  of  the  speech  of 
Judge  Benning,  believing  that  it  pre- 
sents a  clearer  and  stronger  argument 
in  favor  of  secession  than  the  speech 
alluded  to.  In  the  statement  of  our 
grievances  the  writer  makes  out  a  very, 
very  strong  case  and  proves  very  con- 
clusively— what  we  believe  most  peo- 
ple are  ready  to  admit — that  Georgia 
ought  to  resist  abolition  encroachmerits. 

Our  Legislature  in  calling  the  con- 
vention state  that  fact  and  we  have 
heard  no  man  deny  it;  and  the  appro- 
priation of  a  million  of  dollars,  which 
everybody  favors,  confirms  the  pur- 
pose of  a  firm,  deterfuhied  resistance 
on  the  part  of  Georgia.  Now,  if  we 
admit  what  the  writer's  argument 
seems  to  imply,  viz:  that  the  entire 
North  is  irredeemably  demoralized  and 
not  at  all  worthy  to  be  trusted,  then 
how  is  it  that  separate  State  action  is 
to  be  more  effectual  against  them  than 
the  united  strength  of  all  the  parties 
aggrieved  by  their  hostility?  We  are 
as  much  in  favor  of  )-esista}ice  as  this 
letter  writer  or  any  one  else,  but  for 
our  life  we  can  see  no  sense  in  each 
one  of  the  fifteen  States  that  have  been 
aggrieved,  setting  up  a  separate  and 
independent  viode  of  retaliation;  nor 
any  propriety  in  separately  running 
heiter  skelter  from  the  common  enemy. 

As  the  matter  now  stands,  the  entire 
South  is  arraigned  in  solid  columns 
against  the  North.  There  are  fifteen 
independent  brigades  on  our  side  and 
eighteen  of  the  enemy.  The  enemy 
have  been  practicing  a  garilla  warfare 
upon  us  until  "forbearance  has  ceased 


to  be  a  virtue,"  and  now  along  our  en- 
tire lines  there  is  such  a  state  of  con- 
sternation and  excitement  as  was  never 
before  witnessed  in  trying  to  deter- 
mine "what  shall  be  done."  Two  or 
three  brigades  seem  determined,  re- 
gardless of  the  action  of  the  others,  to 
break  ranks  and  retreat  immediately. 
Nearly  every  brigade  has  called  a  coun- 
cil of  war,  while  all  are  arming  them- 
selves for  a  fight. 

What  say  you,  men  of  the  Georgia 
brigade?  Will  you  retreat  at  once,  and 
without  even  consulting  the  other  brig- 
ades of  this  great  army — those  that 
have  protected  your  right  and  left 
wings,  that  have  been  your  "front 
guard  and  rear  ward"  during  a  cam- 
paign of  84  years?  Most  surely  you 
will  not.  The  generous  bravery  that 
swells  the  bosoms  of  Georgia's  noble 
sons  would  not  allow  them  to  be 
treacherous  to  an  enemy;  then  how 
niuch  less  to  true  and  long  tried 
friends. 

This  vexed  slavery  question  must 
and  will  be  speedily  settled,  in  some 
way  or  another.  But  whatever  is  done, 
let  us  not  have  a  divided  South.  "A 
house  divided  against  itself  cannot 
stand." 

Floyd  County  Meeting. — The  follow- 
ing  are   the   resolutions  passed   in   the 


i^H>^ 


HISHOP  THOMAS  FIEI.DINC  SCOTT,  of  Ma- 
rietta, who  was  the  leadinK  light  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  St.   Peter's    Episcopal   church. 


124 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


meeting  of  citizens  at  the  City  Hall, 
on  Monday  the  3rd  instant: 

Resolved,  That  the  time  has  arrived 
when  it  becomes  the  duty  of  every 
friend  of  Georgia  to  discard  partizan 
feelings  and  purposes,  and  unite  in  an 
earnest  effort  to  maintain  her  rights, 
secure  her  liberties,  and  vindicate  her 
honor. 

Resolved,  That  this  Union  of  South- 
ern heads  and  hearts  being  an  indis- 
pensable pre-requisite  to  efficient  ac- 
tion, v^^e  pledge  ourselves  to  do  every- 
thing in  our  povi^er  to  promote,  estab- 
lish and  maintain  it. 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the 
clearly  expressed  will  of  a  majority  of 
the  people  of  Floyd  county  as  the  rule 
of  action,  binding  upon  their  represen- 
tatives, in  any  convention  of  the  peo- 
ple   of    Georgia. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  request 
our  Senator  and  Representatives  in  the 
General  Assembly  of  this  State'  to  pro- 
cure the  following  demands  by  said 
General  Assembly  to  be  made  by  joint 
resolutions  or  otherwise,  upon  the  Nor- 
thern States,  viz: 

First.  To  repeal  all  personal  liberty 
bills  and  other  Legislative  enactments 
to  defeat  the  rendition  of  fugitive 
slaves. 

Second.  The  enactment  in  lieu  there- 
of of  "efficient  laws  to  facilitate  such 
recovery  in  accordance  with  their  plain 
constitutional    obligations." 

Third.  The  prompt  and  faithful  sur- 
render of  all  fugitives  from  justice  and 
violators  of  the  laws  of  the  slavehold- 
ing  states. 

Fourth.  The  immediate  release  of  all 
Southern  citizens  unjustly  imprisoned 
for  seeking  to  recover  their  fugitive 
slaves. 

Fifth.  A  distinct  acknowledgement 
and  faithful  observance  of  the  right  of 


Southern  citizens  to  settle  with  their 
negro  property  in  any  territory  of  the 
United  States,  and  there  hold  it  like  all 
other  property  under  the  protection  of 
just  laws  faithfully  administered  so 
long  as  the  territorial  condition  shall 
last. 

Sixth.  The  repeal  of  all  laws  giving 
to  free  negroes  the  privilege  of  voting 
for  members  of  Congress  or  for  Elec- 
tors of  President  and  Vice-President 
of  the   United   States. 

Seventh.  The  co-operation  of  the  Sen- 
ators and  Representatives  of  said 
State  in  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  in  procuring  the  repeal  of  a 
pretended  law  to  prevent  the  slave 
trade   in  the  District  of   Columbia. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  event  the 
states  upon  which  these  just  and  rea- 
sonable demands  shall  be  made  by  the 
Legislative  Assembly  in  the  name,  and 
on  the  behalf  of  the  people  of  Georgia, 
shall  give  unmistakable  evidence  of  a 
determination  to  accede  to  them,  in 
good  faith,  by  or  before  the  16th  of 
January  next,  Georgia  shall  abide  in 
the  Union,  otherwise  secession  is  the 
only  adequate  remedy  left  her  for  the 
maintenance  of  her  interests,  rights, 
liberties  and  honor. 

Resolved,  That  this  Assembly  will 
now  proceed  to  select  by  general  ballot 
three  candidates  to  represent  the  peo- 
ple of  Floyd  County  in  a  general  con- 
vention of  the  people  of  Georgia  to  be 
convened  at  Milledgeville  on  Wednes- 
day, the  16th  of  January  next.* 

The  above  resolutions,  we  are  in- 
formed, were  unanimously  adopted.  In 
accoi'dance  with  the  last,  the  following 
gentlemen  were  nominated,  viz:  Col. 
Simpson  Fouche,  Col.  James  Word  and 
F.   C.   Shropshire,  Esq. 

*It    was    at    this    convention    that    Georgia    se- 
ceded  from,  the   Union. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Lincoln's  Election  Foretells  Hostilities 


HIC  following"  accounts  from 
The  Courier  set  forth  elo- 
quently the  final  act  pre- 
ceding the  war  drama  of 
1861-5.  They  were  written  partly 
by  Mr.  Dwinell,  wdio  had  just  re- 
turned to  the  editorial  sanctum 
after  a  vacation  at  East  Poultney, 
Vt.,  and  partly  by  his  brilliant  as- 
sociate, George  Trippe  Stovall ; 
and  they  are  arranged  chronolog- 
ically as  an  aid  to  the  reader.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  elected  Tuesday,  Nov, 
6,   I860.' 


It  has  been  suggrested  that  the  11 
O'clock  service  on  Sunday,  the  4th  of 
November  next  be  devoted  to  repent- 
ance, humiliation,  and  prayer  to  Al- 
mighty God,  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
land — that  the  country  may  be  deliver- 
ed from  the  terrible  crisis  which 
threatens  us,  and  that  peace  and  har- 
mony may  be  restored  to  all  sections.— 
Oct.  27,  1860. 


A  Final  Appeal. — Before  the  next 
issue  of  The  Weekly  Courier  will  be 
printed,  the  die  will  be  cast,  and  the 
fate  of  this  Union,  it  may  be,  will  be 
doomed  forever.  All  our  efforts  for  a 
fusion  in  Georgia  have  failed,  and  now 
there  is  no  patriotic  course  left  for 
Union  men  but  to  concentrate  their 
strength,  so  far  as  they  possibly  can, 
upon  the  best  Union  candidate  that  is 
offered  for  their  suffrages.  Is  there 
any  doubt  but  that  this  man  is  John 
Bell   of   Tennessee? 

Surely  no  candid  and  reasonable 
man  will  allow  himself  to  be  deceived 
by  the  numerous  false  and  ridiculous 
charges  as  to  Mr  .  Bell's  soundness 
upon  the  slavery  question.  He  is  a 
Southern  man,  and  a  large  slave  hold- 
er, and  a  calm  and  impartial  study  of 
his  true  record,  while  it  shows  him  to 
be  a  man  of  moderate  and  discreet 
counsel,  it  demonstrates  that  upon  the 
question  of  slavery  and  Southern  in- 
terests he  is  unquestionably  safe, 
sound,  firm  and  reliable. 

We  appeal  to  Democrats,  why  can- 
not you  vote  for  John  Bell?  We  a.sk 
you  to  support  him  not  as  a  Whig,  a 
Know  Nothing,  nor  as  a  representa- 
tive of  any  of  the  old  defunct  parties, 


but  as  a  Constitutional  man  and  a  pa- 
triot. "The  Union,  the  Constitution 
and  the  Enforcement  of  the  Laws,"  is 
the  motto  inscribed  upon  his  banner. 
Apart  from  his  record  it  is  his  only 
platform.  And  what  more  do  you  de- 
sire than  this?  We  know  that  politi- 
cians try  to  ridicule  and  have  sought 
to  throw  contempt  upon  this  platform. 
But  does  it  not  contain  all  the  South 
has  ever  asked  or  desired?  Such  were 
the  principles  on  which  the  early  Pres- 
idents of  the  Republic  were  elected. 
They  had  no  long-winded  platforms  to 
gull  and  to  deceive  the  people.  Why 
should  we  want  them?  For  50  years 
the  Government  was  administered  with- 
out platforms,  and  all  portions  of  the 
country  were  harmonious  and  happy. 
On  the  contrary,  since  the  adoption  of 
platforms  by  party  conventions,  sec- 
tional animosities  have  continually 
harrassed  the  people,  thousands  of 
demagogues  have  sprung  up  like  mush- 
rooms upon  the  body  politic,  the  peace 
of  the  country  is  destroyed,  and  30,- 
000,000  of  people  stand  today  trembling 
in  view  of  the  impending  crisis  which 
hangs  like  a  muttering  storm  cloud 
above  them,  threatening  to  pour  out 
upon  the  country  at  any  moment  all 
the  appalling  horrors  of  civil  war, 
bloodshed   and   ruin! 

This  is  no  false  picture,  but  an 
alarming  reality.  Lincoln  may,  and 
probably  will,  be  elected,  and  in  tliree 
ueeks  from  today,  little  as  you  now 
think  it,  we  will  probably  witness  the 
outburst  of  the  smouldering  flames  of 
one  of  the  most  awful  civil  conflagra- 
tions which  the  world  has  ever  seen! 

Voters  of  Georgia,  Look  to  Yo2(r  hi' 
terest. — On  next  Tuesday,  November 
6th,  by  far  the  most  important  elec- 
tion since  the  organization  of  our  gov- 
ernment is  to  take  place.  In  former 
strifes  party  success  was  the  stake  con- 
tended for;  but  now  the  very  existence 
of  the  (jovernment  is  in  jeopardy.  The 
question  as  to  how  a  man  shall  vote, 
always  important,  is  now  freighted 
with  fearful  responsil)ility.  Every 
man  should  bring  the  question  serious- 
ly home  to  himself  and  vote  from  his 
own  conscientious  convictions  of  duty, 
just  as  if  he  knew  the  fate  of  this  Re- 
public depended  on  his  individual  ac- 
tion. 

The  success  or  defeat  of  the  Union 
ticket,  will — if  civil  war   should   hinge 


126 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


upon  this  fact,  as  it  may — make  a  dif- 
ference of  at  least  20  per  cent  in  the 
value  of  all  kinds  of  property  througrh- 
out  the  country.  A  man  then  worth 
$1,000  has  at  stake  a  pecuniary  inter- 
est of  $200;  if  worth  $10,000  he  risks 
$2,000.  If  a  man  is  largely  in  debt  he 
will  be  utterly  ruined;  for,  after  the 
depression  of  property  he  cannot  pos- 
sibly pay  out.  A  laboring  man  will 
find  his  wages  reduced  from  a  dollar 
and  a  half  a  day  to  one  dollar,  and  the 
chances  for  getting  work  at  all  will 
be  greatly  reduced. 

It  may  be  said  that  pecuniary  con- 
siderations are  beneath  the  notice  of 
patriots.  This  may  be  true  or  it  may  not. 
Interest  should  not  be  weighed  against 
principle.  But  that  is  not  the  case 
now.  We  now  have  principle,  patriot- 
ism and  interest  all  on  one  side  of  the 
scales  and  on  the  other  side,  party  ism, 
sectional  strifes  and  animosities,  and  it 
may  be  civil  war  itself.  No  reasona- 
ble man  in  his  senses  has  a  shadow 
of  a  doubt  but  that  John  Bell,  if  elect- 
ed, would  restore  peace  and  harmony 
to  the  country  by  giving  their  consti- 
tutional rights  to  all  sections;  and  this 
is  all  the  South  wants,  or  has  ever 
asked  for.  It  is  almost  certain  that 
three-fourths  of  the  Southern  States 
will  cast  their  votes  for  this  noble  pa- 
triot and  pure  statesman.  Georgia  can 
be  carried  the  same  way.  Union  men 
of  Cherokee  Georgia,  what  say  you?  In 
other  sections  of  the  State  our  friends 
ai-e  striving  earnestly  and  hopefully. 
Let  us  faithfully  perform  our  duty  and 
all  may  yet  be  well. 

Judge  Doufjlas  at  Kingston. — On  last 
Monday  a  large  crowd,  probably  3,000 
men,  assembled  to  hear  the  celebrated 
"Little  Giant"  upon  the  political  issues 
of  the  day.  The  very  crowded  state  of 
our  columns  today  prohibits  any  ex- 
tended notice  of  his  speech.  We  be- 
lieve all  parties  were  well  pleased  with 
the  entertainment  as  an  exhibition  of 
popular  oratory,  were  deeply  impressed 
with  the  greatness  of  the  man,  and  de- 
lighted at  the  beauty  of  his  wife,  who 
accompanies  him  in  his  Southern  tour. 

The  distinction  between  Squatter 
and  Popular  Sovereignty,  the  latter  of 
which  only  he  advocates,  he  made  very 
clear.  His  whole  argument  sustaining 
his  peculiar  doctrines  was,  to  say  the 
least,  very  ingenious  and  plausible, 
and  in  many  respects  unanswerable. 
Douglas'  speeches  are  everywhere  es- 
sentially the  same,  and  those  who 
would  know  his  position  should  read 
them  in  full.— Thursday,  Nov.  1,  1860. 


Let  Not  Rash  Councils  Prevail. — If 
the  election  that  takes  place  today  re- 
sults in  the  choice  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
of  Illinois,  for  President  for  the  next 
four  years,  there  will  then  rest  upon 
the  shoulders  of  every  individual  citi- 
zen duties  of  fearful  magnitude  and 
vital  importance,  both  to  himself  and 
the  commonwealth.  There  will,  in  that 
event,  doubtless  be  a  diversity  of  opin- 
ion as  to  what  the  South  ought  to  do.| 
and  every  good  citizen  should  calmly 
and  coolly  investigate  the  whole  subject 
and  decide  for  himself  the  proper 
course  of  action.  There  will  be  no 
need  for  hairbrained  demagogues  to 
be  attempting  to  "fire  the  Southern 
heart."  The  chivalrous  and  patriotic 
citizens  of  the  South  are  not  stupid 
dolts  that  have  to  be  "fired"  up  to  a 
realizing  sense  of  their  own  rights, 
honor  or  interests.  The  people  need 
the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
hut  the  truth,  in  order  to  arouse  them 
to  any  reasonable  course  of  conduct. 

The  people  should  beware  of  rash 
counsels,  and  not  suffer  themselves  to 
be  inveigled  into  the  support  of  im- 
practical and  foolish  movements,  or 
"precipitated"  into  a  revolution.  If 
revolution  must  come,  let  us  go  into  it 
deliberately,  with  clear  heads  and 
steady  nerves,  and  because  we  know  it 
to  be  our  patriotic  duty  to  do  so.  But 
if  Lincoln  should  be  elected,  he  will  not 
have  so  much  power  as  some  people 
suppose,  and  it  is  reported  that  he  is 
already  tremendously  frightened  lest 
he    should    he    elected!— Nov.    6,    1860. 


Fo)-  Tax  Receiver. — We  are  request- 
ed to  announce  the  name  of  H.  P. 
Lumpkin  as  candidate  for  Tax  Re- 
ceiver of  Floyd  County  at  the  ensuing 
January  election. 

For  Solicitor  General. — We  are  au- 
thorized to  announce  the  name  of  M. 
Kendrick,  of  Newnan,  Coweta  county, 
as  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  Solic- 
itor General  of  the  Tallapoosa  circuit. 
Election  first  Wednesday  in  January 
next. 

H.  A.  Gartrell,  Esq.— Mr.  Editor: 
Please  allow  us  to  announce  the  above 
named  gentleman  as  a  candidate  for 
Solicitor  General  of  the  Tallapoosa 
Circuit.  MANY  VOTERS. 

Rome  Market  Nov.  7. — Cotton  is  a 
little  dull — 10  VL'  cts.  may  now  be  con- 
sidered the   top   of   the   market. 

Unofficial  Vote  of  Floyd  Co.— The 
following  statement,  though  not  offi- 
cial, will  probably  not  vary  more  than 
two  or  three  votes  from  the  exact  re- 
sult: 


Lincoln's  Election  Foretells  Hostitities 


127 


128 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Precincts.  Bell.  Breck.  Doug. 

Rome    462  360  160 

N.  Carolina  55  66  21 

Barker's    15  41  6 

Livingston    26  50  0 

Flat  Woods  22  8  5 

Cave    Spring   64  60  34 

Wolf    Skin    63  60  34 

Watters    70  39  6 

Chulio    51  22  10 

Dirt    Town    4  35  13 

Etowah    18  0  1 

Total   848       756       286 

We  have  compared  the  above  with 
the  official  vote  and  find  it  accurate. 

A  Card. — Mr.  Editor:  I  desire 
through  the  city  papers  to  return  my 
sincere  thanks  to  the  merchants  for 
refusing  to  sell  spirituous  liquors  on 
the  day  of  the  election,  but  more  espe- 
cially to  those  gentlemen  engaged  in 
the  retail  business.  They  closed  their 
doors  and  did  no  business  whatever.  It 
was  asking  a  great  deal  of  all,  it  being 
a  public  day  and  a  good  one  for  that 
trade,  but  they  made  the  promise  and 
adhered  to  it  with  fidelity.  To  them 
we  are  mainly  indebted  for  the  peace, 
quiet  and  good  order  that  prevailed 
throughout  the  entire  day.  Respect- 
fully. H.  A.  GARTRELL, 

Mayor  City  of  Rome. 

Polk  County. — A  gentleman  who  left 
Polk  County  on  Wednesday  morning 
informs  us  that  all  the  precincts  but 
two  had  been  heard  from,  and  Bell  was 
66  votes  ahead  of  Breckinridge.  Doug- 
las' vote  would  probably  be  100. 

Chattooga  County. — Sufficient  re- 
turns have  been  received  to  make  it 
certain  that  Bell  will  carry  this  county 
by  a  large  plurality,  probably  100  or 
more. 

Delegates. — F.  C.  Shropshire,  Z.  B. 
Hargrove  and  M.  Dwinell  have  been 
appointed  to  represent  the  Rome 
"Light  Guards"  in  the  Military  Con- 
vention to  be  held  in  Milledgeville  on 
next  Monday. 

The  Evd. — The  contest  is  over  and  it 
may  be  that  the  destiny  of  this  gov- 
ernment is  sealed.  It  now  becomes  us 
to  hope  for  the  best,  but  at  the  same 
time  be  making  preparations  for  the 
worst.  We  do  not  wish  to  intimate 
that  it  is  necessary  to  be  organizing 
military  companies,  or  enrolling  minute 
men  in  case  Lincoln  is  elected,  with  the 
expectation  of  immediately  fighting 
our  Northern  enemies;  but  our  prepa- 
rations should  be  constitutional  and 
latvful  in  their  character  with  a  deep 
and       unswerving       determination      to 


maintain  our  rights  in  the  Union  if 
possible,  out  of  it  if  we  must.  The 
course  pursued  by  the  South  should  be 
firm  and  determined,  but  so  clearly 
right  and  unavoidable  for  the  main- 
tenance of  her  honor  and  essential  in- 
terests that  there  shall  be  no  division 
among  her  own  people,  but  that  all  as 
one  great  harmonious  whole  shall  in 
thunder  tones  demand  not  only  of  the 
North  but  of  the  entire  civilized  world 
a  recognition  of  her  clearly  defined  and 
unmistakable   rights. 

While  no  spirit  of  base  submission 
should  be  encouraged  or  even  tolerated, 
yet  at  the  same  time  any  course  of 
rash  or  precipitating  conduct  would  be 
equally  reprehensible  and  injurious  to 
the  prospects  of  our  section.  There 
are  many  men  in  the  South  who  have 
for  a  long  time  believed  that  our  sa- 
cred rights  and  untarnished  honor 
cannot  be  maintained  in  the  Union; 
and  that  it  is  both  the  interest  and 
duty  of  the  South  to  effect  a  separation 
as  soon  as  possible.  Many  of  these 
men  are  among  our  most  wealthy,  tal- 
ented and  most  highly  respected  citi- 
zens, and  they  are  as  conscientious  in 
their  convictions  of  duty  as  any  class 
of  men  in  the  country. 

This  class  of  persons,  however,  we 
believe  is  comparatively  small  and  that 
the  great  mass  of  the  people  still  cling 
to  the  Union,  firmly  believing  that  the 
Constitution  will  be  enforced  and  the 
rights  of  the  South  maintained.  This 
being  the  case  and  it  being  well  knovim 
to  all  that  these  differences  exist,  it  be- 
comes the  representatives  of  each  of 
these  classes  of  opinions  to  be  courte- 
ous and  kind  to  the  other  and  studi- 
ously avoid  anything  like  crimination 
or  the  impugning  of  their  motives.  No 
class  can  rightfully  arrogate  to  them- 
selves all  the  patriotism  or  chivalry  or 
that  they  are  more  ready  to  make  per- 
sonal sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  our 
section  than  others  who  do  not  agree 
with  them  as  to  the  best  plan  of  se- 
curing the  greatest  permanent  good 
of  us  all. 

We  have  said  this  much  to  be,  per- 
haps, of  service  in  case  that  Lincoln  is 
elected,  because,  if  that  is  the  case,  we 
desire  above  all  things  to  see  a  united 
South,  and  that  the  deliberations  of 
our  section  should  be  characterized  by 
high-toned  statesmanship  that  may  re- 
sult in  cool  deliberations  and  harmo- 
nious action.* 

As  it  Should  Be. — The  election  in  this 
place  passed  off  as  quietly  and  peace- 

*This  editorial  and  others  like  it  caused  Geo. 
T.  Stovall  to  resign  as  associate  editor  of  The 
Courier  and   buy  the  Southerner  and  Advertiser. 


Lincoln's  Election  Foretells  Hostilities 


129 


ably  and  with  as  much  good  nature  as 
possible.  Every  grocery  was  closed, 
and  we  did  not  hear  of  an  angry  quar- 
rel or  see  a  drunken  man  in  Rome  on 
that  day.  Many  men  were  much  ex- 
cited but  their  deep  interest  was  ex- 
hibited rather  by  their  calm  but  firm 
determination  than  by  noisy  outbursts 
and  senseless  criminations  of  their  op- 
ponents. The  beautiful  quiet  that  pre- 
vailed in  our  city  was  indeed  a  fact  to 
be  proud  of,  and  we  most  sincerely  hope 
that  the  same  good  sense  and  high  ap- 
preciation of  dignity  and  decorum  will 
always  prevail  on  similar  occasions. 

There  were  nine  hundred  and  eighty- 
two  votes  polled  at  this  precinct,  which 
is  nearly  two  hundred  more  than  at 
any    previous    election. — Nov.    8,    1860. 


To  Whom  it  Concerns. — All  indebted 
to  us  must  pay  immediately  or  be  sued. 
JONES  *&  SCOTT. 

The  Vote  in  Ga. — Of  the  44  counties 
heard  from,  the  vote  stands:  For  Bell, 
20,483;  for  Breckinridge,  18,863,  and 
for   Douglas,  6,918. 

The  Presbyterian  Sabbath  School 
will  hold  its  anniversary  next  Sabbath 
afternoon  at  3  o'clock  in  the  Presby- 
terian church.  Exercises — short  ad- 
dress and  singing.  All  are  respect- 
fully invited  to  attend. 

Gordon  Co.  Vote.—BeW,  481;  Breck., 
874;  Doug.,  97. 

( Communicated. ) 

Notice.- — All  men,  without  distinc- 
tion of  party,  who  are  opposed  to  Abo- 
lition domination,  and  in  favor  of  re- 
sisting the  same  in  such  manner  as  the 
sovereignty  of  Georgia  may  order  and 
direct,  are  requested  to  meet  at  the 
City  Hall  in  Rome  on  Monday,  the  12th 
inst.,  at  2  o'clock  to  consider  what 
course  interest,  duty  and  patriotism 
require  them  to  pursue  as  good  citizens 
and  triie  Soiithemers. 

We  are  requested  to  publish  the  fol- 
lowing ticket  for  Mayor  and  Council- 
men  : 

FOR    MAYOR 

DR.  T.  J.   WORD 

FOR   COUNCILMEN 

First    Ward 

FRANK  AYER 

J.  C.  PEMBERTON 

Second   Ward 

O.  B.  EVE 
A.  J.  PITNER 

Third    Ward 

WM.  RAMEY 

JOHN    R.    FREEMAN 


The  Die  Is  Cast. — The  great  strug- 
gle is  over  and  our  worst  fears  are  re- 
alized. Abraham  Lincoln,  the  sectional 
candidate,  who  was  nominated  and 
supported  to  a  large  extent  because  of 
his  hostility  to  the  institutions  of  the 
South,  has  been  elected  by  a  fair  ma- 
jority. The  present  indications  are 
that  he  will  surely  get  158  votes,  and 
possibly  169,  whereas  152  would  elect 
him. 

And  now  this  state  of  circumstances, 
for  which  the  great  mass  of  the  people 
are  almost  entirely  unprepared,  sud- 
denly bursts  upon  them,  and  demands 
at  their  hands  an  immediate  solution 
of  a  most  difficult  political  problem 
and  one  that  will  probably  forever  fix 
the  destiny  of  all  this  fair  land  of 
ours.  The  idea  of  Lincoln's  election 
has  been  frequently  talked  about,  it  is 
true,  but  it  has  always  seemed  to  be 
at  vague  distance  with  its  hideous  de- 
formities, and  has  rather  existed  as  a 
creature  of  the  imagination  than  as 
one  that  could  possibly  have  a  reali- 
zation in  the  practical  working  of  our 
Government. 

But  hard  as  it  may  be  to  appreciate 
the  hateful  truth,  yet  it  is  a  fact,  and 
with   unmistakable   sternness   it   stares 
us  in  the  face.     The  issue  is  upon  us 
and   we   have   got   to   meet   it.      Every 
man  in  Georgia  has  got  a  solemn  duty 
to  perform  and  it  is  one  that  by  its  im- 
mense  magnitude  makes  small  all    the 
other  acts  of  his  life.      What  shall  be 
done?  is  now  the  question  of  awful  im- 
port that  hangs  upon  the  mind  of  every 
thoughtful    man.      Various    plans    for 
relief  have  already  been  proposed  and 
they  each  have  their  advocates  who  ap- 
ply   themselves    with    zeal    and    earn- 
estness.    Discussion  is  altogether  right 
and   proper,  and   is   probably  the  most 
effectual    method    of    bringing  out   the 
truth  and  correct  principles.  But  there 
is  one  thing  that  should  always  actu- 
ate men  in  the  discussion  of  any  sub- 
ject   if    they    would    be    profited — that 
they    should    be    as   willing   to    receive 
truth   as   to  impart  it.     Our   relations 
to    the    general    government    are    very 
complicated    and    few    men    can    at    a 
glance  take  in  all  its  various  bearings 
and  dependencies  and  it  may  be  that  a 
course  of  conduct   supposed   to   be   ad- 
mirably   adapted    to   our    present    exi- 
gencies would  be  proved  to  be  entirely 
impractical    because    of    the    want    of 
some  necessary  element  that  had  been 
overlooked.      Let  us   then    not   be   rash 
or    inconsiderate,    but    calm,    cool    and 
deliberate   and  in   a   free   and  friendly 
manner    counsel    with    one    another    in 
regard   to   these   momentous   questions. 


130 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


The  recommendation  that  has  al- 
ready been  made,  that  a  State  Con- 
vention should  be  called  immediately, 
we  most  fully  approve  and  hope  the 
Legislature  will  at  once  issue  a  call 
for  delegates  from  every  county.  We 
would  suggest  the  number  of  delegates 
be  the  same  as  the  number  of  Senators 
and  Representatives  in  the  Legislature. 
Let  such  men  as  Joseph  Henry  Lump- 
kin, Chas.  J.  McDonald,  Alex  H.  Ste- 
phens, Wm.  Law,  Robt.  Toombs,  Her- 
schel  V.  Johnson,  Hines  Holt,  Hiram 
Warner  and  others  of  experience  and 
wisdom  compose  this  Convention  and 
the  people  vdll  be  almost  sure  to  rat- 
ify their   action,  whatever  it  may  be. 

Things  He  Can't  Do. — Bad  as  he 
may  be  to  our  institutions,  there  are 
many  important  things  Lincoln  can- 
not do.  As  the  Congress  now  stands, 
there  is  a  majority  of  eight  against 
him  in  the  Senate,  and,  if  the  recent 
telegraph  reports  are  correct,  23  in 
the  House.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
all  the  appointments  of  Cabinet  offi- 
cers, Ministers  to  foreign  courts,  Con- 
suls, Custom  House  officers,  and  all 
other  offices  of  any  considerable  trust 
or  profit  in  the  United  States  have  to 
be  filled  "by  and  with  the  advice  of  the 
Senate."  The  President  recommends 
men  for  all  these  various  places,  but 
their  appointment  is  not  complete  until 
confirmed  by  the  Senate. 

The  Black  Republicans  will  not  be 
able,  of  their  own  strength,  to  carry  a 
single  bill  through  either  House  of  the 
next  Congress  and  it  is  thought  by 
some  that  in  less  than  a  year,  even  if 
Lincoln  should  be  allowed  to  go  on 
with  his  administration,  that  his  party 
would  be  torn  to  pieces  by  its  own  in- 
herent fanaticism  and  corruptions.  But 
yet  it  may  be  better  to  secede  than 
to  suffer  the  disgrace  of  a  Black  Re- 
publican rule.  If  Georgia  so  decides  in 
her  sovereign  capacity  we  shall  go  with 
her,  heart  and  soul.— Nov.  10,  1860. 

Mr.  Dwinell: — Please  announce  the 
following  as  the  People's  Ticket  for 
Mayor  and  Aldermen  for  the  ensuing 
year,  and  oblige, 

MANY   VOTERS. 

FOR    MAYOR 

Z.  B.  HARGROVE 

FOR    COUNCILMEN 

First   Wa7-d 

N.  J.  OMBERG 

J.  W.  WOFFORD 

Second  Ward 

O.    B.    EVE 

JOHN  NOBLE 


Third  Ward 

A.  W.  CALDWELL* 

A.   R.   HARPER 

FOR    MAYOR** 

DR.   T.   J.   WORD 

FOR     COLNCILMEN 

First   Ward 

W.    F.   AYER 

N.    J.    OMBERG 

Second   Ward 

J.   H.   M'CLUNG 

C.  H.   SMITH 

Third   Ward 

A.  W.  CALDWELL 

J.  G.  YEISER 

—Nov.    13,    1860. 


(From   the    Rome    Southerner.) 

Meeting  of  the  Citizens  of  Floyd 
County. — Below  we  publish  resolutions 
and  preamble  passed  at  the  citizens' 
meeting  held  in  Rome  on  Monday,  the 
12th  inst. 

The  attendance  was  large  and  very 
general  from  all  parts  of  the  county. 
We  believe  every  district  in  the  coun- 
ty was  represented.  We  never  saw 
resolutions  pass  more  unanimously  or 
more  enthusiastically.  To  some  of  the 
resolutions  there  was  one  or  two  dis- 
senting voices.  Most  of  them,  however, 
passed  unanimously.  We  were  sorry 
to  see  even  a  single  person  in  that 
large  assembly  who  withheld  his  as- 
sent. If  there  ever  was  a  time  when 
the  people  of  the  South  should  be  unit- 
ed, now  is  the  time.  If  the  Southern 
States,  as  one  man,  or  even  one  or  two 
of  them,  will  show  unanimity  of  senti- 
ment in  opposition  to  Black  Republi- 
can rule,  and  even  if  they  withdraw 
from  the  Union  as  the  last  alternative, 
no  gun  of  coercion  will  ever  be  fired 
by  any  power  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.  Horace  Greeley  has  already  said 
in  his  paper,  the  N.  Y.  Tribune,  that  if 
any  of  the  Southern  States  leave  the 
Union  by  a  vote  of  her  people,  he  is 
in  favor  of  letting  her  alone! 

Every  man  in  the  land,  old  and 
young,  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor, 
is  interested  in  this  question.  Think 
of  it.  And  if  you  can't  go  with  your 
section,  for  Heaven's  sake,  and  for  the 
sake  of  your  country,  don't  go  against 
it!  ' 

The  resolutions: 

Whereas,  the  abolition  sentiment  of 
the  Northern  States,  first  openly  man- 
ifested in  1820,  has,  for  the  last  40 
years,    steadily    and    rapidly   increased 

*Jno.   M.    Quinn    was   later  substituted. 
•*Dr.     Word     was     elected. 


Lincoln's  Election  Foretells  Hostilities 


131 


in  volume  and  in  intensity  of  hostility 
to  the  form  of  society  existing  in  the 
Southern  States,   and   to  the  rights  of 
these  States  as  equal,  independent  and 
sovereign  members  of  the   Union ;   has 
led  to  long-continued  and  ever-increas- 
ing abuse  and  hatred  of  the   Southern 
people;    to    ceaseless    v^ar    upon    their 
plainest    Constitutional    rights;    to    an 
open  and  shameless  nullification  of  that 
provision  of  the  Constitution   intended 
to    secure     the     rendition     of    fugitive 
slaves;  and  of  the  laws  of  Congress  to 
give  it  effect;  has  led  many  of  our  peo- 
ple who  sought  to  avail  themselves  of 
their   rights  under  these  provisions  of 
the   laws    and   the    Constitution,   to   en- 
counter fines,  imprisonment  and  death; 
has   prompted    the    armed    invasion   of 
Southern    soil,    by    stealth,   amidst   the 
sacred  repose  of  a  Sabbath  night,  for 
the  diabolical  purpose  of  inaugurating 
a    ruthless    war   of   the  blacks    against 
the    whites    throughout    the    Southern 
States ;  has  prompted  large  masses  of 
Northern   people  openly  to  sympathize 
with    the    treacherous    and    traitorous 
invaders   of   our   country,    and   elevate 
the  leaders  of  a  band  of  mid-night  as- 
sassins and  robbers,  himself  an  assas- 
sin   and    a    robber,    to    the    rank    of    a 
hero     and     a     martyr;     has     sent    far 
and  wide  over  our  section  of  the  Un- 
ion its  vile  emissaries  to  instigate  the 
slaves    to    destroy    our    property,   burn 
our  towns,  devastate  our  country,  and 
spread   distrust,   dismay   and   death    by 
poison,  among  our  people;  has  disrupt- 
ed the  churches,  and  destroyed  all  na- 
tional  parties,    and   has   now  fully   or- 
ganized  a  party   confined   to   a   hostile 
section,    and    composed    even    there    of 
those  only  who  have  encouraged,  sym- 
pathized with,  instigated  or  perpetrat- 
ed this  long  series  of  insults,  outrages 
and  wrongs,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of 
making  a   common  government,   armed 
by  us  with  power  only  for  our  protec- 
tion,   an    instrument    in    the    hands    of 
enemies  for  our  destruction. 

Therefore,  we,  a  portion  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Floyd  County,  regardless  of  all 
past  differences,  and  looking  above  and 
beyond  all  mere  party  ends  to  the 
good  of  our  native  South,  do  hereby 
publish  and  declare: 

First.  That  Georgia  is,  and  of  right 
ought  to  be,  a  free,  sovereign  and  in- 
dependent State. 

Second.  That  she  came  into  the  Un- 
ion with  the  other  states  as  a  sover- 
eignty, and  by  virtue  of  that  sover- 
eignty, has  the  right  to  secede  when- 
ever, in  her  sovereign  capacity,  she 
shall  judge  such  a  step  necessary. 


Third.  That  in  our  opinion,  she 
ought  not  to  submit  to  the  inaugura- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Hannibal 
Hamlin,  as  her  President  and  Vice- 
President,  but  should  leave  them  to 
rule  over  those  by  whom  alone  they 
were   elected. 

Fourth.  That  we  request  the  Legis- 
lature to  announce  this  opinion  by  res- 
olution, at  the  earliest  practicable  mo- 
ment, and  to  communicate  it  to  our 
Senators  and  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress, and  to  co-operate  with  the  Gov- 
ernor in  calling  a  Convention  of  the 
people  to  determine  on  the  mode  and 
measure  of  redress. 

Fifth.  That  we  respectfully  recom- 
mend to  the  Legislature  to  take  into 
their  immediate  consideration  the  pas- 
sage of  such  laws  as  will  be  likely  to 
alleviate  any  unusual  embarrassment 
of  the  commercial  interests  of  the 
State  consequent  upon  the  present  po- 
litical emergency. 

Sixth.  That  we  respectfully  suggest 
to  the  Legislature  to  take  immediate 
steps  to  organize  and  arm  foi-ces  of  the 
State. 

Seventh.  That  copies  of  the  forego- 
ing resolutions  be  sent  without  delay 
to  our  Senators  and  Representatives 
in  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State, 
who  are  hereby  requested  to  lay  them 
before  the  House  of  which  they  are 
respectively  members. 

Obstructions  in  the  Streets. — If  it  is 
not  the  duty  of  the  City  Marshall,  it 
ovght  to  be,  to  see  that  the  rubbish 
about  new  buildings,  old  boxes  about 
the  stores,  and  wood  piles  everywhere 
in  the  streets,  should  not  be  left  to 
discommode  the  public,  but  should  be 
removed  in  a  reasonable  time.  There 
are  a  lot  of  old  casks  in  front  of  Mor- 
rison &  Logan's  stable  that  ought  to 
have  been  removed  long  ago,  and  there 
seems  to  be  unnecessary  delay  in  re- 
nioving  fragments  and  other  obstruc- 
tions on  the  sidewalks  about  several 
new  buildings  on  Broad  Street. 

Good  Gnns. — The  arms  for  the  "Rome 
Light  Guards"  were  received  on  last 
Saturday.  The  guns  are  the  Minie 
Rifle,  that  has,  we  believe,  the  highest 
reputation  as  an  efficient  weapon  in 
actual  service  of  any  gun  that  has  been 
tried.  Only  fifty  guns  are  received, 
and  if  there  are  men  in  this  commu- 
nity who  desire  to  join  the  company 
they  will  do  well  to  make  early  appli- 
cation. The  company  now  numbers 
45,  and  is,  in  every  way,  in  a  prosper- 
ous   condition. — Nov.   24,    1860. 


132 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


On  Jan.    16,   1861,    the    Georgia 
counties   sent  delegates  to  tlie  fa- 
mous secession  convention  at  Mil- 
ledgeville.    On  Jan.   18,  Judge  Eu- 
genius  A.  Nisbet,  of  Macon,  intro- 
duced a  resolution  calling  for  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  re- 
port an  ordinance  of  secession.  This 
brought  on  a  fight  and  a  test  of 
strength    between    the    union   and 
disunion   factions.     The  resolution 
passed  by  a  vote  of  166  to  130.*  At 
2  p.  m.,  Jan.  19,  1861,  the  secession 
ordinance  was  passed  by  a  vote  of 
208  to  89,  44  anti-secessionists  vot- 
ing for  the  measure  to  give  it  force, 
and    realizing   that    further   resist- 
ance was   useless.    On   this   ballot 
Benj.  H.  Hill  voted  for  secession, 
Ijut  Alexander  H.  Stephens  and  his 
brother,  Judge    Linton    Stephens, 
Herschel  V.  Johnson,  Gen.  W.  T. 
Wofford,  Hiram  Warner  and  oth- 
er leaders  opposed  it. 

South  Carolina  had  seceded  Dec. 
20,  1860;  Mississippi  Jan.  9,  1861; 


JUDGE  JAMKS  M.  SPULLOCK.  ,,nc,.  mijhi-- 
intendent  of  the  W.  &  A.  railroad  and  a 
power    in   North    Georgia    politics. 


Alabama  and  Florida  Jan.  11,  1861. 
Consequently,  it  was  felt  that 
Georgia's  action  would  either  split 
or  cement  the  South.  The  forensic 
giants  were  there — a  galaxy  never 
seen  before  or  since.  Col.  Isaac  W. 
Avery  gives  us  in  his  History  of 
Georgia  (ps.  149-50)  a  correct 
])icture  of  the  scene,  and  incidental- 
ly, emphasizes  the  opposition  to 
secession  among  the  more  con- 
servative t3'pe  of  citizens : 

The  eyes  of  the  whole  Union  were 
upon  this  most  august  body.  There 
was  an  interest  in  its  deliberations 
that  was  both  profound  and  wide- 
spread. It  was  felt  to  be  the  turning 
point  of  the  real  commencement  of  the 
revolution.  If  staid,  self-poised,  delib- 
erate, powerful  Georgia  held  back  from 
the  woi"k  of  disintegration,  it  would 
have  been  such  a  substantial  check  to 
the  destructive  movement  as  would 
have  done  much  to  stop  it.  Georgia's 
co-operation  rendered  the  revolution, 
sure.  The  Federal  administration 
looked  anxiously  to  our  State  as  the 
crucial  agency  of  the  agitation.  The 
people  of  the  North  focalized  their  at- 
tention upon  this  arbiter  of  an  impend- 
ing and  incalculable  convulsion. 

It  was  known  that  a  majority  of  the 
people  favored  secession,  but  the  mi- 
nority in  favor  of  co-operation  and  de- 
lay was  a  very  large  and  powerful 
body  of  public  sentiment,  ably  and  pa- 
triotically headed.  The  vote  taken  in 
the  election  for  members  of  the  con- 
vention showed  an  aggregate  of  50,243 
for  secession  and  37,123  against,  giv- 
ing a  majority  of  only  13,120  for  im- 
mediate disunion,  out  of  87,366.  This 
was  a  much  smaller  majority  than  Gov. 
Brown  had  obtained  in  his  last  elec- 
tion. 

In  many  counties  the  anti-secession- 
ists had  heavy  majorities.  Such  strong 
counties  as  Baldwin,  Floyd,  DeKalb, 
Cass,  Franklin,  Gordon,  Gwinnett, 
Lumpkin,  Murray,  Walker,  Walton 
and  others  went  some  of  them  over- 
whelmingly against  disunion.  In  many 
counties  it  was  the  closest  sort  of  a 
shave,  giving  either  way  only  a  vote 
or  two.  The  most  one-sided  secession 
county  in  the  whole  state  was  Cobb, 
Vv'hich  gave  1,035  votes  for  and  only 
7  against  disunion.  Chatham  was  also 
nearly  unanimous  for  secession.  In  a 
very  few  counties  no  opposition  can- 
didate to  secession  was  run.     In  Tal- 

♦Avery's    History   of    Georgia,    p.    153. 


Lincoln's  Election  Foretells  Hostilities 


13 


iaferro  and    Tatnall    no   secession   can- 
didate was   put   up. 

These  figures  will  show  how  much 
the  people  were  divided  on  this  issue, 
and  yet,  in  the  crazy  fever  of  the  war 
excitement  and  the  more  noisy  demon- 
strations of  the  secession  champions, 
the  opposition  was  almost  unheard  and 
absolutely  impotent.  A  few  brave 
spirits  spoke  out  fearlessly,  and  cour- 
ageously endeavored  to  stem  the  rush- 
ing and  turbulent  tide  of  disunion. 
But  the  generality  of  conservative  men, 
feeling  powerless  to  do  anything,  and 
unwilling  to  incur  a  certain  odium  that 
clung  to  men  alleged  to  be  lukewarm 
or  opposed  to  Southern  interests,  went 
quietly  along  simply  voting  in  the  op- 
position. 

The  secession  convention  was  the 
ablest  body  ever  convened  in  Georgia. 
Its  membership  included  nearly  every 
leading  public  man  in  the  State,  the 
leaders  of  all  parties  and  shades  of 
political   opinion. 

As  for  Georgia's  contribution  in 
men  to  the  Confederate  cause,  Col. 
Avery's  history  (p.  267)   states  : 

The  Second  Auditor  at  Richmond 
published  the  following  statement  of 
soldiers'  deaths  to  Dec.  31,  1863:  Geor- 
gia, 9,504;  Alabama,  8,987;  North 
Carolina,  8,261;  Texas,  6,377;  Vir- 
ginia, 5,943;  Mississippi,  5,367;  South 
Carolina,  4,-511;  Louisiana,  3,039;  Ten- 
nessee, 2,849;  Arkansas,  1,948;  Flor- 
ida,  1,119. 

It  was  an  old  custom  in  Geor- 
g-ia  to  illuminate  houses  brightly 
at  night  on  the  receipt  of  good 
news  of  a  national  or  sectional  na- 
ture. Consequently,  the  houses  of 
Rome  were  Ht  up,  guns  discharged 
and  the  church  bells  rung  merrily. 
A  few  Northern  families  compro- 
mised by  lighting  their  candles, 
and  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  was  said 
to  have  been  the  only  Southerner 
whose  house  was  dark.  Gen.  Brax- 
ton Bragg  soon  passed  through 
Rome  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  and 
meeting  Mrs.  Battey  on  Broad 
Street,  said :  "I  understand  Mrs. 
Battey  is  a  Union  woman." 

"So  I  am,  General,"  she  re]:)lied 
promptly.  "I  believe  in  fighting 
this  war  under  the  United  States 
flag.  Southerners  were  largely  in- 
strumental  in    foundino-   our   Gov- 


ernment, and  if  anybody  must  get 
out  of  it,  I  say  let  not  the  first  oc- 
cupants be  the  ones  to  go !" 

"You  are  not  far  from  right,  Mrs. 
I)attey,"  observed  Gen.  Bragg  as 
he  hurried  on  about  his  business. 

There  were  many  such  incidents, 
and  they  showed  the  inherent  in- 
dependence of  thought  and  action 
of  Georgians  and  the  State  of  Geor- 
gia— an  independence  that  has  al- 
ways enabled  Georgia  to  assume 
the  initiative  among  her  sister 
states,  and  to  occupy  a  conspicu- 
ous and  respectable  position  in  the 
forum  of  the  nation.  Georgians 
can  always  be  depended  upon  to 
fight  among  themselves  (like  Bill 
Arp's  Romans — old  man  Laub  and 
his  wife  and  family),  and  to  get 
together  at  a  moment's  notice  to 
repel  any  foreign  foe,  such  as  In- 
dians, Yankees,  Spaniards,  Ger- 
mans or  what  not. 

During  three  terms,  covering  the 
Civil  War,  Gov.  Jos.  E.  Brown,  one 


MRS.  .lAMK.S  .M.  SrUl.LUCK,  who  assisted 
her  husband  in  the  entertainment  of  some  of 
the    most    noted    men    in    Georgia. 


134 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


of  the  most  ])ci)i)ery  "Rebels"  on 
earth,  occupied  the  gubernatorial 
throne. 

"Cherokee"  or  Northwest  Geor- 
gia had  not  long  before  staged  a 
miniature   war   with    the    Indians, 
and  it  is  significant  that  the  dele- 
gates from  the  21  counties  in  the 
Cherokee   nation  voted  35   against 
secession    to    14   in    favor,    or   2% 
votes  to  one  :* 
County.  Yes.     No. 

Cass    3 

Catoosa    1       1 

Chattooga    2 

Cherokee    3 

Dade    2 

Dawson    2 

Fannin    1       1 

Floyd    3 

Forsyth 1        1 

Gilmer    2 

Gordon    2       1 

Hall 3 

Lumpkin    2 

Milton    - 2 

Murray    2 

Pickens    2 

Polk    1        1 

Union    2 

Walker    3 

White  1        1 

Whitfield    1       2 

14     35 

It  will  be  noticed  by  the  above 
table  that  Floyd  and  her  neigh- 
boring counties  of  Cass,  Chattooga 
Gordon,  Polk  and  Walker  voted 
six  for  and  ten  against.  The  dele- 
gates and  the  way  they  voted  are 
given  below : 

Cass— W.  T.  Wofford,  No;  H.  F. 
Price,  No;  Turner  H.  Trippe,  No. 

Chattooga — Wesley  Shropshire,  No; 
L.  Williams,  No. 

Floyd — Col.  James  Word,  Yes;  Col. 
Simpson  Fouche,  Yes;  Frank  C.  Shrop- 
shire, Yes. 

Grordon — Wm.  H.  Dabney,  Yes;  Jas. 
Freeman,  No;   R.  M.  Young,  Yes. 


Polk— W.  E.  West,  Yes;  T.  W.  Du- 
pree.  No. 

Walker— G.  G.  Gordon,  No;  R.  B. 
Dickerson,   No;   T.  A.   Sharpe,  No. 

A  lively  glimpse  of  the  inaugu- 
ration of  Jefferson  Davis  as  presi- 
dent and  Alexander  H.  Stephens 
a'j  vice-president  of  the  Confeder- 
acy was  given  by  Judge  Augustus 
R.  Wright,  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Government,  in  a  letter  of 
F'^b.  21,  1861  from  Montgomery, 
Ala.,  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary 
Wright  Shropshire,  of  Rome : 

My  Dear  Daughter: — We  had  a  gay 
time  at  the  President's  inauguration. 
The  President  and  Vice-President  rode 
in  a  most  superb  carriage,  glittering 
all  over  with  silver  and  drawn  by  six 
iron  gray  horses  driven  by  two  coach- 
men on  the  same  seat.  They**  were 
fiery  and  impatient  and  beautifully 
caparisoned.  The  military  companies 
with  full  bands  preceded  the  several 
committees  in  fine  carriages,  and  then 
followed  the  crowd. 

The  Zouaves  performed  most  won- 
derfully their  new  military  exercise  of 
vaulting,  lying  down  and  firing,  falling 
on  their  backs  and  loading,  and  divers 
other   most  wonderful   gymnastics. 

The  oath  taken  by  the  President  in 
the  presence  of  that  vast  concourse 
was  most  solemn.  When  Mr.  Cobb, 
who  administered  the  oath,  said,  "So 
help  me  God,"  the  President  lifted  his 
face  to  Heaven  in  the  most  solemn 
and  energetic  manner  and  said,  "So 
help  me  God!"  The  band  then  played 
the  Marseillaise  hymn,  after  which  the 
vast  crowd  gave  three  cheers  for  "Jeff 
Davis  and  Alexander  Stephens,"  and 
began  to  disperse. 

"Sic  transit  gloria  mundi!"  How 
the  mind  turns  from  those  pageants 
and  panoplies  of  war  to  that  peaceful 
reign  of  our  King  "when  the  wicked 
cease  from  troubling  and  the  weary 
are  at  rest." 

Affectionately  your   father, 

AUGUSTUS   R.   WRIGHT. 

*Georgia"s     Landmarks,     Memorials     and     Leg- 
ends,   Vol.    II,    ps.    567-570. 
**The    horses. 


PART  III 

THE  CIVIL   ^ArAR  PERIOD 
1861-1865 


CHAPTER  I. 
Opening  of  the  Civil  War^First  Manassas 


^ 


I 


T  IS  memifestly  impossible 
in  a  work  of  this  size  to 
present  more  than  a 
gHmpse  here  and  there  of 
the  wartime  activities  of  Floyd's 
military  companies  and  life  of  the 
people  at  home.  All  that  can  be 
done  is  to  hit  the  "high  spots"  and 
trust  that  a  historian  will  come 
along  some  day  who  will  devote 
to  the  period  an  entire  book. 

The  principal  events  of  the  1861- 
65  ])eriod  herein  treated  are  the 
First  Battle  of  Manassas  (Va.), 
July  21,  1861  ;  the  chase  Apr.  12, 
1862,  after  the  Confederate  engine 
General,  in  w'hich  a  Rome  locomo- 
tive was  used  at  Kingston ;  the 
capture  of  Streight's  Federal  raid- 
ers Sunday,  May  3,  1863,  by  an  in- 
ferior force  under  command  of 
Gen.  Forrest ;  and  the  defense  and 
occupation  of  Rome  May  18,  1864, 
by  Gen.  vSherman. 

Rome  itself  was  a  concentration 
point  for  recruits  from  Northwest 
Georgia.  Broad  Street  was  a  drill 
and  parade  ground.  The  newspa- 
pers and  the  churches  were  used  to 
inflame  the  war  spirit,  and  we 
have  it  on  the  authority  of  Hilliard 
Horry  Wimpee,*  who  was  then  a 
boy  of  ten,  that  stump  speakers 
sought  to  dissipate  the  impression 
of  small  numbers  in  the  South  by 
the  flamboyant  declaration  that 
one  "Reb"  could  whip  ten 
"Yanks."  In  some  of  these  speech- 
es the  "Reb"  could  even  suffer  his 
left  hand  to  be  tied  behind  him. 

More  than  2,000  men  of  Floyd 
County    (including    an    occasional 

*Mr.  Wimpce  relates  how  he  saw  blood-drip- 
ping freight  cars  come  into  Rome  with  hundreds 
of  wounded  soldiers  after  the  fall  of  Ft.  Donel- 
son. 

**Co.  G,  First  Ga.  Cavalry.  The  name  was 
undoubtedly  taken  from  a  company  which  op- 
erated under  Gen.  Jas.  Hemphill  and  Maj.  Chas. 
H.  Nelson  in  1835  and  captured  Chief  Fosach 
Fixico. 


contingent  from  an  adjoining 
county)  went  out  to  protect  their 
homes  during  the  period  of  1861- 
65.  Including  the  home  guard  of 
ten  companies  (five  of  which  were 
from  Floyd)  there  was  a  total  of 
20  companies  of  an  average  of 
more  than  100  men,  including  re- 
cruits and  replacements.  The  com- 
panies went  to  the  front  in  ap- 
proximately   the    following   order: 

Floyd  Infantry,  commanded  by 
Capt.  Jno.  Frederick  Cooper,  who 
died  at  Culpepper  Courthouse,  Va., 
several  weeks  after  he  had  received 
a  serious  wound  at  First  INIanas- 
sas;  Rome  Light  Guards,  Capt. 
Edward  Jones  Magruder ;  Miller 
Rifles,  named  after  Dr.  H.  V.  M. 
Miller,  Capt.  Jno.  R.  Towers; 
Floyd  Sharpshooters,  Capt.  A.  S. 
Hamilton :  Flovd  Springs  Guards, 
Capt.  M.  R.  Ballenger;  Co.  D,  65th 
Ga.  Infantry,  Capt.  W.  G.  Foster; 
Berrv  Infaiitrv,  named  after  Capt. 
Thos'.  Berry,  Capt.  Thos.  W.  Alex- 
ander;  Sar'dis  Volunteers,  6th  Ga. 
Cavalrv,  Capt.  Jno.  R.  Hart ;  Fire- 
side Defenders,  Capt.  Robt.  H. 
Jones ;  Mitchell  Guards,  named 
after  Danl.  R.  Mitchell,  Capt. 
Zachariah  B.  Hargrove ;  Co.  G, 
1st  Confederate  regiment,  Ga.  Vol- 
unteers, Capt.  Jno.  B.  Bray;  Co. 
A,  8th  Georgia  Battalion,  Capt.  W. 
H.  H.  Lumpkin;  Floyd  Cavalry, 
Capt.  Wade  S.  Cothran  ;  Gartrell's 
Cavalry  (in  1863  a  part  of  Forrest's 
command),  Capt.  Henry  A.  (.ar- 
trell;  Cherokee  Artillery  (later 
Corput's  battery),  Capt.  Marcellus 
A.  Stovall,  Lie'uts.  Jno.  H.  Law- 
rence, Max  Van  Den  Corput,  J.  G. 
Yeiser  and  Thos.  W.  Hooper ,  sur- 
geon. Dr.  Robt.  Battey,  orderly 
sergeant.  T.  D.  Attaway ;  High- 
land Rangers  (Cave  Spring).  Capt. 
M.  H.  Haynie  ;  Highland  Rangers** 


138 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


(Rome),  Capt.  J.  L.  Kerr;  Booten 
and  Harkins'  Cavalry  Company, 
Capt.  Daniel  F.  Booten,  Lient.  Jno. 
Harkins.  The  Rome  Volunteers 
was  a  company  in  existence  before 
tlie  war. 

When  the  fighting  at  Chatta- 
nooga in  1863  threatened  Rome, 
five  home-guard  companies  were 
formed,  and  they  were  command- 
ed by  Capt.  J.  H.  Lawrence,  Jack- 
son Trout,  S.  D.  Wragg,  Marcel- 
lus  L.  Troutman  and  C.  Oliver 
Stillwell. 

Few  survivors  came  back  from 
any  of  the  front  line  companies, 
and  the  valor  in  no  war  of  history 
exceeded  that  of  the  Boys  in  Gray, 
who  fought  wath  extreme  despera- 
tion against  overwdielming  odds 
in  men  and  resources.  The  Floyd 
Sharpshooters  surrendered  ten 
men  at  Appomattox,  whereas  110 
had  gone  out.  Of  24  Cherokee 
Artillery  members  imprisoned  at 
Indianapolis,  onl}^  eight  answered 
the  roll  call  at  Rome  just  after  the 
war,  and  most  of  the  others  are 
supposed  to  have  died  in  prison. 
Jas.  E.  Mullen,  late  cemetery  sex- 
ton, was  one  of  this  command. 

The  Rome  Light  Guard  organi- 
zations kept  going  many  years, 
and  the  Hill  City  Cadets  sprang 
into  existence  and  was  active  dur- 
ing the  Spanish-American  war  dis- 
turbance. 

The  Floyd  Cavalry  was  prob- 
ably the  first  to  ofi'er  its  services 
to  Gov.  Jos.  E.  Brown.  This  was 
done  Friday,  Nov.  9,  1860,  as  soon 
as  the  members  could  hold  a 
meeting  after  the  election  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  to  the  Presidency. 
Three  days  before  the  First  Bat- 
tle of  Manassas,  the  oflr'er  having 
gone  by  the  board,  the  company 
met  and  passed  resolutions  as  fol- 
lows : 

Whereas,  the  Floyd  Cavalry  ten- 
dered its  services  to  His  Excellency, 
Jos.  E.  Brown,  Commander-in-Chief  of 


the  State  of  Georgia,  on  Nov.  9,  1860, 
and 

Whereas,  the  services  of  the  com- 
pany have  not  yet  been  called  for,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  in  view  of  active  hos- 
tilities that  the  company  renew  their 
tender  with  the  assurance  that  it  holds 
itself  in  readiness  to  meet  any  emer- 
gencies whenever  and  wherever  they 
may   arise. 

The  officers  at  this  time  w^ere 
Jno.  R.  Towers,  captain ;  E.  W. 
Hull,  first  lieutenant ;  Dunlap 
Scott,  second  lieutenant,  and  J.  H. 
Walker,  third  lieutenant.  Contin- 
ued inactivity  caused  the  three 
first  named  to  transfer  to  the  Mil- 
ler Rifles  in  the  same  offices.  Arm- 
istead  R.  Harper  took  the  place  of 
Lieut.   Walker. 

The  Floyd  Infantry  left  Rome 
first;  it  went  away  May  10,  1861. 

The  Light  Guards  left  Rome 
Monday  morning,  May  27,  186L 
after  having  heard  on  the  day  be- 
fore an  inspiring  speech  at  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  by  the 
pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Jones.  They 
marched  to  North  Rome  and 
caught  their  train,  and  half  the 
town  marched  with  them,  scatter- 
ing flowers  in  their  way  and  bid- 
ding them  God-speed  \vith  fervent 
prayers  from  the  women  and  lusty 
huzzas  from  the  "home  guard." 
Capt.  Magruder,  of  this  company, 
was  the  first  man  in  Rome  to  don 
the  blue  cockade  of  secession.  He 
was  among  the  first  to  marry, 
choosing  as  his  bride  several  days 
before  the  departure  the  beautiful 
Miss  Florence  Fouche,  daughter  of 
Col.  Simpson  Fouche.  When  the 
Guards  left  Rome,  Mrs.  Magruder 
marched  with  her  husband  at  the 
head  of  the  column,  appropriately 
rigged  out  for  the  occasion — pistol 
and  dagger  in  her  belt,  and  a  stride 
full  of  belligerency.  Let  Miss  Bes- 
sie Moore  (Mrs.  Lawrence  S 
Churchill)  describe  the  wedding: 

It  was  a  novel  and  inspiring  cere- 
mony, from  all  descriptions.  The 
handsome  groom  was  in  full  dress  mili- 
tary   coat,    and    his    trousers    were    of 


Opening  of  the  Civil  War — First  Manassas 


139 


PROMINENT   IN   REMOVAL   OF   THE   INDIANS. 

At  left  is  Brig.  Gen.  Jno.  E.  Wool,  U.  S.  A.,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  who  had  charge  of  car- 
rying out  government  policies  prior  to  the  exodus.  In  the  center  is  Lewis  Cass,  Secretary 
of  War  in  Andrew  Jackson's  cabinet,  who  was  the  storm  center  of  the  diplomatic  negotia-V 
tions.  Next  is  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  hero  of  the  Mexican  War  and  later  adviser  of  the  Union 
War  Department,  who  gathered  up  the  red-skins  in  stockades  at  New  Echota  and  Sixes  Town 
to   facilitate   removal. 


white  silk,  brought  from  the  Orient 
by  his  friend,  Col.  Chas.  I.  Graves,  in 
a  naval  cruise.  The  blushing  bride 
was  dressed  in  snow  white,  including 
her  veil.  They  rode  up  to  the  First 
Baptist  church  (which  was  located  at 
the  same  site  as  today)  in  a  carriage 
pulled  by  two  spirited  white  horses. 

Descending  from  their  conveyance, 
they  passed  through  an  arch  of  up- 
lifted sabres  of  80  members  of  the 
Guards.  As  the  couple  reached  the 
church  door,  they  stood  aside  a  mo- 
ment; the  Guards  came  in  and  formed 
a  second  column,  through  which  the 
two  again  passed  to  the  altar.  Rev. 
Chas.  H.  Stillwell,  pastor  of  the  church, 
then  made  them  man  and  wife. 

Mrs.  Magruder  accompanied  Capt. 
Magruder  to  Orange  County,  Va.,  the 
place  of  his  birth,  and  took  up  her 
lesidence  with  his  people  at  "Fres- 
cati"  (the  Italian  for  "Green  Fields"), 
the  ancestral  home.  This  mansion  was 
converted  into  a  hospital  for  sick  and 
wounded  Light  Guards  and  other  Con- 
federate  soldiers. 

Orderly  Sergeant  Jim  Tom 
Moore,  member  of  the  Light 
Guards  and  grand-father  of  Mrs 
Churchill,  was  married  shortly  be- 
fore the  command  left  to  Miss  Le- 
titia     Hntchinsfs.       The     ceremony 


was  performed  at  the  old  Buena 
Vista,  which  for  a  time  was  Rome's 
leading  hotel.  Theie  were  numer- 
ous other  military  marriages,  and 
some  of  the  husbands  came  back 
to  their  wives,  and  some  did  not. 

The  Rome  \\'eekly  Courier  of 
Friday,  April  26,  1861,  announced 
the  opening  of  the  Civil  War  as 
follows  : 

Glorious  Neirs — Virginia  Seceded. — 
Gen.  Scott  resigns,  and  fighting  at 
Harper's   Ferry  and  Norfolk! 

The  news  of  the  secession  of  Vir- 
ginia was  received  in  Rome  at  11:30 
o'clock  on  yesterday,  together  with  the 
announcement  that  (Jen.  Scott  had  re- 
signed and  was  in  Richmond  and  that 
the  Virginians  had  attacked  the  army 
at  Harper's  Ferry  and  the  United 
States  fort  and  navy  yard  at  Norfolk. 

This  news  caused  the  greatest  ex- 
citement we  have  ever  seen  in  our  city. 
Cannons  were  fired  and  small  arms 
without  number,  and  all  the  church 
bells  were  rung,  and  all  possible  dem- 
onstrations of  extreme  joy  were  every- 
where to  be  seen.  Not  a  few  eyes 
were  moistened  by  the  joyous  overflow 
of  grateful  feelings.  The  eighth  star 
was  put  upon  it  and  the  flag  raised. 


140 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


On  Tuesday  morning-,  May  28, 
1861,  the  Tri- Weekly  Courier  bade 
farewell  to  the  Light  Guards  as 
follows  : 

This  company  left  our  city  yesterday 
evening'  at  6  o'clock.  The  muster  roll 
may  be  found  in  another  column.  Our 
heart  fails  us  as  we  attempt  to  write 
upon  the  subject.  The  company  is 
made  up  almost  entirely  of  young  men 
— only  five  married,  and,  with  two  ex- 
ceptions, these  quite  recently.  Most 
of  the  members  have  lived  in  the  city 
or  in  the  immediate  vicinity;  they  are 
connected  with  the  best  families  and 
of  course  are  greatly  beloved. 

We  are  sure  there  will  not  be  in  the 
army  a  more  gallant  company  of  brave 
men  than  compose  this  corps.  They  are 
armed  with  the  Windsor  rifle.  They 
have  no  accoutrements,  but  in  all  else 
they  are  fully  provided.  The  pro- 
visions for  health  and  comfort  in  camp 
are  quite  complete.  That  they  may  all 
safely  return  is  the  fervent  and  earn- 
est prayer  of  the  entii-e  community. 

The  Courier  Thursday  morninq-. 
May  30,  1861,  gave  the' Miller  Ri- 
fles this  send-oft": 

This  company  left  yesterday  at  11 
o'clock  on  a  special  train  for  Richmond. 
It  consists  of  a  larger  number  than 
either  of  the  other  companies  that 
have  left.*  It  is  made  up  of  the  best 
kind  of  fighting  men,  mostly  from  the 
country,  and  though  but  little  used  to 
drill  at  present,  they  are  inured  to 
many  hardships  that  will  enable  them 
to  drop  into  camp  routine  with  com- 
parative ease;  and  Capt.  Towers  is 
just  the  man  to  make  this  company 
one  of  the  most  efficient  in  the  serv- 
ice. 

And  now  the  author  again  steps 
aside  and  l)o\vs  to  pens  that  are 
more  trenchant  than  his  own.  The 
quotations  are  from  The  Courier, 
with  the  dates  as  indicated : 

Northern  Men's  Sacrifice. — Those 
citizens  of  Northern  birth  who  enlist 
in  our  army  and  who  demonstrate  on 
the  battlefield  their  fidelity  to  our 
cause  are  entitled  to  the  lasting  grat- 
itude and  remembrance  of  our  people. 
To  the  foreman  and  others  in  charge 
of  The  Courier,  it  is  a  source  of  grati- 
fication to  hear  on  frequent  occasions 
the  name  of  Mr.  Melville  Dwinell,  now 
in  the  army,  who  participated  in  the 
recent  glorious  achievement  at  Manas- 
sas, spoken  of  in  terms  of  the  warmest 


respect  and  regard.  He  was  in  the 
hottest  of  the  column  led  by  the  la- 
mented Bartow.  We  hope  that  he 
escaped  death. 

We  grieve  to  learn  that  Frank  La- 
throp,  our  young  friend  and  fellow 
citizen,  from  the  house  of  Sloan,  Har- 
per &  Co.,  is  no  more.  He,  too,  was  a 
Northern  man,  and  fell  at  Manassas, 
battling  for  our  rights. 

Floyd  Companies'  Loss. — As  there 
has  been  no  official  report  publkshed  of 
the  killed  and  wounded  of  the  Eighth 
Georgia  Regiment  in  the  First  Battle 
of  Manassas,  we  are  only  enabled  to 
give  the  following  report  from  a  list 
sent  by  Rev.  John  Jones,  pastor  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  of  Rome, 
who  has  been  visiting  the  companies 
and  is  now  at  Richmond: 

Rome  Light  Guards — Killed:  Chas. 
B.  Norton,  Geo.  T.  Stovall,  D.  Clinton 
Hargrove,  Jas.  B.  Clark  and  Dr.  J.  T. 
Duane ;  badly  wounded,  M.  D.  McOs- 
ker,  J.  H.  Anderson  (Ringgold),  J.  A. 
Stevenson  (Jacksonville)  ;  slightly 
wounded,  Capt.  E.  J.  Magruder,  G.  L. 
Aycock,    A.   J.    Bearden,   J.    Dunwoody 

Jones,  J.  F.   Shelton, Shackleford 

and  Jett  Howard;  missing,  John  J. 
Black,  Wm.  A.  Barron,  M.  A.  Ross  and 
John  R.  Payne. 

Miller  Rifles— Killed,  Thos.  Mobley, 
Frank  Lathrop  and  Lewis  Yarbrough; 
badly  wounded,  O.  B.  Eve,  Thos.  J. 
Hills  and  Wm.  A.  King;  slightly 
wounded,  John  M.  Berry,  B.  F.  Cornut, 
W.  D.  Corput,  S.  H.  Chambers,  M.  D. 
Funderburk,  N.  S.  Fain,  Maj.  John 
Minton,  Jourdan  Reese,  T.  C.  Sparks, 
J.  H.  Silvey,  W.  P.  Trout,  W.  W.  Ware, 
the  two  Easons  and  D.  C.  Harper;  sick, 
W.  J.  Barrett,  G.  Carroll,  R.  F.  Car- 
roll, B.  F.  Price  and  T.  R.  Glenn. 

Flovd  Infantry — Killed,  George 
Martin,  W.  J.  Chastain,  A.  W.  Har- 
shaw  and  J.  H.  Dunn;  badly  wounded, 
Capt.  Jno.  F.  Cooper.  Full  list  not  re- 
ported. 

Manassas  Battleground  Camp,  Tues- 
day, July  23,  1861,  8  p.  m. 
Dear  Courier:  Since  writing  this 
morning  I  have  gathered  some  particu- 
lars of  the  glorious  victory  of  July  21. 
As  the  facts  are  made  known,  the  com- 
plete rout  of  the  enemy  and  the  utter 
confusion  into  which  they  were  thrown 
becomes  more  and  more  evident.  In- 
stead of  getting  42  of  their  cannon,  64 
have  already  been  brought  in,  and 
there    is    reason    to    believe    still    more 

*The  Floyd  Infantry,  under  command  of  Capt. 
Jno.  Fretlerick  Cooper,  is  referred  to  here  with 
the  Light  Guards.  It  is  supposed  to  have  left 
several    days    ahead   of    any    other    company. 


Opening  of  the  Civil  War — First  Manassas 


141 


will  be  found,  provided  this  number 
does  not  include  all  they  had.  Our 
troops  detailed  for  that  purpose  have 
been  finding  them  all  day,  run  off  in 
concealed  places  by  the  roadside.  In 
addition  to  the  cannon,  it  is  reported 
that  the  road  leading-  to  Alexandria  is 
literally  lined  with  muskets,  rifles,  etc., 
etc.  This  morning  27  of  Lincoln's  com- 
missioned officers,  including  several  of 
the  stafi:',  were  sent  to  Richmond  as 
prisoners  of  war. 

The  sneaking  cunning  and  perfidious 
meanness  of  our  enemies  was  exhibited 
on  the  day  of  battle  by  their  use  of  a 
flag,  one  side  of  which  represented  the 
colors  of  the  Confederate  States  and 
the  other  those  of  the  United  States. 
It  was  by  the  use  of  this  that  our  regi- 
ments were  so  badly  cut  up.  The  col- 
umn that  flanked  us  showed  the  Con- 
federate flag  until  they  got  to  the  po- 
sition where  they  could  do  us  the  great- 
est possible  injury,  then  turned  to  us 
the  Federal  side  of  the  flag.  For  doing 
this  when  they  sent  a  flag  of  truce  to 
Gen.  Beauregard,  asking  for  the  privi- 
lege of  gathering  up  and  burying  their 
dead,  it  was  denied  them.  How  can 
they  expect  any  courtesy  when  they 
thus  set  at  defiance  all  the  rules  of 
civilized  warfare?  The  low  spirit  that 
governs  them  and  their  miscreancy 
was  also  exhibited  on  the  18th,  when 
they  made  use  of  the  truce  in  throwing 
up  barricades   and  breastworks. 

A.  J.  Bearden  was  taken  prisoner 
and  carried  some  four  miles  from  the 
battleground.  This  was  after  our  reg- 
iment had  fallen  back.  He  was  car- 
ried to  the  headquarters  of  the  ene- 
my, and  there  saw  a  large  number  of 
gentlemen  from  Washington  City,  New 
York  and  other  places,  drinking  and 
carousing  over  "their"  victory.  Not 
long  after,  news  came  that  their  army 
was  retreating,  with  our  cavalry  in  hot 
pursuit.  Then  ensued  a  scene  of  in- 
describable confusion  among  this  white 
kid  gentry  in  their  efforts  to  secure 
their  personal  safety  by  flight.  When 
our  cavalry  came  up,  Bearden  claimed 
his  own  freedom,  and  took  captive  the 
captain  who  had  been  guarding  him. 
Chas.  M.  Harper,  of  the  Miller  Rifles, 
was  taken  prisoner,  and  with  two  or 
three  others  was  guarded  by  six  of  the 
Hessians.  After  a  while,  more  pris- 
oners were  put  in  care  of  the  same 
guard,  so  that  their  number  exceeded 
that  of  the  hirelings  holding  them.  Our 
boys  watched  their  opportunity, 
snatched  their  guardians'  guns  and 
took  them  all  pi'isoners.  Another  in- 
stance in  which  the  tables  were  turned 
occurred  with    a    member   of   our   com- 


pany, Robt.  DeJournett.  He  was  on 
the  retreat  when  a  mounted  officer, 
supposed  to  have  been  a  colonel,  rode 
up  to  within  15  or  20  paces  and  cried 
out,  "Your  life!  Your  life,  you  young 
rebel!"  DeJournett  turned,  raised  his 
gun  and  shot  him  through  while  the 
officer  was  attempting  to  draw  his  pis- 
tol. DeJournett  made  a  hasty  retreat 
in  safety,  though  a  volley  of  muskets 
was  fired  at  him. 

It  is  now  certain  that  John  J.  Black, 
Marcus  A.  Ross  and  John  Payne  were 
taken  prisoners  and  carried  off.  Mc- 
Grath  came  in  today,  unharmed.  This 
accounts  for  all  the  Light  Guards.  No 
prisoners  were  carried  off  from  the 
Miller  Rifles.  Seven  of  the  Federal 
prisoners  have  told  us  they  expected  to 
be  hung  as  soon  as  the  battle  was  over. 
They  have  been  taught  to  believe  that 
the  Southerners  are  a  set  of  complete 
barbarians.  Geo.  Martin,  of  the  Floyd 
Infantry,  died  last  night.  Howard  Mc- . 
Osker  and  Anderson,  of  our  company, 
have  been  sent  to  Gordonsville.  They 
were  doing  well. 

Our  regiment  has  not  yet  reorgan- 
ized, and  we  did  not  move  today,  as 
was  anticipated.  We  were  all  very  glad 
to  see  Rev.  John  Jones  when  he  came 
into   camp   today.     It  is  said   that   the 


CE0H(;K  TlillM'K  STOVAI.l,.  .'.iilor  and 
Methodist  Siindjiy  School  superintendent  who 
was    killed    at     l'"iisl     Manassas. 


142 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Lincolnites  have  taken  Washington 
City.  They  certainly  hold  no  place 
this  side  of  Alexandria. — Courier, 
Aug.  1,  1861. 

Thos.  J.  Hill'^. — History  will  delight 
to  honor  the  heroes  of  Manassas  and 
the  bravery  of  our  boys;  "in  the  dead- 
ly thicket"  long  will  be  a  fireside 
theme ! 

In  our  exultation  over  the  great  vic- 
tory at  Manassas  it  is  well  to  pay  a 
passing  tribute  to  the  memory  of  those 
who  freely  gave  their  lives  to  gain  it. 
He  whose  name  heads  this  article  was 
not  among  those  whose  life  sped  ere 
victory  was  won;  lingering  until  Fri- 
day night,  he  died  peacefully  in  the 
full  realization  of  the  promises  so 
sweet  to  the   Christian  heart. 

Of  modest,  unassuming  manner,  he 
was  well  known  only  to  his  intimate 
friends,  who  knew  him  but  to  love  him. 
As  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath 
School  at  Running  Waters  (the  Hume 
place  north  of  Rome),  he  had  re- 
cently entered  upon  a  life  of  Christian 
usefulness,  where  he  was  becoming 
better  known  and  more  widely  appre- 
ciated. In  him  we  mourn  a  devoted 
son,  an  afl'ectionate  brother  and  faith- 
ful friend.  Truly,  death  loves  a  shin- 
ing mark,  and  in  the  loss  of  our  prom- 
ising young  men  we  see  God's  ways 
are  past  finding  out. — M.,  Aug.  9, 
1861. 

Rehirned.— Gen.  Geo.  S.  Black,  Col. 
W.  A.  Fort,  H.  A.  Gartrell,  N.  J.  Om- 
berg,  R.  S.  Norton  and  G.  R.  Sandefer 
returned  home  a  few  days  ago  from 
Manassas,  where  they  had  gone  to  visit 
their    sons   and   friends. 

Wm.  Higginbotham,  a  well-known 
free  man  of  color,  also  returned  on 
Saturday  morning.  He  reached  Ma- 
nassas on  the  morning  of  the  battle, 
but  was  denied  the  privilege  of  taking 
a  gun  and  falling  into  the  ranks.  He 
then  assisted  in  removing  the  dead  and 
wounded,  amid  the  shower  of  balls  that 
fell  around.  Such  deeds  are  highly 
meritorious  and  deserve  much  credit. 

Accide7it  on  Rome  Railroad. — On 
Tuesday  evening  last,  as  the  down 
train  reached  a  point  about  two  miles 
this  side  of  Kingston,  it  struck  a  cow 
on  the  track,  which  threw  the  engine 
and  part  of  the  train  off.  The  engi- 
neer saw  the  cow,  but  too  late  to  stop 
the  train,  and  fearing  the  result, 
jumped  off  and  broke  his  leg.  This  is 
the  only  serious  accident  that  has  oc- 
curred on  this  road  for  several  years. 
A  number  of  the  Cherokee  Artillery, 
vho     were     home     on  furlough,     were 


forced  to  walk  from  the  spot  to  King- 
ston, as  their  train  from  Rome  could 
not  pass.  They  were  going  to  Camp 
McDonald,  and  thence  will  go  to  Vir- 
ginia.— Aug.    9,   1861. 


Soldiers  Returned. — John  M.  Berry, 
of  the  Miller  Rifles,  who  had  two  of 
his  fingers  shot  off  at  Manassas,  and 
who  received  an  honorable  discharge, 
returned  a  few  days  ago.  M.  A.  Ross, 
of  the  Light  Guards,  who  received  a 
wound  in  his  arm  and  hand,  was  taken 
prisoner  and  escaped,  arrived  Thurs- 
day on  a  two  months'  furlough.  L.  G. 
Bradbury  belonged  to  no  company, 
though  fought  with  the  rest  of  the 
boys.  He  went  out  for  the  purpose  of 
joining  the  Light  Guards,  but  was  not 
received  on  account  of  being  a  cripple, 
it.— Aug.  16,  1861. 
He  went  to  see  the  elephant  and   saw 

A  survivor's  account  of  the  First 
Battle  of  Manassas  has  l)een 
gleaned  from  the  records  of  the 
United  Daughters  of  the  Confed- 
eracy :* 

It  was  on  a  bright,  beautiful  Sun- 
day morning  that  one  of  the  world's 
most  remarkable  battles  was  fought. 
Gens.  Gustave  T.  Beauregard  and  Jos. 
E.  Johnston  were  the  Confederate 
leaders,  and  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  com- 
mander of  the  Northern  army.  Jef- 
ferson Davis  was  on  the  field,  cheer- 
ing the  hosts  in  gray.  It  was  here 
that  Gen.  Thos.  J.  Jackson  got  his  nick- 
name "Stonewall."  Francis  S.  Bartow, 
colonel  of  the  Eighth  Georgia  Regi- 
ment, had  our  command,  and  Gen.  Ber- 
nard E.  Bee  was  also  there,  with  his 
South   Carolina  battalions. 

Predictions  had  been  made  by  the 
Washington  contingent  that  the  flag 
that  carried  in  its  folds  the  love  of 
these  hotly  patriotic  Southerners  would 
be  furled  forever.  A  large  crowd  of 
spectators  came  out  from  Washington 
in  their  fine  carriages,  with  nice 
lunches  and  plenty  to  drink  in  cele- 
bration of  the  expected  Union  victory, 
and  the  festivities  were  to  be  continued 
that  night  in  the  capital. 

The  tides  of  battle  surged  back  and 
forth.  Units  of  the  Southern  army 
were  cut  to  pieces,  and  the  remnants 
retreated.  Seeing  some  men  turning 
to  the  rear,  the  gallant  Bee  shouted, 
"Look  at  Jackson  there;  he  is  stand- 
ing like  a  stone  wall!"  The  men  ral- 
lied.    Reinforcements  for  us  came  up, 

♦Related  by  Virgil  A.  Stewart.  He  and  B.  J. 
Franks,  of  Armuchee,  are  the  only  survivors 
of    the   Rome   Light    Guards. 


Opening  of  the  Civil  War — First  Manassas 


143 


FOUR   INTREPID   CONFEDERATE   LEADERS. 

At  top,  left  to  right,  are  Jefferson  Davis,  president  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  who 
was  captured  near  Irwinville,  Ga.,  in  1865,  after  a  flight  from  Richmond  with  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  C.  I.  Graves,  of  Rome;  and  Gen.  Jos.  Eccleston  Johnston,  famed  for  his  well-ordered 
retreat  from  Chattanooga  through  Rome.  At  the  bottom  are  Gen.  Jno.  B.  Gordon,  who 
attended  Hearn  Academy,  Cave  Spring,  and  Gen.  Jno.  B.  Hood,  commander  in  the  Atlanta 
campaign,     who    crossed    the    Coosa    River    at    Veal's     ferry,     Coosa     Village. 


and  by  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the 
rout  of  the  Union  army  was  complete. 
Beauregard  and  Johnston  wanted  to 
push  on  to  Washing:ton  in  the  hope  of 
ending  the  war,  but  Davis  said  no. 

Practically  half  of  the  Eighth's 
1,000  Georgians  fell  dead  or  wounded, 
or  were  captured  or  lost.  The  Fourth 
Alabama  was  also  well  decimated.  Bar- 
tow led  his  men  to  an  exposed  emi- 
nence which  was  too  hot  to  hold. 

When  the  command  to  retire  was 
given,  I  did  not  hear  it,  and  soon  found 
mvself  with  none  but  dead  and  wound- 


ed around  me.  I  fell  back  to  a  thicket 
and  met  Jim  Tom  Moore,  who  said  he 
did  not  know  where  were  the  rest  of 
the  men.  Ike  Donkle  sang  out,  "Rally, 
Rome  Light  Guards!"  About  a  dozen 
came  out  of  the  thicket  and  were  im- 
mediately fired  upon  by  a  regiment  in 
a  protected  position.  The  Romans  re- 
turned the  fire,  then  fell  back  to  cover. 
My  hat  and  coat  were  well  riddled, 
but    my   skin    was   untouched. 

Among  our  dead  were  Jas.  B.  Clark, 
Dr.  J.  T.  Duane,  a  native  of  Ireland, 
who    had    come    to    Rome    only    a    few 


144 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


years  before  and  opened  a  dental  of- 
fice; Geo.  T.  Stovall,  a  bachelor,  su- 
perintendent of  the  First  Methodist 
Church  Sunday  School,  and  perhaps 
the  most  beloved  young  man  in  the 
town;  Charles  B.  Norton,  a  clothing 
merchant,  and  D.  Clinton  Hargi'ove,  a 
lawyer,  my  uncle  and  a  brother  of  Z. 
B.  Hargrove.  Charlie  Norton  was  the 
eldest  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reuben 
Norton  and  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Wm.  M. 
Towers.  Among  our  wounded  were  M. 
D.  McOsker  and  L.  T.  ("Coon")  Mitch- 
ell,* son  of  Dan'l.  R.  Mitchell,  one  of 
the  four  founders  of  Rome. 

When  Charlie  Norton  was  shot,  he 
pitched  forward  and  fell  across  me, 
for  I  was  on  my  knees  firing.  He  was 
the  first  Light  Guard  member  to  be 
killed.  It  was  a  horrible  sight;  men 
falling  all  around,  some  dying  quickly 
and  the  others  making  the  day  hideous 
with  their  groans.  Considering  that 
so  many  were  our  boyhood  friends,  it 
v/as  all  the  harder  to  bear. 

Bartow  fell  mortally  wounded,  and 
was  attended  by  Dr.  H.  V.  M.  Miller. 
A  short  time  previously  he  was  at- 
tempting to  rally  his  men.  Frenzied 
at  his  heavy  loss,  he  seized  a  flag  from 
the  hands  of  a  color  bearer.  It  hap- 
pened that  these  were  the  colors  of  a 
South  Carolina  unit  under  Bee.  The 
incident  was  noticed  by  Bee,  who 
rushed  up  and  snatched  the  colors  from 
Bartow.  Bee  also  lost  his  life  in  this 
fight.  Had  he  and  Bartow  been  spared, 
it  is  quite  likely  they  would  have 
fought  a  duel. 

As  the  Eighth  Georgia  marched  off 
the  field  at  the  conclusion  of  the  battle. 
Gen.  Beauregard  saluted  and  cried: 
"I  salute  the  Eighth  Georgia  with  my 
hat  off.  History  shall  never  forget 
you!" 

Capt.  Magruder  received  two  wounds 
at  First  Manassas.  Later,  at  Gar- 
nett's  farm,  near  Richmond,  he  was 
wounded  twice  on  the  same  day.  Part 
of  his  nose  and  right  jaw  were  torn 
away,  and  his  shoulder  was  badly  shot. 
Having  had  his  face  bandaged,  he  was 
rushing  back  to  the  front  when  a  mid- 
dle-aged man  in  homespun  suit  and 
broad-brinnned  hat  stopped  him  and 
said: 

"Major,  you  are  more  seriously 
wounded  than  you  realize.  You  must 
take  my  carriage  and  go  to  the  hos- 
pital." 

Capt.  Magruder  pushed  on  abruptly, 
telling  the  man  to  mind  his  own  busi- 
ness. A  soldier  who  saw  the  meeting 
asked  Capt.  Magruder  a  moment  later 
if  he  knew  it  was  Jefferson   Davis  he 


was  talking  to.  Capt.  Magruder  turned 
quickly  and  apologized,  explaining  that 
nearly  all  the  officers  had  been  inca- 
pacitated or  captured,  and  that  he 
must  take  command.  He  went  through 
the  thickest  of  the  fight,  fainted  and 
was  borne  from  the  field.  After  a  while 
he  was  promoted  to  lieutenant  colonel. 
At  Petersburg  he  was  wounded  twice; 
once  slightly  and  suffered  a  broken 
arm.  Surgeons  insisted  on  amputa- 
tion but  he  refused  and  his  elbow  was 
always  stiff  thereafter.  He  was  sent 
to  "Frescati,"  the  Magruder  home- 
stead in  Virginia,  which  he  had  helped 
put  in  order  to  receive  his  wounded 
comrades. 

Judge  Augustus  R.  Wright, 
Federal  and  Confederate  Congress- 
man, contributed  the  following  to 
the  discussion  of  intrigue  at  Rich- 
mond : 

Richmond,  Va.,  Feb.  26,  1862. 

Francis   C.    Shropshire, 

Rome,  Ga. 

My  Dear  Frank:  On  Saturday  last 
we  had  the  ceremonies  of  the  inaugu- 
ration. Imposing,  very.  A  gloomier 
day  never  settled  upon  the  capital  of 
Virginia.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents. 
Notwithstanding,  the  crowd  was  im- 
mense. President  Davis  made  his 
speech  and  took  the  oath  at  the  eques- 
trian statue  of  Washington.  The  com- 
mending of  himself  and  his  country 
into  the  hands  of  God  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  ceremony  was  a  sublime 
scene.  Emaciated  and  careworn,  with 
a  deep  feeling  of  sadness  pervading 
his  pale,  intellectual  features,  there 
v/as  anearnestness  and  solemnity  in 
his  mannr  that  satisfied  the  beholder. 
His  spirit  was  even  then  in  deep  com- 
munion with  his  God.  There  were 
no  Christian  doubts  that  he  had  prayed 
before  in  the  deep  humility  of  a  trust- 
ing and  faithful  heart. 

Mr.  Davis,  in  my  opinion,  is  a  Chris- 
tian President,  and  if  he  is,  Grod  will 
take  care  of  him  and  the  young  suf- 
fering country  which  he  rules  for  the 
next  six  years. 

The  vileness  of  our  race  is  being  ex- 
hibited here  every  day  in  the  efforts 
of  some  of  those  who  were  first  to 
overthrow  the  old  Government,**  to 
shake  the   confidence  of  the  people   in 

*Mitchell  told  later  how  Stovall  had  men- 
tioned to  him  the  night  before  the  battle  a 
premonition  of  death.  Stovall  was  humming 
at  the  time  his  favorite  song,  "Jesus  Lover  of 
My  Soul."  His  last  words  were,  "Tell  my 
mother  I  have  gone  to  Heaven." 
**Presuniably    at    Montgomery. 


Opening  of  the  Civil  War — First  Manassas 


145 


their  rulers  in  the  hour  of  misfortune 
and  public  calamity,  the  time  when  of 
all  others  we  should  stand  by  the  Gov- 
ernment with  the  most  heroic  forti- 
tude, and  strengthen  by  every  means 
in  our  power  the  confidence  of  our  peo- 
ple in  our  rulers. 

Some  already  declare  Congress  is 
bound  by  no  Constitution  in  time  of 
war,  others  that  we  must  change  the 
organic  law  again ;  the  best  way  to 
get  clear  of  incompetent  rulers  is  for 
the  people  to  rise  in  their  might  and 
overthrow  them. 

It  is  fearful  to  hear  the  talk  in  Con- 
gress and  out  of  it.  If  we  are  not 
careful,  and  meet  with  a  few  more  re- 
verses, we  shall  have  the  revolution 
all  over  again. 

I  shall  stick  to  the  President  because 
it  is  right,  because  he  is  worthy,  and 
because  it  is  the  only  course  to  secure 
law  and  order  and  any  Government 
at  all. 

There  are  a  great  many  currents 
and  undercurrents  here — demagogues 
v^orking  like  maggots  on  the  body  pol- 
itic; the  body  of  the  people  are  like  a 
seething  caldron — traitors  in  great 
evidence  that  glory  in  the  news  of  our 
defeat.  Upon  requiring  the  office- 
holders to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
I  understand  there  were  40  who  re- 
fused. 

The  situation  at  this  time:  The 
Federal  army  numbers  500,000,  the 
Confederate  army  about  350,000.  Mill 
Spring  surrendered  Feb.  6;  Gen.  Jolli- 
coffer,  a  favorite  Southern  general, 
killed.     Fort  Donelson,  on  line  of  Mis- 


sissippi   River,    surrendered    Feb.     16, 
with  about  15,000   men. 

"God  is  my  refuge  and  my 
sti^ength;"  out  of  the  darkness  He  will 
bring  light,  and  upon  these  shadows 
His  spirit  will  move  in  strength,  and 
we  shall  have  a  new  Government  to 
shed  its  blessings,  I  hope,  upon  a  free, 
intelligent  and  Christian  people. 
Yours  truly, 
AUGUSTUS   R.   WRIGHT. 

The  Civil  War,  like  every  other 
war,  was  not  free  of  profiteering. 
Occasionally  the  boys  at  the  front 
would  write  back  their  opinions  of 
money  grubbing  and  hoarding,  and 
as  early  as  a  year  after  the  open- 
ing the  home  folks  were  sniping 
at  its  pudgy  form.  The  Tri-Week- 
ly  Courier  of  Tuesday,  Apr.  8,  1862, 
printed  the  proceedings  of  a  county 
mass  meeting  at  the  City  Hall,  in 
which  strong  resolutions  were 
passed  against  extortionate  prices 
which  were  crippling  the  men  on 
the  firing  line  and  working  a  hard- 
ship on  non-combatants.  Col. 
James  Word  was  chairman  of  the 
meeting  and  R.  D.  Harvey  secre- 
tary. The  resolutions  were  drawn 
by  a  committee  composed  of  Dan- 
iel R.  Mitchell,  H.  Aycock,  B.  F. 
Hawkins,  Kinchin  Rambo  and  J. 
W.  Dunnahoo,  and  they  were 
I)assed  unanimously. 


146 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


FINE  DWELLINGS  OF  HILL  AND  COUNTRYSIDE. 

The  elegant  simplicity  of  Rome  homes  has  often  been  remarked.  Here  we  see  a  few  of 
ihe  finer  structures  in  their  artistic  settings.  At  top,  the  Second  Avenue  home  of  C.  Wm. 
King;  next,  "Beverly  Hall,"  the  country  estate  of  J.  Nephew  King,  near  DeSoto  Park;  center, 
the  Fourth  ward  dwelling  of  the  late  J.  A.  Glover.  The  two  bottom  pictures  are  of  "Hill- 
crest,"    East   Rome    dwelling    of    Jno.    M.    Graham. 


CHAPTER  II. 
A  Rome  Engine  Chases  The  "General 


ALTHOUGH  the  story  of 
"Andrews'  Wild  Raid"  of 
Apr.  12,  1862,  is  well  known 
to  followers  of  Civil  War 
history,  the  part  played  by  a  Rome 
engine  in  the  chase  and  capture 
of  this  band  of  desperate  men  has 
remained  buried  in  oblivion.  This 
engine  was  the  "Wm.  R.  Smith,"* 
a  small,  "wood-burning"  affair 
named  after  Col.  Wm.  R.  ("Long 
Bill")  Smith,  first  president  of  the 
Rome  Railroad.  Her  engineer  was 
Oliver  Wiley  Harbin,**  and  the 
conductor  of  the  Rome  Railroad 
train  to  which  she  was  attached 
and  which  awaited  the  arrival  of 
the  Atlanta  train  at  Kingston  was 
Cicero  A.  Smith,  also  of  Rome,  son 
of  Jacob  Smith,  an  uncle  of  "Bill 
Arp."*** 

The  following  account  is  taken 
partly  from  an  illustrated  folder 
issued  in  1903  under  direction  of 
W.  L..  Danley,  of  Nashville,  Tenn., 
general  passenger  agent  of  the  N. 
C.  &  St.  L.  railway,  lessees  of  the 
Western  &  Atlantic  (state)  rail- 
road, and  partly  from  "Georgia's 
Landmarks,  Memorials  &  Leg- 
ends," Vol.  H,  ps.  230-234.**** 

James  J.  Andrews,  a  Union  spy  and 
contraband  merchant  of  Flemingsburg, 
Ky.,  was  commissioned  by  Gen.  O.  M. 
Mitchel  to  lead  a  raid  into  Georgia  and 
burn  the  railroad  bridges  between  Big 
Shanty  (Kennesaw,  Cobb  County), 
and  Chattanooga,  Tenn.  Gen.  Mitch- 
el's  division  of  Buell's  Union  army 
was  in  camp  near  Shelbyville,  Tenn., 
and  it  was  from  this  point  that  An- 
drews took  21  men  in  civilian  clothes 
and  made  his  way  through  the  Confed- 

*Georgia's  liandmarks,  Memorials  &  Legends, 
Vol.    n.    p.    233. 

♦♦Authorities :  Judge  Jno.  C.  Printup,  Mrs. 
Susan  Cothran  Smith,  of  Birmingham,  daugh- 
ter of  Col.  Wade  S.  Cothran,  superintendent  of 
the   road ;    H.    H.    Wimpee,    of   Rome. 

***  Authority :  Mrs.  Smith.  Cicero  A.  Smith 
was  a  brother  of  Miss  Mollie  Smith,  Henry  A. 
Smith    and    James    Smith,    of   Rome. 

****Contributed  by  Willier  (i.  Kurtz,  of  Chi- 
cago, who  married  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Wm. 
A.  Fuller,  one  of  the  principals  in  the  es- 
capade. 


erate  lines  to  Mar-ietta,  seven  miles 
south  of  Big  Shanty.  Mitchel  was  to 
capture  Huntsville,  Ala.,  on  the  same 
day  that  Andrews'  raiders  were  tear- 
ing up  the  road,  and  supplies  being  cut 
off  from  the  South  for  the  Confed- 
erate garrison  at  Chattanooga,  Mitchel 
was  to  march  from  Huntsville  on  re- 
ceiving word  from  Andrews,  and  over- 
whelm the  Tennessee  town.  Reinforce- 
ments sufficient  to  hold  Chattanooga 
were  to  be  rushed  to  Mitchel's  aid. 

Andrews  was  familiar  with  the  road, 
but  heavy  rains  delayed  him  a  day  and 
he  decided  to  make  his  dash  Apr.  12 
instead  of  the  11th,  reasoning  that 
the  rains  would  hold  up  Mitchel's  force 
a  day  as  well.  Consequently,  he  did 
not  reach  Marietta  until  the  night  of 
Apr.  11.  At  Marietta  the  presence  of 
this  group  of  strangers  attracted  some 
attention,  but  they  explained  that  they 
were  Southerners  who  had  made  their 
way  through  the  Northern  lines  and 
wanted  to  join  the  Confederate  army. 

At  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Apr. 
12  Capt.  Wm.  A.  Fuller,  conductor  of 
the  northbound  passenger  train,  pulled 
the  bell  cord  that  sent  the  engine  puff- 
ing out  of  the  Union  Station  in  At- 
lanta. This  was  the  engine  "General," 
built  by  the  Rogers  Locomotive  Works 
at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  in  1855,  a  trim 
wood-burner  with  a  sharp  cowcatcher 
and  bellows  stack,  which  for  some 
years  has  been  on  exhibition  at  the 
Union  depot,  Chattanooga.  The  en- 
gineer was  Jeff  Cain,  and  Capt.  An- 
thony Murphy,  well-known  Atlantan 
and  superintendent  of  the  W.  &  A. 
shops,  went  along.  Three  empty  box 
cars  were  carried  next  to  the  engine 
to  bring  commissary  stores  from  Chat- 
tanooga to  Atlanta. 

When  the  train  reached  Marietta,  20 
miles  northwest  of  Atlanta,  two  of  An- 
drews' party  for  some  reason  failed 
to  get  aboard,  but  the  other  twenty 
clambered  on,  having  bought  tickets 
for  various  points  l)eyond  Big  Shanty. 
It  was  customary  foi-  this  train  to  stop 
20  minutes  at  Big  Shanty  so  the  train 
crew  and  passengers  could  get  break- 
fast at  Lacey's  Hotel.  This  was  done 
on  this  occasion,  and  Capt.  Fuller  sat 
with  his  face  toward  his  engine,  where 
he  could  see  through  an  ojien  window, 
40  feet  from  the  train. 

In  Andrews'  party  were  four  en- 
gineers and  firemen,  some  couplers  and 


148 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


others  familiar  with  railroad  work,  and 
practically  all  of  them  were  armed 
with  pistols,  and  several  carried  pliers 
for  cutting:  telep:raph  wires.  Although 
Big  Shanty  had  3,000  Confederate  sol- 
diers in  training  (at  Camp  McDon- 
ald), it  did  not  boast  a  telegraph  sta- 
tion. The  commanding  officer  had  i*e- 
quested  Capt.  Fuller  to  take  in  tow 
several  deserters  who  might  board  his 
train,  hence  when  the  conductor  saw 
the  strangers  uncouple  the  engine  and 
the  three  empty  box  cars  from  his 
train  and  start  off,  he  thought  they 
were  Confederate  undesirables. 

"Some  one  who  has  no  right  to  do  so 
has  gone  off  with  our  train!"  shouted 
Capt.  Fuller.  The  sixteen  men  in  the 
last  box  car  waved  defiantly  as  they 
turned  a  curve  and  were  lost  to  view. 
The  alarm  was  sounded  through  vil- 
lage and  camp. 

A  bugler  called  together  the  High- 
land Rangers,  a  horse  troop  com- 
manded by  Capt.  J.  L.  Kerr,  a  Rome 
tailor,  which  was  Co.  G,  of  the  First 
Georgia  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Col. 
J.  J.  Morrison,  of  Polk  County.  The 
horsemen  dashed  away  in  hot  pursuit. 
Among  them  were  four  Roman  broth- 
ers, M.  A.  J.  (Matt),  Wm.,  George  and 
Dave   Wimpee.* 

Capt.  Fuller  used  the  tools  at  hand. 
He  pitted  leg  power  against  steam. 
Mr.  Cain  and  Capt.  Murphy  followed 
closely.  At  Moon's  Station,  two  miles 
away,  they  got  a  hand  car  off  a  side- 
track. The  men  at  the  station  had 
had  their  tools  taken  forcibly  by  the 
raiders.  They  reported  that  the 
strangers  had  cut  100  yards  of  wire 
from  the  telegraph  poles,  and  carried 
it  with  them.  Capt.  Fuller  then  com- 
prehended the  design,  and  put  new  de- 
termination into  his  efforts.  He  had 
arrived  here  ahead  of  his  companions, 
so  pushed  the  hand  car  back  and  picked 
them  up.  Two  of  them  shoved  the  rude 
conveyance  while  the  third  rested  and 
kept  a  sharp  lookout  ahead.  Rain  was 
falling  in  a  gloomy  drizzle. 

Capt.  Fuller  figured  that  the  down- 
grade to  Etowah  Station,  at  the  Eto- 
wah river,  would  probably  enable  him 
to  get  to  that  point  (fifteen  miles  from 
Moon's)  by  the  time  "The  General"  had 
climbed  the  grade  thence  to  Kingston, 
and  that  at  Kingston  freight  trains 
were  due  to  hold  up  the  raiders  a  while. 
A  pile  of  crossties  was  removed  from 
the  track  a  mile  north  of  Moon's.  At 
Acworth  they  got  pistols  and  wei-e 
joined  by  Steve  Stokely,  of  Cobb  Coun- 
ty, and  a  Mr.  Smith,  of  Jonesboro, 
Two   rails  had  been   removed  just   be- 


fore   reaching    Etowah,    so    the    hand- 
car had  to  be  lifted  along  some  75  feet. 

After  a  heroic  effort,  Etowah  was 
reached,  and  there,  justifying  the 
hopes  of  Capt.  Fuller,  stood  the  old 
engine  "Yonah,"  the  property  of  the 
Cooper  Iron  Works.  The  engine  was 
standing  on  a  sidetrack  near  the  Eto- 
wah trestle,  and  the  tender,  detached, 
was  on  the  turn-table.  The  tender  was 
turned  around  and  attached  to  the  en- 
gine, and  off  they  went.  No  further 
impediments  were  encountered  up  to 
Kingston,  fifteen  miles  from  Etowah. 
By  this  time  the  countryside  was  in 
a  fever  of  excitement.  Andrews  was 
telling  curious  station  masters  and 
trainmen  that  he  was  running  an  am- 
munition train  to  the  relief  of  Gen. 
G.  T.  Beauregard,  at  Corinth,  Miss. 
He  also  stated  that  Capt.  Fuller's  pas- 
senger train  was  coming  along  behind ; 
but  when  the  people  saw  Capt.  Ful- 
ler's bedraggled  crew,  they  knew  the 
truth. 

The  "Yonah"  pawed  up  sparks  as 
her  wheels  slipped  in  starting;  then 
she  made  record  speed  to  Kingston. 
Andrews  had  just  left.  He  had  per- 
suaded the  freight  engineers  to  give 
him  right  of  way,  and  was  off  with  a 
mocking  laugh.  The  "Texas"  found 
the  freights  so  arranged  that  she  was 
hopelessly  pocketed,  but  on  the  left- 
hand  prong  of  the  "Y,"  pointed  toward 
Rome,  was  the  "Wm.  R.  Smith,"  steam 
up  and  waiting  for  the  Atlanta  trans- 
fer passengers.  Capt.  Fuller  pressed 
this  engine  into  service,  and  her  en- 
gineer, O.  Wiley  Harbin,  ran  her  a 
distance  of  five  miles,  faster  than  the 
"stringers"  and  flat  rails  of  the  Rome 
railroad  would  have  stood.  In  the  cab 
of  the  Rome  engine  were  also  seated 
the  Rome  train  conductor,  Cicero  A. 
Smith,  Capt.  Fuller,  Mr.  Cain,  Mr. 
Murphy,  Mr.  Stokely  and  Mr.  Smith. 
Four  miles  south  of  Adairsville  (Cass 
County),  60  yards  of  track  was  found 
to  have  been  torn  up.  The  "Smith" 
was  stopped  with  a  jerk  and  Capt.  Ful- 
ler and  his  four  companions  ran  ahead 
after  thanking  the  crew  from  Rome. 
The  Romans  remained  behind  to  look 
after  their  engine,  and  slowly  steamed 
back  to  Kingston  and  took  up  their 
previous    position. 

Capt.  Fuller  pressed  on  two  miles  as 
fast  as  his  legs  would  carry  him,  again 
leading  his  crowd  by  several  furlongs. 
After  half  a  mile  Murphy  was  the 
only  one  he  could  see.  Presentb?^  an 
express  freight  train  came  puffing 
along  with  20  cars.     Capt.  Fuller  stood 

♦Authority :      H.    H.    Wimpee. 


A  Rome  Engine  Chases  the  "General" 


149 


on  the  track,  brandished  his  pistol  and 
brought  the  train  to  a  stop.  The  en- 
gineer, Peter  Bracken,  recognized  him 
?nd  heard  his  hastily-told  story.  They 
waited  for  Capt.  Murphy  to  arrive, 
then  backed  up  the  road  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible, Capt.  Fuller  standing  on  the  last 
box  car,  20  lengths  away,  and  giving 
signals  so  the  engineer  could  tell  how 
to  run.  Others  now  on  the  train  were 
Fleming  Cox  and  Henry  Haney,  fire- 
man of  the  freight,  and  Alonzo  Mar- 
tin, wood  passer.  Smith  and  Stokely 
had  been  left  behind.  The  train  was 
now  being  pushed  by  the  Danforth  and 
Cook  engine  "Texas." 

When  within  200  yards  of  the  switch 
at  Adairsville,  Capt.  Fuller  jumped 
down,  ran  ahead  and  changed  the 
switch  so  as  to  throw  the  20  cars  on 
the  sidetrack.  He  then  reversed  the 
switch  and  hopped  on  the  "Texas," 
which  sped  on  her  way.  So  quickly 
had  this  change  been  effected  that  en- 
gine and  cars  ran  side  by  side  for  near- 
ly 1,000  feet.  The  "Texas,"  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind,  was  still  running 
backward,  whereas  the  "General"  was 
pointed  ahead.  This  gave  the  "Gen- 
eral" quite  an  advantage  because  the 
instability  of  a  tender  running  fast 
ahead  tends  to  throw  it  off  the  track. 
Calhoun,  Gordon  County,  ten  miles 
from  Adairsville,  was  reached  in 
twelve  minutes.  Here  Edward  Hen- 
derson, 17,  telegraph  operator  at  Dal- 
ton,  had  arrived  on  the  morning  pas- 
senger train,  to  see  what  was  the  mat- 
ter with  the  telegraph  wires.  Running 
at  1.5  miles  an  hour,  Capt.  Fuller 
stretched  out  a  hand  to  him  and  pulled 
him  aboard  the  engine. 

While  they  sped  along  as  fast  as  an 
engine  with  5  feet,  10-inch  driving 
wheels  could  run,  Capt.  Fuller  wrote 
the  following  telegram  to  Gen.  Ledbet- 
ter  at  Chattanooga,  handed  it  to  young 
Henderson  and  told  him  to  hop  off 
quick  at  Dalton  and  put  it  through: 

"My  train  was  captured  this  morn- 
ing at  Big  Shanty,  evidently  by  P^ed- 
eral  soldiers  in  disguise.  They  are 
making  rapidly  for  Chattanooga,  pos- 
sibly with  an  idea  of  burning  the  rail- 
road bridges  in  their  rear.  If  I  do 
not  capture  them  in  the  meantime,  see 
that    they    do    not    pass    Chattanooga." 

Two  miles  north  of  Calhoun  the  fly- 
ing raiders  were  sighted  by  the  pur- 
suers for  the  first  time.  They  de- 
tached the  rear  freight  car  at  a  point 
where  they  had  made  a  fruitless  effort 
to  tear  up  a  rail  with  a  crow-bar.  This 
car  was  coupled  in  front  of  the  "Tex- 
as" without  stopping,  and  Capt.  Fuller 
mounted    it    and    signalled    to    the    en- 


gineer, who  could  not  see  ahead.  The 
end  of  this  car  had  been  punched  out 
so  crossties  could  be  strewn  along  the 
tiack,  ties  having  been  taken  from  the 
roadbed  at  various  points.  Two  and  a 
half  miles  farther,  Capt.  Fuller  en- 
countered another  loose  freight  car. 
This  was  taken  on  in  front,  and  the 
gallant  captain  moved  up  a  car  length. 
The  bridge  over  the  Oostanaula  River 
was  crossed  safely  and  at  Resaca  Capt. 
Fuller  left  the  two  cumbersome  freight 
cars  on  a  siding,  and  sped  onward  with 
the  "Texas"  only.  At  a  short  curve 
tw^o  miles  north  of  Resaca  a  T-rail 
diagonally  across  the  track  was  seen 
too  late  to  stop.  Capt.  Fuller  was 
standing  on  the  tender,  and  he  clung 
to  the  side  and  closed  his  eyes  a  mo- 
ment in  anticipation  of  a  crash.  The 
right  fore  wheel  swept  the  rail  off  the 
track  like  it  had  been  a  straw,  and 
they  were  safe  again.  They  were  said 
to  have  been  making  55  miles  an  hour. 
This  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  rails 
whose  removal  halted  the  engine  from 
Rome.  It  was  probably  dropped  off 
the  third  and  last  box  car,  hence  there 
was  no  time  to  place  it  straight  across. 
Only  two  or  three  times  were  obstruc- 
tions met  with  between  Resaca  and 
Dalton,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles; 
these  were   quickly  removed.     At  Dal- 


COl..  WADI-:  S.  COTHKAN.  banki-r  an. I  pro- 
moter, who,  with  John  Hume,  caused  the 
Nobles   to   move   to    Rome. 


150 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ton  the  telegraph  operator  was  drop- 
ped, and  he  managed  to  get  his  mes- 
sage on  the  line  a  few  seconds  before 
the  wires  were  snipped  up  the  road. 
The  customary  acknowledgment  at  the 
end  of  the  message  was  not  received 
from  Chattanooga  because  the  pliers 
had  been   used   so  quickly. 

Two  miles  north  of  Dalton  the  des- 
perate fugitives  were  seen  frantically 
attempting  to  tear  up  a  rail.  Col.  Jesse 
A.  Glenn's  regiment  was  camping 
nearby,  and  its  members  also  noticed 
the  work  of  Andrews'  men.  Before 
the  soldiers  could  come  up,  the  An- 
drews band  had  made  off  again.  The 
fifteen  miles  from  Dalton  to  Ringgold 
(Catoosa  County)  was  made  in  faster 
time  than  Capt.  Fuller  had  ever  made 
it  in  his  22  years  as  a  conductor.  At 
middle  distance  between  these  two 
points  stood  the  long  tunnel  at  Tunnel 
Hill,  Whitfield  County.  Here  was  a 
fine  opportunity  for  the  pursued  to 
wreck  the  determined  pursuers.  Had 
they  stopped  a  short  distance  beyond 
the  tunnel  and  sent  their  last  box  car 
into  the  dark  passageway,  a  shocking 
tragedy  might  have  been  enacted. 
However,  they  were  too  hotly  pursued 
to  try  such  an  experiment. 

The  intervening  distance  had  been 
eaten  up  by  the  "Texas"  until,  half 
way  between  Ringgold  and  Graysville 
(a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  Ringgold), 
the  "General"  was  only  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  in  the  lead.  The  "General"  was 
weakening  perceptibly,  due  to  complete 
exhaustion  of  her  wood  and  water  sup- 
ply. The  last  splinter  had  been  shoved 
into  the  firebox  and  the  last  drop  of 
water  squeezed  from  her  tank.  The 
once  white  smoke  belching  from  her 
clumsy  but  business-like  stack  had 
been  transformed  into  a  hot  breath. 
The  20  reckless  mutineers  who  had 
commandeered  her  would  have  chucked 
in  their  hats,  shirts  and  shoes  except 
for  the  job  of  tearing  through  bram- 
bles and  streams.  Several  pine  knots 
had  been  passed  back  to  the  box  cars 
to  set  them  on  fire  and  send  to  the  rear 
a  flaming  messenger  of  death.  Had 
this  sortie  been  successful,  the  chance 
of  escape  might  have  been  greatly 
heightened,  for  the  flames  would  have 
closed  around  the  chugging  "Texas" 
like  a  snare.  A  small  fire  was  started 
in  the  car,  but  the  dampness  madd  the 
attempt  a  failure.  It  was  probable 
that  the  plan  was  to  fire  the  car  and 
leave  it  on  the  next  bridge,  but  the 
"General"  could  not  pull  the  grade, 
and  the  car  was  cut  loose.  Capt.  Ful- 
ler picked  it  up,  and  put  out  the  fire. 
The     fugitives      now     abandoned     the 


"General"  and  ran  through  the  woods 
to  the  west.  "Every  man  take  care  of 
himself!"  shouted  Andrews,  and  they 
scattered  in  squads  of  three  or  four. 

At  Ringgold  Capt.  Fuller  had  sight- 
ed 50  or  75  soldiers  and  had  shouted 
word  for  them  to  mount  their  horses 
and  come  forward  in  the  chase.  At  a 
fork  in  the  Chickamauga  near  Grays- 
ville four  of  the  raiders  were  captured, 
and  one  of  them  was  forced  to  tell  who 
they  were.  The  neighborhood  was 
thoroughly  awakened,  and  within  a 
fortnight  all  of  the  22  had  been  round- 
ed up,  including  the  two  who  had  failed 
to  take  the  train  at  Marietta.  Although 
badly  tuckered  out,  Capt.  Fuller,  Capt. 
Murphy,  Fleming  Cox  and  Alonzo 
Martin  took  to  the  woods  in  pursuit  of 
the  raiders,  but  soon  left  the  chase  to 
the  men  on  horseback.  Some  of  the 
pursued  hid  out  in  mountains  and 
canebrakes,  but  were  turned  up  when 
they  applied  at  farm  houses  for  food. 

The  following  Kentucky  and  Ohio 
men  participated  in  the  raid:* 

Jas.  J.  Andrews,  leader,  citizen, 
Flemingsburg,  Ky. ;  Wm.  H.  Campbell, 
citizen,  of  Kentucky. 

Marion  A.  Ross,  sergeant  major; 
Wm.  Pittinger,  sergeant.  Company  G; 
Geo.  D.  Wilson,  private,  Company  B; 
Chas.  P.  Shadrach,  private.  Company 
K,  all  of  Second  Ohio  Infantry. 

Elihu  H.  Mason,  sergeant,  Company 
K;  Jno.  M.  Scott,  sergeant.  Company 
F ;  Wilson  M.  Brown,  corporal.  Com- 
pany F ;  Mark  Wood,  private,  Com- 
pany C;  Jno.  A.  Wilson,  private,  Com- 
pany C;  Wm.  Knight,  private.  Compa- 
ny E ;  Jno.  R.  Porter,  private,  Com- 
pany G ;  Wm.  Bensinger,  private,  Com- 
pany G ;  Robt.  Buff um,  private,  Com- 
pany H,  all  of  21st  Ohio  Infantry. 

Martin  J.  Hawkins,  corporal.  Com- 
pany A;  Wm.  H.  Reddick,  corporal. 
Company  B ;  Daniel  A.  Dorsey,  coi'- 
poral.  Company  H;  John  Wollam,  pri- 
vate. Company  C;  Samuel  Slavens,  pri- 
vate. Company  E ;  Samuel  Robertson, 
private,  Company  G;  Jacob  Pari-ott, 
private,  Company  K,  all  of  33rd  Ohio 
Infantry. 

Eight  of  these  men,  whose  names  ap- 
pear below,  were  executed  by  the  Con- 
federate authorities  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in 
June,  1862;  Andrews  on  June  7,  and 
Campbell,  Ross,  Geo.  D.  Wilson,  Shad- 
rach, Scott,  Slavens  and  Robertson  on 
June  18.  On  Oct.  16,  1862,  the  eight 
following  named  made  their  escape 
from  prison  at  Atlanta:  Brown,  Wood, 

'•'Letter,  Feb.  18,  1903,  from  F.  C.  Ainsworth, 
chief  of  Record  and  Pension  office,  Washing- 
ton,  D.   C,  to  W.   L.  Danley,  Nashville,   Tenn. 


A  Rome  Engine  Chases  the  "General' 


151 


John  A.  Wilson,  Knight,  Porter,  Haw- 
kins, Dorsey  and  WoHam.  The  re- 
maining six  members  of  the  raiding 
party  were  paroled  at  City  Point,  Va., 
March  17,  1863.  Their  names  follow: 
Pittinger,  Mason,  Bensinger,  Buffum, 
Reddick  and  Parrott.  Congress  gave 
medals  to  all  the  survivors,  who  erect- 
ed a  monument  to  their  comrades  in 
the  National  cemetery  at  Chicka- 
mauga,  Ga.  The  N.,  C".  &  St.  L.  rail- 
way erected  tablet  stones  at  the  points 
where  the  "General"  was  captured  and 
was  abandoned.  The  "Texas"  stands 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  Grant 
Park,  Atlanta,  defying  the  wind  and 
the  weather.  The  "Yonah"  and  the 
"Wm.  R.  Smith"  are  supposed  to  have 
been   scrapped.* 

Sergt.  Pittinger  testified  at  his 
trial  that  wlien  the  "General" 
"broke  down,"  they  were  burning 
oil  cans,  tool  boxes  and  planks 
ripped  off  the  freight  car.  As  they 
abandoned  her  they  reversed  her 
in  order  to  bring  on  a  collision  with 
the  "Texas,"  but  in  their  haste  and 
excitement  they  left  the  brake  on 
the  tender,  and  there  was  not  suf- 
ficient steam  to  back  the  engine. 
In  his  book,  "Capttiring  a  Locomo- 
tive," he  says : 

We  obstructed  the  track  as  well  as 
we  could  by  laying  on  crossties  at  dif- 
ferent places.  We  also  cut  the  wires 
between  every  station.  Finally,  when 
we  were  nearly  to  the  station  where 
we  expected  to  meet  the  last  train, 
we  stopped  to  take  up  a  rail.  We  had 
no  instruments  but  a  crowbar,  and 
instead  of  pulling  out  the  spikes,  as 
we  could  have  done  with  the  pinch 
bars  used  for  that  purpose  by  rail- 
road men,  we  had  to  batter  them  out. 
Just  as  we  were  going  to  relinquish 
the  effort,  the  whistle  of  an  engine  in 
pursuit  sounded  in  our  ears.**  With 
one    convulsive    effort     we     broke     the 

♦Georgia's  liandmarks.  Memorials  &  Legends, 
Vol.  II,  p.  234,  says  Andrews  was  hanged  at 
Ponce  DeLeon  Avenue  and  Peachtree  Street, 
followinp:  his  conviction  at  Chattanooga  as  a 
spy  :  that  the  seven  others  hanged  were  tried 
alt  Knoxville,  and  were  talten  from  the  old  jail 
at  Fair  and  Fraser  Streett-,  Atlanta,  and 
hanged  near  Oakland  cemetery,  on  land  now 
owned  by  the  street  railway  company  ;  and  that 
the  eight  escai)ed  the  Atlanta  jail  in  l)road 
daylight  and  made  thei^  way  to   the   Union   lines. 

'*The  whistle  they  heard  was  on  the  Rome 
engine,  the  "Wm.  R.  Smith."  According  to  the 
N.,  C.  &  St.  L.  booklet,  p.  9,  60  yards  of  track 
was   torn    up    at   that    point. 

***N.,    C.    &    St.    L.    booklet,    ps.    21-23. 

****P^ather  of  Robt.  F.  Maddox,  former  mayor 
of   Atlanta. 


rail  in  two,  took  up  our  precious  half 
rail    and   left. 

We  were  scarcely  out  of  sight  of  the 
place  where  we  had  taken  up  the  half 
rail  before  the  other  train  met  us. 
This  was  safely  passed.  When  our 
pursuers  came  to  the  place  where  the 
broken  rail  was  taken  up,  they  aban- 
doned their  engine  and  ran  on  foot 
till  they  met  the  freight  train,  and 
turned    it  back   after   us. 

We  adopted  every  expedient  we 
could  think  of  to  delay  pursuit,  but  as 
we  were  cutting  the  wire  near  Cal- 
houn, they  came  in  sight  of  us.  We 
instantly  put  our  engine  to  full  speed, 
and  in  a  moment  the  wheels  were 
striking  fire  from  the  rails  in  their 
rapid  revolutions.  The  car  in  which 
we  rode  rocked  furiously  and  threw 
us  from  one  side  to  the  other  like 
peas  rattled  in  a  gourd. 

I  then  proposed  to  Andrews  to  let 
our  engineer  take  the  engine  out  of 
sight,  while  we  hid  in  a  curve,  after 
putting  a  crosstie  on  the  track;  when 
they  checked  to  remove  the  obstruc- 
tions, we  could  rush  on  them,  shoot 
every  person  on  the  engine,  reverse  it 
and  let  it  drive  backward  at  will. 

The  vSouthern  Confederacy,  a 
paper  published  in  Atlanta  at  the 
time,  wrote  :*** 

The  fugitives,  not  expecting  pur- 
suit, quietly  took  in  wood  and  water 
at  Cass  Station,  and  borrowed  a 
schedule  from  the  bank  tender  on  the 
plausible  pretext  that  they  were  run- 
ning a  pressed  train  loaded  with  pow- 
der for    Beauregard. 

They  had  on  the  engine  a  red  hand- 
kerchief, indicating  that  the  regular 
passenger  train  would  be  along  pres- 
ently. They  stopped  at  Adairsville 
and  said  that  Fuller,  with  the  regu- 
lar passenger  train,  was  behind,  and 
would  wait  at  Kingston  for  the  freight 
train,  and  told  the  conductor  to  i)ush 
ahead  and  meet  him  at  that  i)()int. 
This  was  done  to  produce  a  collision 
with    Capt.    Fuller's    train. 

When  the  morning  freight  reached 
Big  Shanty,  Lieut.  Cols.  R.  F.  Mad- 
dox**** and  C.  D.  Phillips  took  the  en- 
gine, and  with  50  picked  men,  follow- 
ed on  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Capt. 
Fuller  on  his  return  met  them  at  Tun- 
nel Hill  and  turned  them  back.  Peter 
Bracken,  the  engineer  on  the  "Texas," 
ran  his  engine  50 '^  miles — two  miles 
backing  the  whole  freight  train  up  to 
Adairsville;  made  twelve  stops,  cou- 
pled the  two  cars  dropped  by  the  fu- 
gitives, and  switched  them  off  on  sid- 


152 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ings — all    in    one    hour    and    five    min- 
utes." 

The  ])ai"t  ])la\e(l  l)y  the  Rome  en- 
j^'ine  and  her  ere\\-  was  Avarmly 
l)raise(l  I)y  the  citizens  and  the 
military  authorities.  Indeed,  not 
only  was  an  important  link  sup- 
plied, l)ut  tile  api)earance  of  the  en- 
gine at  the  point  of  broken  track 
no  doubt  prevented  a  wreck  of  the 
southbound  freight  piloted  by  En- 
gineer Bracken.  Ihul  a  wreck  oc- 
curred, Capt.  Fuller  would  have 
]Hished  on  to  Adairsville  afoot,  and 
the  raiders  would  probably  have 
been  able  to  carry  out  at  least  a 
part  of  their  design. 

Out  on  his  farm  in  North  Rome 
Col.  Wade  S.  Cothran,  superin- 
tendent of  the  Rome  Railroad, 
always  took  note  of  the  time  when 
the  train  passed  the  Rome  brick 
3^ard,  not  far  to  the  southeast.  On 
this  occasion  no  train  came,  and 
Col.  Cothran  remarked  to  his  fam- 
ily that  something  must  have  hap- 
pened.   Next  morning  a  messenger 


arrived  with  news  of  the  capture 
and  Col.  Cothran  announced  with 
a  great  deal  of  pride  at  the  break- 
fast table  that  Wiley  Harbin  and 
'"Little  Cis"  Smith  had  written 
their  names  on  history's  everlast- 
ing scroll. 

As  for  the  Highland  Rangers 
and  the  Wimpee  brothers,  of 
Rome,  they  made  a  praiseworthy 
dash  through  the  hills  by  horse 
but  could  not  keep  up  with  the  fly- 
ing Fuller  and  his  daredevil  pace- 
makers. 

Frustation  of  this  daring  sally 
and  plot  postponed  until  August 
1863,  the  capture  of  Chattanooga 
by  the  Federal  general,  Wm.  S. 
Rosecrans. 


*It  appears  that  the  total  distance  traveled 
by  Capt.  Fuller  was  about  85  V^  miles:  afoot 
two  miles  to  Moon's,  12  miles  by  handcar  to 
Etowah,  14  miles  by  the  "Yonah"  to  Kingston,  .5 
miles  beyond  Kingston  on  the  "Wm.  R.  Smith," 
two  more  afoot,  and  then  50 1->  miles  on  the 
"Texas."  Although  practically  all  the  partici- 
pants were  armed,  there  is  no  evidence  that 
any  shots  were  exchanged.  The  Tri-Weekly 
Courier  recorded  the  fall  of  Huntsville  Apr.  11, 
but    did    not    mention    the    Andrews    Raid. 


CHAPTER  III. 
Activities  of  the  Folks  at  Home 


WHILE  there  was  such  a  fe- 
verish activity  at  the  front, 
what  were  the  "Home 
(iuarcl"and  the  women  do- 
ing far  from  the  sound  of  musket 
and  drum  ? 

Mrs.  Mary  Turnley  Reynolds, 
historian  of  the  Rome  Chapter, 
United  Daughters  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, contributed  the  following 
to  the  archives  of  that  institution 
m  1900: 

The  woi"k  accomplished  by  the  ladies 
of  Rome  for  the  gallant  men  who  sac- 
I'ificed  the  comforts  of  home  and  fire- 
side, donned  the  suit  of  gray  to  fight 
for  native  land  and  Southern  rights, 
is  a  part  of  the  history  of  our  South- 
land that  is  too  noble  to  be  for- 
gotten ;  and  the  names  of  the  heroines 
who  figured  behind  the  lines  must  be 
recorded  along  with  the  names  of  the 
heroes  who  sacrificed  their  all  for 
Southern   rights. 

Of  those  who  were  prominent  in  the 
work  for  their  country  during  those 
troublous  times,  your  historian  finds 
many  who  have  passed  into  the  beau- 
tiful and  far-away  land.  Some  have 
removed  their  homes  to  other  states. 
Some  are  living  at  a  ripe  and  happy 
old  age  among  the  families  and  friends 
of  their  youth.  Included  in  these 
might  be  mentioned  Mrs.  J.  G.  Yeiser, 
widow  of  Col.  Yeiser,  who  also  served 
in  the  Mexican  war;  Mrs.  J.  M.  Greg- 
ory, widow  of  Dr.  Gregory,  once  mayor 
of  Rome  and  a  surgeon  in  Company 
A,  Eighth  Georgia  Regiment;  Mrs. 
Martha  Battey,  widow  of  Dr.  Robt. 
Battey,  a  surgeon  in  the  19th  Geor- 
gia Regiment;  and  Mrs.  P.  L.  Turn- 
ley,  wife  of  Dr.  Turnley,  the  drug- 
gist. From  the  above-named  ladies 
and  Mrs.  Eben  Hillyer,  wife  of  Dr. 
Eben  Hillyer,  your  historian  has  gath- 
ered valuable  data  which  gives  us  a 
vivid   picture   of  the   times. 

The  first  thing  to  cheer  the  soldier 
to  duty  was  an  illumination  of  the 
town  at  night.  This  was  very  gen- 
eral in  Rome.  An  exception  was  made 
by  Mrs.  Battey,  who,  with  her  native 
d( cision  of  character,  refused  to  "light 
up,"  saying,  "We  should  fight  under 
the  Stars  and  Stripes."  But  loving 
her  country   and   her   people,  she   soon 


joined    in     the     serious     part     of     the 
diama. 

Our  first  charity  organization  for 
war  purposes  was  the  Ladies'  Benevo- 
lent Association.  Mrs.  Nicholas  J. 
Bayard,  mother  of  Mrs.  John  J.  Seay, 
was  made  president,  and  Mrs.  Wm.  A. 
Fort  secretary.  Unfortunately,  the 
minutes  kept  by  Mrs.  Fort  have  been 
destroyed. 

The  vice-president  was  Mrs.  Wade 
S.    Cothran. 

Among  the  members  were  Mesdames 
J.  M.  Gregory,  Jno.  W.  H.  Under- 
wood, Robt.  T.  Hargrove,  J.  J.  Cohen, 
Wm.  Ketcham,  Hollis  Cooley,  Eben 
Hillyer,  Dan'l  S.  Printup,  D.  Mack 
Hood,  H.  V.  M.  Miller,  Jas.  Noble, 
M.  A.  Pearson,  A.  G.  Pitner,  O.  B. 
Eve,  Thos.  W.  Alexander,  Thos.  Haw- 
kins, Chas.  H.  Smith,  Reuben  S.  Nor- 
ton, Nicholas  J.  Omberg,  J.  M.  M. 
Caldwell,  Mary  Sullivan,  Wm.  Moore, 
Jas.  W.  Hinton,  W.  I.  Brookes,  M.  H. 
Graves,  Mrs.  Booten,  Mrs.  Lawrence 
and   Mrs.  Johnson. 

The  society  was  founded  in  Jan- 
uary, 1861,  at  the  suggestion  of  Rev. 
Jas.  W.  Hinton,  then  pastor  of  the 
First  Methodist  church.  Its  main  pur- 
pose at  first  was  to  make  garments 
and  attend  to  other  physical  needs  of 
the  soldiers.  Edward  C.  Hough,  a  na- 
tive of  the  north,  who  had  volunteer- 
ed for  field  service,  was  exempted  in 
order  that  he  might  direct  the  making 
of  these  garments  at  home;  Nicholas 
J.  Omberg,  another  tailor,  who  was 
killed  by  a  scout  band  in  18G4,  as- 
sisted him. 

The  city  hall,  southwest  corner  of 
Broad  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue,  was 
occupied  for  garment  making.  How 
valiantly  the  ladies  went  at  their  task 
is  thus  told  by  Editor  Dwinell  in  The 
Courier  of  May  17,   1861: 

"The  Ladies  at  Worh:— The  ladies 
of  Rome  are  now  engaged  at  the  city 
hall  in  m.aking  uniforms  and  articles 
of  clothing  for  the  volunteer  compa- 
nies. Some  20  or  30  are  there  all  the 
time;  they  work  as  their  circum- 
stances will  admit;  some  in  the  after- 
noon, some  one  day,  others  next,  while 
still  others  are  there  early  and  late 
every  day.  Such  zealous  patriotism 
is  worthy  of  the  highest  commenda- 
tion, and  men  who  would  not  fight  for 
tho  defense  and  protection  of  such  la- 


154 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


dies  ought  to  be  forever  banished  from 
the   pleasures   of   their   society." 

Another    little    notice   reads    thus: 

"The  Work  Goes  Beautifully  On. — 
There  is  quite  a  large  number  of  la- 
dies still  daily  engaged  at  the  city  hall 
ir,  the  manufacture  of  clothing  for  the 
volunteers.  They  have  a  number  of 
patent  sewing  machines,  yet  it  is 
patent  ('how  Mr.  Dwinell  loved  to 
pun!')  to  every  susceptible  gentleman 
that  those  with  black  or  blues  eyes, 
whose  almost  continuous  chatter  is 
like  the  soft,  silvery  tones  of  sweetest 
bells,  are  incomparably  more  interest- 
ing. We  are  requested  to  state  that 
any  lady  wishing  to  assist  in  this 
patriotic  work  is  expected  to  report  at 
the  city  hall   at  once." 

Mrs.  Underwood  and  Mrs.  Fort  were 
the  first  to  remove  their  sewing  ma- 
chines to  the  city  hall,  and  others  fol- 
lowed. The  association  did  fine  work 
among  the  poor,  and  furnished  work 
for  many  women  who  would  have 
suffered  when  winter   came. 

On  Aug.  19,  1861,  a  call  was  sound- 
ed for  an  organization  of  broader  ob- 
jects and  service,  since  it  was  seen 
that  the  war  would  be  long  and  bloody. 
Four  days  later  a  meeting  was  held 
at  the  city  hall  and  the  Ladies'  Aid 
Society  formed.  Rev.  Chas.  H.  Still- 
well,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
church,  was  made  president;  Mrs. 
Geo.  P.  Burnett,  Mrs.  M.  H.  Graves, 
Mrs.  N.  J.  Bayard,  and  Mrs.  Booten, 
vice-presidents;  and  Rev.  James  W. 
Hinton,  pastor  of  the  First  Methodist 
church,  secretary  and  treasui'er. 
Among  the  members  were  the  follow- 
ing: 

Mrs.  Dr.  Anderson,  Mrs.  Attaway, 
Mrs.  J.  W.  M.  Berrien,  Mrs.  Robt. 
Battey,  Miss  Florida  Bayard,  Mrs  N. 
J.  Bayard,  Mrs.  Billups,  Miss  Mol- 
lie  Billups,  Miss  Mary  Billups,  Mrs. 
A.  W.  Caldwell,  Mrs.  J.  J.  Cohen,  Mrs. 
Hollis  Cooley,  Mrs.  Wade  S.  Cothran, 
Mrs.  Wm.  A.  Fort,  Mrs.  Jno.  R.  Free- 
man, Mrs.  Simpson  Fouche,  Mrs.  A. 
E.  Graves,  Miss  E.  W.  Graves,  Mrs. 
M.  H.  Graves,  Mrs.  Dennis  Hills,  Mrs. 
Jno.  W.  Hooper,  Miss  Malinda  Har- 
grove, Mrs.  Robt.  T.  Hargi'ove,  Mrs. 
Hale,  Mrs.  A.  R.  Harper,  Mrs.  Jno. 
Harkins,  Mrs.  John  Hume,  Mrs.  D.  M. 
Hood,  Mrs.  Jesse  Lamberth,  Mrs.  C. 
H.  Lee,  Mrs.  Lilienthal,  Mrs.  Morris 
Marks,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Mills,  Mrs.  L. 
Magnus,  Mrs.  Morrison,  Miss  M.  E. 
Murphy,  Miss  V.  A.  Murphy,  Mrs.  J. 
H.  McClung,  Mrs.  Wm.  Moore,  Mrs. 
Wm.  T.  Newman,  Mrs.  Jas.  Noble, 
Mrs.    Reuben    S.    Norton,     Miss     Mary 


W.  Noble,  Miss  Parks,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Pearson,  Mrs.  C.  M.  Pennington,  Mrs. 
A.  G.  Pitner,  Mrs.  Pepper,  Mrs.  Wm. 
Quinn,  Mrs.  Dr.  Chas.  Todd  Quin- 
tard,  Mrs.  Wm.  Ramey,  Mrs.  Jane 
Russell,  Mrs.  Rawls,  Jr'.,  Mrs.  Rawls, 
Sr.,  Mrs.  Roberts,  Mrs.  Sanders,  Mrs. 
A.  M.  Sloan,  Miss  Martha  B.  Spullock, 
Mrs.  Samuel  Stewart,  Mrs.  Samuel  J. 
Stevens,  Mrs.  Chas.  H.  Stillwell,  Miss 
Savannah  E.  Stillwell,  Mrs.  Mary  Sul- 
livan, Mrs.  Chas.  H.  Smith,  Mrs.  Jno. 
R.  Towers,  Miss  Lizzie  Underwood, 
Mrs.  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood,  Mrs. 
Jas.  Banks  Underwood,  Mrs.  Jos.  E. 
Veal,  Mrs.  James  Ware,  Mrs.  C.  Wat- 
ters,  Mrs.  Whittesey,  Mrs.  Thos.  J. 
Word,  Mrs.  Augustus  R.  Wright,  Mrs. 
J.  G.  Yeiser. 

This  society  adopted  a  constitution 
and  by-laws,  and  the  members  paid  $1 
a  year  membership  dues.  Three  wom- 
en in  each  county  district  solicited 
contributions.  Mrs.  Jas.  Ware  made 
some  blankets  that  were  very  fine. 
Among  things  sent  in  were  wool, 
socks,  vegetables,  red  peppers,  pepper 
sauce,  tomato  catsup,  blackberry  wine 
and  cordial ;  in  fact,  everything  of  a 
useful  nature  poured  into  headquar- 
ters, and  was  despatched  as  fast  as 
limited  transportation  facilities  would 
allow.  Five  carloads  were  sent  to  the 
front  and  training  camps  before  the 
first  year  closed. 

Auxiliaries  were  formed  in  each 
district,  and  a  Children's  Aid  Society 
came  into  being  in  September,  1861. 
Mrs.  Easter,  wife  of  the  Episcopal 
rector,  had  charge.  The  children  were 
a  great  help  in  running  errands,  and 
some  of  them  could  knit  and  sew.  They 
sent  many  sheets,  pillow  cases  and 
bandages  to  the  Savannah  hospital. 

Quite  a  number  of  beautiful  tab- 
leaux were  presented  at  the  city  hall 
under  the  management  of  Mrs.  Daniel 
S.  Printup  and  Mrs.  D.  Mack  Hood, 
and  the  sum  raised  was  $137.70.  One 
of  the  scenes  showed  Kentucky  in 
chains  held  by  Lincoln,  and  another 
Maryland  prostrate,  and  Lincoln  bend- 
ing over  her  with  a  sword.  Twenty- 
four  girls  in  homespun  from  Rev. 
Chas.  W.  Howard's  school  at  Spring 
Bank,  Bartow  County,  attended  this 
tableau. 

The  Soldiers'  Aid  Association  decid- 
ed in  August,  1861,  that  a  relief  room 
was  needed  for  the  wounded  soldiers 
who  were  coming  back  from  the  front 
as  the  excess  from  the  crowded  army 
hospitals.  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  was 
elected  president  of  this  new  organi- 
zation, and  on  Aug.  23  the  "Wayside 
Home"    was    onened    at   the    southeast 


Activities  of  the  Folks  at  Home 


155 


156 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


corner  of  Broad  Street  and  First  Ave- 
nue, opposite  the  Hamilton-Shorter 
block,  and  quite  convenient  to  the 
Rome  railroad  station,  just  across  the 
street.  Drs.  T.  J.  Word  and  J.  M. 
Gregory  had  charge  as  managers,  and 
the  committee  on  arrangements  was 
made  up  of  Col.  Wade  S.  Cothran,  J. 
M.  Elliott,  Robt.  T.  Hargrove,  C.  W. 
Mills  and  Daniel  R.  Mitchell.  The 
v/omen's  committees  follow:  Mrs.  Fort, 
Mrs.  Rawls  and  Mrs.  Bayard  for 
Monday;  Mrs.  Battey,  Mrs.  Sloan 
and  Mrs.  Yeiser,  Tuesday;  Mrs.  Noble, 
Mrs.  Marks,  and  Mrs.  Hargrove,  Wed- 
nesday; Mrs.  Mills,  Mrs.  Hills  and 
Mrs.  Stillwell,  Thursday;  Mrs.  Smith, 
Mrs.  Hooper  and  Mrs.  McClung,  Fri- 
day; Mrs.  Towers,  Mrs.  Freeman  and 
Mrs.  Russell,  Saturday;  Mrs.  Roberts, 
Mrs.  Morrison,  Mrs.  Rawls,  Sr.,  Mrs. 
Ramey,  Mrs.  Lilienthal  and  Mrs. 
Cohen,  Sunday. 

A  great  deal  of  medicine,  bandages 
and  everything  needed  in  a  first-aid 
station,  including  considerable  cloth- 
ing, was  put  at  the  Wayside  Home  for 
the  use  of  doctors  and  committees,  and 
quite  a  number  of  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  were  served  satisfactorily. 
Presently  came  a  sick  soldier  who  was 
little    more    than    a    boy,    named    Wil- 


MARTHA  BALDWIN  SMITH,  18,  just  after 
her  marriage  in  1849  to  Dr.  Robt.  Battey. 
She   died    Sunday,    Feb.    5,    1922,    aged   91. 


liam  Lynch,  of  Louisiana.  During  the 
days  before  a  complete  diagnosis  could 
be  made  by  Dr.  Word,  the  lad  was  at- 
tended by  Mesdames  Smith,  Harper, 
Stewart,  Underwood,  Spullock,  Cooley, 
Harkins,  Stillwell,  Hale,  Rawls,  Sr., 
Lilienthal,  Cothran,  A.  E.  Graves,  At- 
taway,  Norton,  Sanders,  Moore  and 
Quinn.  After  a  week.  Dr.  Word  said 
it  was  smallpox.  That  was  Tuesday. 
Necessarily  there  was  a  great  deal 
of  alarm.  The  women  were  isolated 
at  once;  everybody  was  afraid  to  go 
near  them. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon  Mrs.  Battey 
went  to  the  room,  having  heard  the 
news.  She  was  warned  by  Dr.  Greg- 
ory that  a  smallpox  patient  was  on 
the  inside,  but  she  insisted  on  going 
in,  and  there  she  found  the  lad  crying. 
She  told  him  not  to  be  troubled,  that 
he  would  be  cared  for.  Having  en- 
countered the  advanced  stages,  Mrs. 
Battey  was  requested  to  keep  company 
with  herself.  Three  or  four  days  later 
she  took  sick,  and  she  says  the  only 
person  in  town  who  was  brave  enough 
to  come  to  her  relief  was  Col.  W.  A. 
Fort.  Col.  Fort  treated  her  for  a  se- 
vere cold  and  she  was  up  again  pres- 
ently. 

When  Mrs.  Battey  fell  ill,  William 
Howe  volunteered  to  take  charge  of 
William  Lynch.  Here  is  an  extract 
from  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Howe 
from  the  sick  room: 

"Thinking  that  the  public  would 
like  to  hear  what  is  going  on  in  this 
dreaded  chamber  of  disease,  I  feel  a 
desire  to  gratify  it.  My  friends  may 
think  that  time  rolls  heavily  with  me, 
but  such  is  not  the  case.  However, 
the  room  is  under  martial  law  and  I 
am  monarch  of  all  I  survey.  His 
Honor  the  Mayor  (Dr.  Thos.  J.  Word) 
has    created    me    military    dictator. 

"I  have  two  patients  to  nurse,  two 
of  the  most  patient,  gentle  sufferers 
that  were  ever  afflicted.  I  really  love 
them.  The  boy  who  has  smallpox  is 
Wm.  Lynch,  who  is  only  17  years  old 
and  has  been  in  six  battles.  He  had 
been  discharged  on  account  of  feeble- 
ness caused  from  a  long  spell  of  ty- 
phoid fever,  and  was  on  the  way  to 
his  hoine  in  Louisiana  when  he  took 
smallpox  here.  The  boy  soldier  will 
yet  be  a  man  if  careful  nursing  on 
my  part  and  the  skill  of  the  doctor 
can  save  him. 

"God  bless  our  women!  Here  their 
true  worth  is  felt.  Every  comfort,  ev- 
ery appliance  to  the  wants  of  the  sick 
is  within  my  reach ;  and  when  I  have 
occasion  for  a  clean  pillow   slip,  sheet 


Activities  of  the  Folks  at  Home 


157 


or  towel,  the  closet  is  crammed  full 
of  them,  and  I  involuntarily  exclaim, 
'God   bless   them!' 

"I  can  not  close  this  letter  without 
furnishing  a  g^rateful  acknowledgment 
to  Col.  Penning-ton,  His  Honor  the 
Mayor,  Dr.  Gregory,  Mrs.  Wm.  A. 
Fort,  Mrs.  Dr.  Battey,  Mrs.  Dr.  Un- 
derwood   and    Mrs.    Omberg." 

The  plight  of  the  women  and 
their  sense  of  duty  is  expressed  in 
the  following  card  to  The  Courier : 

While  we  all  lament  the  existence  of 
this  horrible  war,  shall  we  leave  our 
brave  defenders  to  suffer  alone?  Shall 
we  not  bravely  endure  our  portion  of 
the  toil  and  danger?  Oh,  yes;  let  us 
not  shrink  from  the  duty  that  lies 
before  us;  and  while  we  make  use  of 
every  precaution  for  the  safety  of  our 
families,  go  steadily  forward  trusting 
in  God,  thankful  that  we  have  only 
disease  to  contend  with  and  have  been 
spared  the  barbarous  treatment  which 
our  bloody  and  deceitful  enemies  have 
inflicted  on  other  parts  of  our  country. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  those  who 
flee  are  the  first  to  perish,  while  God 
protects  the  faithful. 

As  the  Mayor  of  the  City  has  taken 
charge  of  the  Soldiers'  Relief  room, 
no  more  appointments  will  be  made  by 
the  committee  of  ladies,  who  will  now 
withdraw  until  again  called  upon  by 
the  gentlemen  to  perform  their  duties. 

The  boy  recovered  ;  two  negroes 
contracted  the  disease  from  him, 
and  one  of  them  died.  He  soon 
left  for  his  home,  his  heart  grate- 
ful to  the  kindly  Romans.  As  if 
echoing  the  prophetic  words  of 
Mr.  Howe  he  used  to  lie  on  his 
cot  and  repeat,  "Once  a  man,  twice 
a  child!" 

Airs.  Re^'uolds  continues: 

The  doors  of  the  Wayside  Home 
were  never  opened  again,  and  the  con- 
tents were  burned  to  prevent  a  spread 
of  the  disease.  What  the  destruction 
of  all  this  meant  to  those  whose  fin- 
gers had  worked  so  ceaselessly  to  make 
it  can  scarcely  be  imagined.  For  sev- 
eral months  the  women  contributed  as 
individuals.  An  earlier  donation  by 
Mrs.  Thos.  J.  Perry  will  give  an  idea 
of  the  extent:  1  quilt,  10  i)airs  of 
woolen  socks,  10  of  cotton  dravvers,  1 
of  suspenders,  2  of  gloves,  3  towels,  2 
pillow  cases,  3  nubias,  1  bundle  of 
bandages,  G  cakes  of  salve,  8  of  soap, 
1    bottle   of   black    pepper,    1    bunch   of 


red  pepper,  1  bundle  of  sage,  and  6 
candles.  In  addition  to  the  societies 
mentioned  the  St.  Peter's  Hospital  As- 
sociation (of  the  Episcopal  church) 
had  been  organized  by  Dr.  Easter,  and 
it  sent  forward  a  vast  amount  of  hos- 
pital supplies.  Prominent  in  the  or- 
ganization were  Mrs.  Jos.  E.  Veal, 
Mrs.  Geo.  R.  Ward,  Mrs.  Jno.  W. 
Noble,  Miss  Mary  W.  Noble  and  Miss 
Palmer. 

On  February  16,  1862,  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Mississippi  River,  fell  after  a  ter- 
rible battle,  and  hospitals  in  the  South, 
already  well  filled,  were  taxed  be- 
yond their  capacities.  This  fact  sug- 
gested that  Rome  open  hospitals.  The 
first  was  on  Broad  Street  between 
Fourth  Avenue  and  the  old  city  hall, 
at  Fifth;  Dr.  Fox  had  charge,  and  the 
matrons  were  Mrs.  Reeves  and  Mrs. 
Merck.  Several  hundred  injured  were 
taken  into  Rome  residences,  but  these 
were  removed  when  the  churches  were 
converted  into  places  of  operation, 
treatment  and  convalescence. 

A  hospital  association  was  formed 
at  the  court  house  with  Mrs.  Nicholas 
J.  Bayard  president  and  Mrs.  Wm. 
A.  Fort  secretary  and  treasurer.  As 
usual,  the  entire  county  was  canvass- 
ed for  members  and  supplies.  Mrs. 
J.  G.  Yeiser  received  much  praise  for 
her  tireless  efforts  with  the  sick  and 
the  wounded.  Part  of  the  time  of 
the    women    was     spent     cutting    ban- 


MRS.  ALFRED  SHORTER,  from  an  old  minia- 
ture in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Waller  T. 
Turnbull. 


158 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


dag-es  out  of  old  sheets  and  the  like, 
and  in  combing  old  table  cloths  for  lint. 
Dr.  Robt.  Battey  was  in  charge  of 
the  hospitals  at  this  time.*  Gradually 
the  Northern  army  came  closer  to 
Rome,  and  the  hospitals  were  moved 
to  Macon  and  elsewhere  farther 
south.** 

Again,  in  1867,  we  see  our  noble 
women  rally  with  grateful  and  loving 
hearts  in  a  tribute  to  their  dead.  The 
"Ladies'  Memorial  Association"  was  or- 
ganized with  Mrs.  N.  J.  Bayard  as 
its  first  president;  Mrs.  D.  Mack 
Hood  was  the  second  president,  Mrs. 
Thos.  W.  Alexander  the  third,  until 
her  death;  and  then  Mrs.  Henry  A. 
Smith — all  kept  bright  like  burning 
incense  the  deeds  of  our  beloved  broth- 
ers, scattered  posies  and  twined  the 
evergreen  where  our  heroes  lie.  The 
Daughters  of  the  Confederacy  must 
not  let  such  efforts  go  unsung.  As 
long  as  time  lasts  we  will  weave  gar- 
lands of  myrtle  and  ivy  for  their  head- 
stones, and  moisten  their  graves  with 
our  tears. 

The  struggle  for  food  further 
exemplified  the  splendid  fortitude 
and  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  among 
the   women.     It  must   be   remem- 


MR.  AND  MRS.  I.  D.  FORD,  a  beloved  couple 
of  Rome,  the  parents  of  the  first  Mrs.  Joseph 
L.    Bass. 


bered  that  the  blockade  of  South- 
ern ports  was  almost  "water 
tight,"  and  that  the  absence  from 
farm  and  shop  of  nearly  all  the 
younger  men  curtailed  production 
enormously. 

Spinning  wheel  and  loom  were 
recalled  to  make  thread  so  that 
socks  might  be  sent  the  soldiers, 
and  worn  at  home. 

Alany  of  the  articles  of  food 
that  had  been  abundant  were  ob- 
tainal^le  no  more,  and  various  sub- 
.'ititutes  were  employed.  For  cof- 
fee they  used  rye,  wheat,  okra 
seed,  dried  apples,  sweet  potatoees 
and  persimmon  seed ;  the  rye  and 
okra  seed  were  simply  parched  and 
ground,  and  sweet  potatoes  were 
cut  into  small  pieces,  dried  and 
parched. 

Salt  was  so  scarce  that  it  was 
priced  the  same  as  sugar  in  Con- 
federate money  in  1862 — $10  a 
bushel.  The  salt  from  meats  in 
smoke  houses  was  used.  This  was 
obtained  by  wetting  smoke  house 
earth,  and  boiling'  down  the  drip- 
pings until  nothing  but  salt  re- 
mained.    Presently  this  gave  out. 

Sorghum  syrup  made  a  poor 
substitute  for  sugar. 

People  dipped  tallow  and  made 
candles,  or  poured  hog  fat  into  tin 
moulds.  Wicks  were  put  in  first, 
and  when  cold,  the  candles  were 
drawn  out. 

Dyes  for  clothing  were  cop- 
peras, bark  stain  and  pokeberry 
extract. 

All  the  leather  went  into  shoes, 
saddles  and  pistol  holsters  for  the 
soldiers.  Women's  shoe  tops  were 
made  of  coarse  duck  and  dyed 
l)Iack  with  oil  and  soot.  Shoe 
strings  were  made  of  hard  twisted 


*In  1863  Dr.  Battey  had  charge  of  the  Bell 
hospital,  and  it  is  presumed  this  was  on  Broad 
between  Fourth  and  Fifth  Avenues.  He  also 
had  charpre  of  the  Polk  hospital,  on  the  west 
side  of  Broad  Street  between  Second  and  Third 
Avenues.     Polk    hospital    was    moved    to    Macon. 

**Accordinff  to  the  war  diary  of  the  late 
Reuben  S.  Norton,  the  last  hospital  was  moved 
from  Rome   Dec.   8,  18G3. 


Activities  of  the  Folks  at  Home 


159 


A  GROUP  WHICH  SUGGESTS  THE  LONG  AGO. 

At  the  top  is  Mrs.  T.  J.  Simmons,  for  a  ;number  of  years,  with  her  husband,  the  head 
of  Shorter  College;  beside  her  are  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robt.  T.  Hoyt;  on  the  left  at  the  bottom 
is  Mrs.  W.  I.  Brookes,  then  come  John  Locke  Martin,  journalist  and  poet,  and  Mrs.  Mary> 
Eve,   of  Eve  Station. 


thread.     Squirrel  skins  made  good 
shoe  tops  and  caps. 

Good  toilet  and  laundry  soap 
were  "manufactured"  from  lye 
extracted  from  ashes. 

For  soda,  corn  cobs  Avcre  burn- 
ed intd  aslies  and  lye  made  there- 
from, and  this  was  mixed  with 
sour  milk.  Butter  l^ean  hulls  were 
used  in  the   same  war. 


I)urin^'  the  autumn,  when  the 
sorghum  was  being  ground, 
]ieaches,  apples,  wild  grapes  and 
wild  clierries  furnished  the  "base" 
for  jams  and  jellies.  The  sorg- 
hum was  used  as  sweetening,  ami 
the  product  after  eooking  was 
called   preserves. 

If  the  invaders  shot  down  sheep 
in    tlie    pa'-ture,    the    g(^(Ml    woman 


160 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


went  to  the  spot  with  her  shears 
and  got  enough  wool  for  socks 
and  stocking's. 

Serviceable  women's  hats  were 
fashioned  out  of  corn  shucks,  and 
in  fact,  every  product  of  nature 
was  utilized  in  some  way,  and  the 
people  learned  indelibly  just  what 
is  necessary  to  sustain  life,  and 
just  what  contributes  to  "high 
life." 

The  situation  was  helped  with 
some  families  when  the  Northern 
troops  captured  the  country.  "We 
have  the  shelter,"  invited  certain 
householders.  "We  have  the 
food,"  responded  many  of  the  boys 
in  blue ;  so  those  who  could  not 
be  accommodated  in  tents  moved 
into  homes,  and  shared  their  food 
with  the  occupants.  Cooking  was 
done   in   common. 

When  the  corn  was  gathered  in 
the  fall  of  1864,  it  constituted  the 
principal  article  of  food.  Families 
lived  through  the  winter  on  lye 
hominy,  grits  and  sorghum  and 
what  little  bread  they  could  find. 

Eventually  the  soldiers  left  and 
all  semblance  of  authority  col- 
lapsed. Little  food  was  to  be  had, 
and  blood-thirsty,  plundering  van- 
dals stalked  through  the  prostrat- 
ed communities,  robbing  and  mur- 
dering the  defenseless  inhabitants. 

The  final  surrender  in  the  spring 
of  1865  brought  the  men  home, 
and  they  agreed  that  the  front  was 
little  worse  ;  so  all  set  to  work  to 
make    something   out    of   little    or 


nothing.  How  heroically  and  well 
they  repaired  their  broken  for- 
tunes is  a  story  that  furnishes  one 
of  the  .most  helpful  chapters  in 
the  history  of  Dixieland. 

Many  cases  of  extreme  dan- 
ger and  acute  suffering  were  re- 
ported from  the  country  districts, 
where  women  often  stepped  into 
the  places  of  the  men  in  the  fields. 

"The  most  novel  thing  I  have 
seen  in  some  time  u-as  a  woman 
l^lowing  yesterday,  with  a  pistol 
buckled  around  her,"  wrote  "R.," 
a  Courier  correspondent,  May  5, 
1863,  from  Bridgeport,  Ala. ;  and 
he  continued : 

She  is  an  intelligent  woman,  and  her 
husband  is  in  the  army  at  Shelby- 
ville.  I  asked  her  why  she  carried 
a  pistol  and  she  said  she  knew  the 
thieving  disposition  of  the  Federals, 
and  had  been  dispossessed  of  every- 
thing but  one  horse  and  corn  barely 
sufficient  to  make  a  crop,  and  she  was 
determined  to  defend  what  was  left 
to  the  last.  One  of  our  men,  a  noble- 
hearted  farmer  from  Floyd  County, 
was  on  picket,  but  being  off  post  at 
the  time,  took  hold  of  the  plow  and 
assisted  her  in  laying  off  her  corn 
rows. 

Sir,  with  such  women,  starvation  is 
out  of  the  question,  and  subjugation 
impossible.  This  woman,  with  her 
child  sitting  in  the  field,  toils  away, 
knowing  that  justice  is  God's  empire. 
Let  the  faint-hearted  and  effeminate 
take  courage  at  such   examples. 

News  of  Forrest's  great  victory  near 
Rome  has  just  reached  us  and  dis- 
appointment is  seen  in  the  countenance 
of  every  man  of  this  battalion,  be- 
cause we  were  not  permitted  to  go 
on  and  participate  in  the  brilliant  af- 
fair so  near  our  homes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


Ax  LXCIDENT  of  the  war 
which  vied  in  spectacularity 
with  the  Andrews'  raid  was 
the  Hathaway-Streight  in- 
cursion into  /\lal:)ama  and  Georgia 
from  Tennessee,  in  April  and  May, 
1863,  and  the  capture  of  the  com- 
mand by  Forrest's  force,  less  than 
one-third  as  large.  Indeed,  this 
incident  was  not  surpassed  by  any 
similar  occurrence  during  the  con- 
flict, yet  we  find  the  historians 
(especially  outside  of  the  South) 
complacently  sleeping  on  their 
pens   with  regard  to  it. 

There  were  two  circumstances 
which  called  for  proper  exploita- 
tion from  the  native  historians  and 
for  a  degree  of  silence  elsewhere  ; 
410  men  captured  1,466,  and  the 
event  developed  a  hero  whose  ride 
in  certain  respects  outstripped  the 
well  -  sung  Paul  Revere — soldier, 
silversmith,  electro-engraver  and 
manufacturer  of  cannon. 

John  H.  Wisdom,  stage  coach 
driver  and  rural  mail  carrier, 
warned  Rome  of  the  enemy's  ap- 
proach, and  Gen.  Forrest  captured 
them  almost  at  the  city's  gates. 
That  was  Sunday,  May  3,  f863— 
the  first  Union  troops  Romans  had 
seen.  Gen.  Sherman  later  com- 
plimented Forrest  with  the  state- 
ment that  "his  cavalry  will  travel 
100  miles  while  ours  travels  ten." 
It  had  been  left  to  the  intrepid 
Confederate  general  to  demon- 
strate how  a  small  band  could 
pursue  such  a  superior  force 
through  tlie  mountains  and  over 
the  streams  of  two  states  and 
make  them  lay  down  their  arms. 
The  feat  was  accomplished 
through  strategy  as  well  as  force. 
After  Forrest  had  sent  in  a  flag  of 
truce,  demanding  surrender.  Col. 
Abel  D.  Streight,  of  the  51st  In- 
diana Volunteers,  asked  the  terms. 


"Unconditional  surrender,  your 
officers  to  retain  their  side  arms 
and  personal  efifects,"  was  the  re- 
ply. "I  have  reinforcements  and 
it  is  useless  for  you  to  sacrifice 
your  men." 

Forrest  met  Streight  at  the 
meeting  place.  Streight  wanted  to 
argue,  and  Forrest  wanted  an  an- 
swer. Capt.  Henry  Poynter  dash- 
ed up,  and  Forrest  gave  him  or- 
ders for  the  disposition  of  certain 
imaginary  units  of  men  ;  the  order 
had  previously  been  given  to 
march  the  artillery  around  a  hill, 
then  out  of  sight,  and  to  keep  them 
circling  the  brow.  vStrcight  was 
so  impressed  that  he  capitulated. 
The  place  was  in  Alabama  near 
the  Georgia  line,  about  20  miles 
below    Rome. 

From  the  Tri-Weekly  Courier, 
with  dates  as  indicated,  we  get 
other  details  : 

Great  Victory— Great  Joi/!—The 
Yankees  in  Rome  at  last!  Sunday 
morning  last  opened  at  half  past  two 
o'clock  a.  m.  with  an  alarm.  Mr. 
John  H.  Wisdom,  of  Gadsden,  Ala., 
and  a  former  resident  of  this  city, 
reached  here  after  riding  with  hot 
haste  for  eleven  hours,  and  gave  in- 
formation that  the  enemy  wer€  at 
Gadsden  when  he  left,  and  were  bound 
for   Rome. 

Preparations  were  begun  with  de- 
spatch, and  by  9  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing our  soldiery  and  citizens  were  pre- 
pared to  give  them  a  warm  reception. 
Two  pieces  of  artillery  were  placed  in 
position,  commanding  the  roacl  and  the 
l)ridge,  cotton  barricades  erected  at 
all  the  defiles  of  the  city,  videttes 
sent  out  to  watch  the  enemy's  ap- 
proach. Everything  was  got  in  read- 
iness for  determined  resistance.  Dur- 
ing the  morning  several  couriers  with 
despatches  from  (Jen.  Forrest  arrived, 
urging  our  commander  here  to  hold 
them  at  bay  for  a  few  hours  if  possi- 
ble, at  all  hazards.  About  2  o'clock 
another  despatch  from  Gen.  Forrest, 
saying  he  was  fighting  them  at  Gay- 
lesville,   Ala.,    with    an    int'i'rior   force. 


162 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


About  9  o'clock  a.  m.  a  small  body 
of  the  enemy's  advance  (about  200) 
reached  the  environs  of  the  city,  and 
were  actually  bold  enough  to  dismount 
and  feed  their  horses  almost  in  sight 
of  the  city.  They  picked  up  all  the 
horses  and  mules  in  the  neighborhood, 
took  some  citizens  prisoners  and  re- 
connoitered  the  defenses  of  the  city. 
Learning  that  we  were  prepared  with 
artillery,  they  bivouacked,  and  seemed 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  main  body. 
For  some  cause  they  retreated  about  3 
o'clock  down  the  Alabama  road.  They 
were  pursued  by  a  small  but  resolute 
band  of  citizens,  who  were  determined 
that  the  affair  should  not  end  thus. 

In  the  meantime.  Gen.  Forrest  had 
overtaken  the  main  body  near  Gayles- 
ville,  and  not  far  this  side  of  Cedar 
Bluff.  After  some  slight  skirmishing. 
Gen.  Forrest  demanded  a  surrender. 
An  interview  was  held  under  flag  of 
truce  and  the  terms  of  surrender 
agreed  upon.  The  entire  Yankee  force, 
consisting  of  1,800  men,  were  made 
prisoners  of  war,  and  as  this  included 
the  bold  adventurers  who  had  looked 
with  insulting  eyes  upon  the  church 
spires  of  the  city,  they,  too,  were  turn- 
ed into  disarmed  infantry.  They  were 
met  by  Gen.  Forrest's  advance,  about 
the  same  time  that  our  citizen  cavalry 
overtook  them  in  the  pursuit. 

Gen.  Forrest  arrived  in  the  city 
with  all  the  Yankee  officers  and  the 
small  body  of  troops  alluded  to  on 
Sunday  evening  about  6  o'clock  p.  m. 
The  rest  of  both  forces  reached  here 
yesterday  morning.  But  mark  what 
remains   to   be   told. 

Gen.  Forrest  accomplished  this  bold 
feat  with  less  than  700  men,  though 
the  rest  of  his  command  were  in  sup- 
porting distance.  Thus  terminated  the 
last  Sabbath.  Such  a  jubilee  Rome 
has  never  experienced!  Such  raptures 
over  Gen.  Forrest  and  his  brave  men ! 

When  it  is  considered  what  a  dar- 
ing raid  the  enemy  aspired  to — what 
an  extensive  circuit  they  contemplated 
— what  irreparable  damage  they  had 
deliberately  planned  (being  the  burn- 
ing of  the  bridges  on  the  State  road, 
and  the  destruction  of  government 
property  at  Round  Mountain,  Dalton 
and  Rome)  it  is  wonderful  how  Gen. 
Forrest  has  managed  to  prevent  the 
consummation  of  their  designs.  With 
more  than  100  miles  the  start  of  him, 
he  nevertheless  has  pressed  them  so 
hard  with  hot  pursuit  as  to  prevent 
material  damage  being  done;  except 
the  destruction  of  the  Round  Moun- 
tain  Iron   Works   in   Cherokee   County, 


Ala.,  they  have  done  but  little  dam- 
age. Gen.  Forrest  has  lost  not  exceed- 
ing 20  men  in  this  glorious  work.  He 
killed  and  wounded  about  300  of  the 
enemy,  among  them  Col.  Hathaway,  of 
Indiana.  Col.  Streight,  of  Indiana, 
was   commanding  the   Federal  forces. 

Heavy  reinforcements  arrived  hei'e 
yesterday  at  noon  from  Atlanta,  but 
owing  to  the  peculiar  nature  of  exist- 
ing circumstances,  they  will  have  noth- 
ing to  do  but  guard  duty. — Tuesday 
morning.  May  5,   1863. 

The  Greatest  Cavalry  Achievement 
of  the  War — We  had  hoped  to  have 
been  able  to  furnish  our  readers  with 
the  full  particulars  of  the  brilliant  and 
successful  achievement  of  Gen.  For- 
rest in  this  issue  of  our  paper,  but 
our  own  business  engagements  and  the 
constant  occupation  of  the  General 
with  his  official  duties  have  rendered 
it  impossible  for  us  to  obtain  all  the 
facts  necessary  for  the  preparation  of 
such  an  article.  Our  readers  may  ex- 
pect a  full  history  in  our  next  issue, 
and  until  we  can  give  a  full  and  suc- 
cinct account  of  this  brilliant  cam- 
paign and  glorious  victory,  we  will 
refrain  from  further  comment. — May 
7,  1863. 

Picnic  to  Gen.  Forrest  and  His 
Brave  Men  on  Saturday  Next — Con- 
tributions expected  from  all  the  citi- 
zens of  the  county  who  feel  able  and 
willing  to  give  honor  to  whom  honor 
is  due.  Bring  sufficient  supplies,  ready 
cooked  and  prepared;  bring  for  20 
men  if  you  can,  or  for  10  men,  or  for 
5,  besides  a  sufficient  supply  for  your 
own  family  who  attend.  Report  your 
name,  with  the  number  you  will  pro- 
vide for,  to  one  of  the  undersigned: 
A.  G.  Pitner,  T.  G.  Watters,  C.  H. 
Smith,  A.  M.  Sloan,  T.  McGuire;  Rome, 
Ga.,  May  4,  1863. 

We  learn  that  the  number  of 
Yankees  paroled  (by  Gen.  Forrest  in 
the  capture  of  Streight)  was  1,466 — 
officers  and  men.  They  were  all  sent 
off  on  Tuesday  last. 

Rumor,  with  her  thousand  tongues, 
has  got  every  one  of  them  going,  and 
there  is  no  end  to  the  wild  reports 
that  are  in  circulation.  Report  is  hav- 
ing it  that  all  North  Georgia  and 
Alabama  are  swarming  with  Yankees. 

A  large  number  of  horses  were  in 
the  streets  on  Tuesday,  many  of  which 
were  identified  as  having  been  stolen 
by  the  Yankees  in  their  recent  raid 
through   the   country. 

The  Yankees  captured  by  Gen.  For- 
rest   are    said    to    have    been    the    pick 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


163 


of  Rosencrantz's  army,  and  were  really 
mounted  infantry,  having  been  drilled 
in  both  services.  It  is  reported  that 
Rosencrantz  had  offered  them  a  boun- 
ty of  $300  apiece  and  a  discharge  from 
the  service  to  accomplish  their  object, 
which  was  to  destroy  Rome  and  the 
State  road  bridges.  And  better  sub- 
jects for  such  infernal  designs  could 
scarcely  have  been  selected,  for  a  more 
villainous-looking  set  of  scoundrels  it 
has  never  been  our  misfortune  to  have 
seen  before,  and  that,  too,  with  scarce- 
ly an  exception.  What  an  escape  a 
merciful  Providence  has  vouchsafed  to 
Rome! 

We  noticed  a  telegram  stating  that 
the  citizens  of  Rome  met  and  fought 
the  Yankees  here  on  Sunday  last.  The 
only  fighting  was  done  by  a  few  in- 
dependent scouts  and  videttes,  who 
tried  a  round  or  two  at  them.  But 
we  learn  that  they  were  much  sur- 
prised, as  they  expected  to  march  in 
without  any  opposition. 

Tory  Band — A  citizen  of  Jackson 
County  tells  us  that  a  number  of 
Tories  have  banded  themselves  to- 
gether in  Sand  Mountain  (Ala.)  to 
resist  conscription  and  the  arrest  of 
deserters — that  they  worsted  a  com- 
pany, more  or  less,  of  Confederate  cav- 
alry who  went  there  to  arrest  desert- 
ers and  conscripts,  some  eight  or  ten 
days  ago;  that  the  facts  have  been 
reported  to  Tullahoma  headquarters, 
and  a  force  has  been  detailed  suffi- 
cient to  overcome  the  Tories.  (Hunts- 
ville  Confederate.) — Thursday,  May 
7,  1863. 


The  Most  Brilliant  Feat  of  the  War 
— Soon  after  the  fight  between  the 
Federals  and  Col.  Roddy  near  Tus- 
cumbia,  Ala.,  a  column  of  2,000  Fed- 
eral cavalry,  all  under  command  of 
Col.  Hathaway,  of  the  73rd  Indiana 
Cavalry,  consisting  of  the  73rd  and 
51st  Indiana,  80th  Illinois,  and  3rd 
Ohio,  diverged  south,  with  two  moun- 
tain Howitzers,  with  a  view  to  cross 
the  Sand  Mountain  and  strike  the 
Coosa  River  at  Gadsden,  Ala.;  thence 
pass  the  Round  Mountain  and  Chat- 
tooga River  Iron  Works,  to  Rome; 
thence  to  Dalton,  Ga. ;  thence  through 
East  Tennessee  and  join  Rosenci'antz 
with  a  view  to  destroying  the  towns, 
bridges,  iron  foundries,  railroads,  com- 
missary supplies  on  this  entire  route, 
making  a  raid  of  some  1,500  miles. 

This  was  a  daring,  well-planned, 
well-executed  expedition,  as  far  as  it 
went.  The  troops  and  commanders 
were   regarded   as   select,   and   the   in- 


ducements to  success  were  strong  and 
overwhelming  with  the  well-known 
Yankee  character.  The  plunder  and 
stealage  belonged  to  the  capturers.  In 
the  event  of  success,  each  member  of 
the  raid  was  to  receive  a  gold  medal, 
$300  in  gold,  and  a  discharge  from 
the  service  during  the  war.  To  ac- 
celerate their  movements  they  seized 
every  valuable  horse  and  mule  that 
they  could  find,  taking  them  from 
wagons,  buggies,  stables  or  plows,  and 
as  their  surplus  increased,  dropping 
out  their  own  weak  and  broken-down 
stock,  and  by  this  means  always  keep- 
ing mounted  on  fresh  stock. 

On  Wednesday,  the  29th,  Gen.  For- 
rest, with  500  mounted  men  and  two 
brass  cannon,  started  in  pursuit,  the 
Federals  having  taken  a  lead  of  about 
80  miles.  On  Thursday  night  he  over- 
took them,  fought  and  repulsed  them 
on  Sand  Mountain;  in  this  fight  Gen. 
Forrest  had  his  horse  killed  under  him. 
From  that  time  onward,  until  Sunday, 
the  3rd  of  May,  the  time  of  the  final 
surrender  of  the  Federals,  he  fought 
and  drove  them  back,  or  rather,  for- 
ward, about  three  times  every  24 
hours. 

As  they  passed  through  Gadsden 
they  destroyed  part  of  the  town  and 
the     depot,     always     destroying    every 


GEN.  NATJIAN  i;i:pI(ii:ii  i  (ii;i;i-.<  i',  whose 
locks  were  cut  li.v  udniiiinK  wniiuii  when  he 
saved  Rome   from    Streight's    raiders    in    '63. 


164 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


bridge  behind  them  and  otherwise  ob- 
structing the  road  as  best  they  could. 
P\)rrest  fought  them  near  Major 
Blount's  plantation  Friday  evening  or 
Saturday  morning.  Here  their  com- 
mander-in-chief, Hathaway,  was  kill- 
ed. The  command  then  devolved  on 
Col.  Streight,  of  the  51st  Indiana.  As 
they  passed  onward  they  destroyed  the 
Round  Mountain  Iron  Works.  Cross- 
ing Chattooga  River,  they  destroyed 
the  bridge.  Some  time  during  Sat- 
urday night.  Gen.  Forrest  succeeded 
in  crossing  the  river,  and  fell  on  them 
Sunday  afternoon  at  Mrs.  Lawrence's, 
about  five  miles  east  of  Gaylesville, 
and  here  after  a  short  fight,  terms  of 
capitulation  for  the  entire  Federal 
forces  was  agreed  upon,  and  the  Fed- 
erals  stacked  their  arms. 

During  Saturday  evening  a  detach- 
ment of  200  had  been  sent  ahead  to 
reconnoiter  and  attack  Rome,  as  cir- 
cumstances   might   indicate. 

The  first  intimation  the  people  of 
Rome  had  of  the  raid  was  the  arrival 
of  Mr.  John  H.  Wisdom,  from  Gads- 
den, giving  information  of  the  rapid 
approach  of  the  Federals.  Tremendous 
excitement,  and  be  it  said  to  the  dis- 
credit of  some,  much  liquor  was  wast- 
ed, doubtless  to  screw  up  their  cour- 
age to  the  fighting  point.  By  8  p.  m. 
two  cannon,  with  barricades  of  cotton 
bags,  were  mounted  and  placed  in  po- 
sition on  the  river  bank.  The  citi- 
zens from  the  country  flocked  in  with 
their  rifles  and  squirrel  guns,  and 
there  soon  were  enough  to  make  a 
pretty  formidable  fight,  if  they  had 
been  under  any  sort  of  organization. 
But  the  organization  amounted  to  as 
near  none  as  possible.  About  half  past 
8  some  pickets  and  videttes  went  out 
and  a  short  distance  from  the  city  en- 
countered the  enemy's  advance  pick- 
ets. Here  some  skirmishing  for  sev- 
eral hours  took  place  between  the 
enemy  and  these  pickets  and  some 
citizens  who  had  advanced  on  the 
enemy.  About  2  p.  m.  the  enemy  very 
suddenly  and  apparently  in  a  great 
hurry  mounted  and  retreated  down  the 
road,  followed  by  our  skirmishers. 
They  met  Gen.  Forrest  and  his  party 
about  8  or  9  miles  below  Rome,  Col. 
Streight  and  all  the  Federal  officers 
being  their  prisoners.  It  is  said  the 
reason  of  the  sudden  departure  of  the 
Federals  from  Shorter's  was  a  cour- 
ier from  Col.  Streight,  their  com- 
mander, informing  them  that  they 
were  prisoners  of  war,  and  had  been 
for  eight  hours. 

About  6  p.  m.  Gen.  Forrest,  with 
120    Federal   officers   and   this   detach- 


ment reached  the  city,  under  such 
booming  of  cannon  and  rejoicing  as 
has  never  been  seen  in  Rome,  and  may 
never  again.  Indeed,  it  was  right  and 
just  to  him  and  his  brave  men.  But 
for  the  noble  and  gallant  Forrest  and 
his  equally  noble  and  gallant  men,  who 
had  pursued  and  fought  this  band  of 
outlaws,  robbers  and  murderers  for 
five  consecutive  days  and  nights,  al- 
most without  eating  or  sleeping,  our 
beautiful  little  Mountain  City  would  at 
this  hour  be  in  ashes,  and  many  of 
our  best  citizens  robbed  and  murder- 
ed. A  thousand  blessings  upon  them, 
and   a   thousand  prayers  for  them! 

In  their  vanity  and  folly  some  of 
our  vain  and  swaggering  people  are 
trying  to  claim  credit  to  themselves  for 
this  glorious  success  of  the  truly  in- 
domitable and  noble  Forrest.  If  we 
did  anything,  it  was  clumsily  done. 
Forrest  has  justly  won  for  himself 
by  this  almost  superhuman  effort  a 
title  to  a  major  generalship,  and  if  he 
is  not  promoted,  he  will  not  have  jus- 
tice done  him,  especially  when  it  is 
remembered  that  with  a  picked  force 
of  Federals,  four  to  his  one,  he  dash- 
ed on  them  by  day  and  by  night,  and 
in  chasing  them  a  little  over  200  miles, 
he  killed  or  captured  the  last  one  of 
them,  with  all  their  cannon,  arms, 
horses,  stores,  etc.,  killing  outright 
their  leader  and  300  men,  with  a  loss 
of  only  10  killed  and  40  wounded.  And 
he  thereby  saved  millions  of  dollars 
worth  of  property  from  destruction  by 
the  hands  of  the  cowardly  scoundrels 
and   vandals. 

We  of  North  Alabama  and  North- 
western Georgia  will  cheer  him  and 
reiterate  our  cheers  for  him,  and  never 
cease  until  he  shall  receive  a  major 
general's  commission.  We  have  but 
one  complaint  to  make.  We  thought 
he  was  a  little  too  lenient  to  the  im- 
pudent, boasting,  threatening,  coward- 
ly Federal  officers. 

A  CITIZEN  OF  ROME. 

To  Arms!  To  Arms! — The  citizens 
of  Floyd  and  surrounding  counties  are 
requested  to  meet  in  Rome  on  Thurs- 
day next  at  11  o'clock  a.  m..  May  14, 
to  form  a  military  organization  for 
repelling  the  thieving,  house-burning 
and  vandal  foe  that  may  venture  on 
our  soil.  Let  everybody  come  and  go 
to  work  in  earnest. 

Defend  Your  Homes  and  Your  Pro})- 
crty. — It  will  be  seen  from  a  notice  in 
this  issue  of  our  paper  that  the  citi- 
zens of  Floyd  and  the  surrounding 
counties  are  called  on  to  meet  at  the 
court   house   in   this   city  on   Thursday 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


165 


^ 


A  MAP  OF  ROME  IN   1890.      (Scale,  one  mile  to  the  inch). 


night,  the  14th  inst.,  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  military  organization  for 
the  protection  of  their  homes  and 
their  property.  This  is  a  highly  im- 
portant movement  and  we  give  it  our 
most  cordial  and  hearty  endorsement. 
Let  every  boy  and  man  from  15  to  (>() 
years  old  fall  into  line  and  stand  up 
for    the    protection    of    their    mothers, 


wives  and  sisters.  If  the  love  of  coun- 
try does  not  move  you,  these  sacred 
claims  will  surely  spur  you  to  action. 
It  is  plain  now  that  the  enemy,  be- 
ing foiled  and  routed  ui)on  every  field 
of  general  engagement,  has  determined 
to  tui-n  loose  liis  army  in  maraud- 
ing hands,  to  dash  through  our  coun- 
try with  torch  and  sword,  to  burn  and 


166 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


plunder  our   citizens   and   homes,   mur- 
der our  men  and  dishonor  our  women. 

We  are  advised  that  good  arms  will 
be  furnished  to  all  who  are  not  able 
to  supply  themselves. 

Let  all  the  people  in  this  and  the 
surrounding  counties  meet  in  this  city 
on  next  Thursday;  and  the  ladies  will 
do  well  to  encourage  this  movement  by 
their  presence — they  are  all  wanted. 
Come,  ladies,  and  bring  your  sons  and 
your  husbands. — May  9,  1863. 

The  Yankee  Prisoners  at  Rome. — 
Among  this  batch  of  thieves  and  mur- 
derers was  found  two  companies  of 
North  Alabama  Tories;  and  amongst 
them  a  man  by  the  name  of  Funder- 
burk,  who  was  born  and  raised  with- 
in three  miles  of  Rome.  This  villain- 
ous whelp  had  a  gallant  brother  in 
the  Eighth  Georgia  who  fell  covered 
with  honor  and  glory  at  the  First  Bat- 
tle of  Manassas,  July  21st,  1861.  This 
scoundrel,  with  his  widowed  mother, 
moved  to  the  Sand  Mountain  in  1852, 
and  since  the  death  of  his  brother  has 
been  here  trying  to  get  a  share  of 
his  honored  brother's  estate.  He  ad- 
mits he  piloted  the  Yankees  to  this 
place.  He  is  safely  under  lock  in  jail. 
There  was  also  found  among  them  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Phillips,  who  was 
raised  in  Forsyth  County,  Georgia. 
He  is  alleged  to  be  a  Confederate  de- 
serter. He  is  with  Funderburk,  to- 
gether with  a  Methodist  preacher,  who 
says  his  name  is  Brown,  who  the 
Yankees  say  also  piloted  them,  and 
many  years  ago  was  a  circuit  rider 
in  Floyd.  But  no  such  a  man  ever 
rode   the   circuit    in    this    county. 

The  prisoners  generally  were  re- 
markably impudent  and  insulting,  es- 
pecially the  officers.  One  of  their  of- 
ficers, a  major,  publicly  cursed  Gen. 
Forrest  on  the  streets  for  a  scoundrel 
and  a  rascal,  stating  that  when  For- 
rest demanded  a  surrender  the  Yankee 
negotiators  were  trying  to  get  the  best 
terms  possible,  and  Forrest  suddenly 
appeared  to  get  very  mad.  Swore  he 
would  wait  no  longer,  that  he  would 
rather  kill  the  whole  of  them  than 
not;  ordered  his  couriers  immediately 
to  direct  the  commanders  of  four  sep- 
arate batteries  to  place  them  on  sep- 
arate points  of  hills;  and  ordered  the 
commanders  of  four  separate  regi- 
ments to  be  formed  immediately  at 
particular  points  in  line  of  battle,  and 
that  the  couriers  absolutely  dashed 
off,  as  though  they  were  going  to 
have  these  orders  executed.  And  as 
they  dashed  off,  Forrest  told  them  his 
signal  gun  would  be  fired  in  ten  min- 


utes, when  in  fact  (he  said)  the  ras- 
cal had  but  two  little  cannon,  and  not 
more  than  a  half  regiment  all  told. 
Finally,  that  Forrest  was  nothing  but 
a  damned  swindler. 

The  impudent  whelps,  openly  on  the 
streets,  avowed  their  intention  to  be 
back  here  in  less  than  three  months, 
burn  up  the  town  and  hang  every 
man  in  it  because,  they  say,  they  were 
bushwhacked.  This,  of  course,  is  an 
idle  boast  of  the  poor  cowardly  devils, 
to  cover  up  their  shame  and  disgrace. 
They  said  they  did  not  come  into  Rome 
just  as  they  expected;  that  they  could 
stand  all  that;  but  such  a  number  of 
them  to  be  gobbled  up  by  a  little  squad 
of  "dirty,  snotty-nosed  butternuts" 
was  past  endurance. 

We  regret  to  learn  that  Capt.  For- 
rest, a  brother  of  the  General's,  com- 
manding a  company  in  his  old  regi- 
ment, was  severely  and  it  is  feared 
mortally  wounded  in  the  recent  run- 
ning fight  with  the  Yankees  from 
Courtland  to   Rome. 

Gen.  Forrest  has  received  a  dispatch 
from  Col.  Roddy,  announcing  that  the 
Yankees  have  evacuated  Tuscumbia. 

The  Steamer  Laura  Moore  blew  her 
whistle  off  yesterday  morning  as  she 
was  about  signalling  her  departure. 
Her  steam  escaping  prevented  her  de- 
parture.—Saturday,   May  9,   1863. 


"BILL  ARP"  ON   ROME   "BATTLE" 

(Southern   Confederacy,  Atlanta). 
Rome,  Gorgy. 
Mr.   Adeer  &   Smith: 

So  many  onreliable  persuns  will  be 
sirkulatin  spewrius  akkounts  of  the 
"Grand  Rounds"  tuk  by  the  infernal 
Yankees  in  these  Roman-tik  rejuns, 
that  I  think  it  highly  proper  you 
should  git  the  streight  of  it  from  one 
who  seed  it  with  his  eyes,  and  hearn 
it  with  his  years,  and  a  piece  of  it 
fell    on   his    big  toe. 

More  than  200  years  ago  Genrul  D. 
Soto  had  a  big  fight  with  the  Injuns 
on  or  about  these  consekrated  grounds. 
Since  that  time  an  oninterrupted  peece 
hav  rained  around  these  classic  hills 
and  hollers.  Flowers  hav  bloomed 
sweetly,  lambs  hav  skipd  about,  dog 
fennel  hav  yallered  the  ground,  and 
the  Coosa  river,  which  were  then  a 
little  spring  branch,  hav  grown  both 
wide  and  deep,  until  now  the  majestik 
steamboat  can  float  upon  its  bosom, 
and  the  big  mud  cat  gobble  up  the 
yearthworms  what  chance  to  fall  into 
its  watters. 

But  rollen  years  will  change  a  pro- 
gram.     Anno   domini    will     tell !      Jest 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


167 


afore  the  broke  of  day,  on  Sunday, 
the  third  of  May,  1863,  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  63,  the  cityzens  of  the  eternal 
city  were  arowsed  from  their  slumbers 
with  the  chorus  of  the  Marsales  hymn, 
"To  arms,  to  arms,  ye  brave!  Abe 
Linkhorn  are  pegging  away,  and  the 
Yankees  are  ridin  to  Rome  on  a  raid!" 
Ah!  then  were  the  time  to  try  men's 
soles!  But  there  were  no  panik,  no 
skedadlin,  to  shakin  of  nees — but  one 
universal  determynation  to  do  sum- 
thin.  The  burial  squad  organized  fust 
and  foremost  and  begun  to  inter  ther 
money,  and  spoons  and  4  pronged 
forks,  and  sich  like  about  the  prem- 
ises. Babies  were  sent  to  the  rear. 
Hosses  hid  in  the  cane  brake.  Cows 
milked  oncommon  dry.  Cashiers  and 
bank  agents  carried  off  their  phunds 
in  a  pair  of  saddle  bags,  which  very 
much  exposed  ther  facilities  and  the 
small  compass  of  ther  resources.  It 
were,  however,  a  satisfactory  solushun 
of  ther  refusin  to  discount  for  the  last 
3  months.  Skouts  were  sent  out  on 
every  road  to  snuff  the  tainted  breeze. 
Kotton  bags  were  piled  up  across  ev- 
ery high  way  and  low  way.  Shot 
guns  and  cannon  and  powder  and  ball 
were  brought  to  the  front.  The  yeo- 
manry and  the  melishy  jined  a  squad 
of  Confederate  troops  and  formed  in 
line  of  battle.  They  were  marched 
across  the  Oustanawly  River,  and  then 
the  plank  of  the  bridge  torn  up  so 
that  they  couldn't  retreat.  This  were 
done,  however,  at  ther  own  valyunt 
request,  because  of  the  natural  weak- 
ness of  the  flesh.  They  determined 
jintly  and  sevrally,  firmly  by  these 
presents,  to  do  sumthin. 

Two  cracked  cannon,  what  had  holes 
in  the  ends,  and  two  or  three  on  the 
side,  were  propped  up  between  the 
kotten  bags,  and  pinted  dead  straight 
down  the  road  to  Alabam.  They  were 
fust  loaded  with  buckshot  and  tacks, 
and  then  a  round  ball  rammed  on  top. 
The  ball  were  to  take  the  raid  in  front, 
and  the  bullets  and  tacks  to  rake  'em 
in  the  phlanks.  These  latter  it  was 
supposed  would  go  through  the  cracks 
in  the  sides  and  shoot  around  gener- 
ally. Everybody  and  everything  de- 
termined to  die  in  their  tracks,  or  do 
sumtlmi. 

The  steamboats  dropped  quietly 
down  the  river  to  get  out  of  the  thick 
of  the  fight.  The  sharp  shooters  got 
on  top  of  semmetery  hill  with  ther  re- 
peaters and  pokit  pistols.  The  videttes 
dashed  with  spy  glasses  to  the  top  of 
the  court  house  to  see  a  fur  off. 
Dashin  Comanchy  couriers  rode  on- 
ruly  steeds  to  and  fro,  like  a  fiddler's 


elbow.  Sum  went  forward  to  rekenoy- 
ter  as  skouts.  Everybody  resolved  to 
do  sumthin. 

At  this  critical  junkture,  and  pre- 
vious and  afterwards,  reports  were 
brought  into  these  Head  Quai-ters,  and 
all  other  quarters,  to  the  effeck  that 
10,000  Yankees  were  kummin,  and  5,- 
000  and  2,000,  and  any  other  number; 
that  they  were  ten  miles  from  town, 
and  6  miles,  and  2  miles,  and  any 
other  number  of  miles;  that  they  were 
on  the  Alabam  road,  and  the  Cave 
Spring  road,  and  the  River  road,  and 
any  other  road;  that  they  were  cross- 
in  the  river  at  Quin's  Ferry,  and  Wil- 
liamson's Ferry,  and  Bell's  Ferry,  and 
any  other  ferry;  that  they  had  tuck 
the  Steembote  Laura  Moore,  and  Chi- 
rokee  and  Alfaratta,  and  any  other 
steembote;  that  they  had  shot  at  a 
Comanchy  rider,  and  hit  him  in  the 
coat  tail,  or  his  hosses  tail,  or  any 
other  tale;  that  they  had  seezed  Sis 
Morris,  or  Bill  Morris,  or  Jep  Mor- 
ris, or  any  other  Morris.  In  fak,  a 
man  could  hear  anything  by  gwine 
about,    and   more   too. 

Shore  enuf,  however,  the  important 
crisis  which  were  to  have  arriven  did 
actually  arriv,  about  10  o'klock  in  the 
mornin,  a.  m.,  on  May  3rd,  1863.  I 
am  thus  portikler,  Mr.  Editurs,  bekaus 


JUDGE  JNO.  W.  MADDOX.  who  entered  the 
Confederate  Army  at  15,  and  served  several 
terms  in  Congress  from  the  Seventh  District. 


168 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


it  are  to  be  entered  on  next  year's 
almynak  as  a  remarkabul  event.  The 
head  of  the  raid  did  aktully  arriv  at 
the  suburban  vilhi  of  Mr.  Myers,  and 
thar  it  stoped  to  rekonnoiter.  Thar 
they  learned  as  how  we  had  600  head 
of  artillery,  and  6,000  kotton  bags,  and 
a  permiskous  number  infantry  taktix, 
and  we  were  only  waitin  to  see  the 
whites  of  their  eyes.  Also  that  the  his- 
tory of  Gen.  Jackson  at  New  Orleans 
wer  red  in  publik,  and  that  everything 
were  inspired  to  do  si())itliin;  where- 
upon the  head  of  the  raid  turned  pale, 
and  sent  forward  a  picket.  At  this 
onspishus  moment  a  foot  skout  on  our 
side  let  fly  a  whistlen  bullit,  which 
tuk  effek  somewhat  in  those  rejuns. 
It  were  reasonably  suposed  that  one 
Yankee  were  killed,  and  perhaps  two, 
for  even  to  this  time  sumthing  dead 
can  be  smelt  in  those  parts,  tho'  the 
buryal  squad  had  not  been  able  to  find 
it  up  to  yestiddy.  After  right  smart 
skirmishin,  the  head  of  the  raid  feii 
back  down  the  road  to  the  Alabam, 
and  were  persued  by  our  mounted 
yeomanry  at  a  respectabul  distance. 

Now  Mr.  Adeer  &  Smith,  while  all 
these  vaylunt  feets  were  going  on 
hereabouts.  Gen.  Forrest  had  been 
fighting  the  body  and  tail  of  the  raid 
away  down  at  the  Alabam  line.  Final- 
ly he  proposed  to  the  raid  to  stop 
fightin  and  play  a  game  or  two  of 
poker,  under  a  cedar  tree,  which  they 
aksepted.  But  the  Ginerul  were  not  in 
luck  and  he  had  a  pore  hand,  and  had 
stalked  his  last  dollar.  The  Yankees 
had  a  Streight,  which  would  hav  tuk 
Forrest  and  raked  down  the  pile,  but 
he  looked  on  rite  in  the  eye  and  sed 
he  would  see  'm,  and  "4,000  better." 
The  raid  looked  at  him,  and  he  looked 
at  the  raid,  and  never  blinked.  The 
raid  trembled  all  over  it  boots,  and  gin 
it  up.  The  Generul  bluffed  'em,  and 
ever  since  that  game  was  played,  the 
little  town  hard  by  has  bin  called 
Cedar  Bluff.  It  were  flush  times  in 
the   Alabam,  that  day,  shore! 

Well,  Mr  Editurs,  you  know  the 
sequil.  The  Generul  bagged  'em  and 
broght  'em  on.  The  planks  were  put 
back  on  the  bridge.  The  river  bank 
infantry  countermarched  and  fired  a 
permiscous  volley  in  token  of  jew- 
bilee.  One  of  the  side-swipin  cannon 
went  off  on  its  own  hook,  and  the  ball 
went  ded  through  a  house  and  tore  a 
buro  all  to  flinders.  Sum  sed  it  were 
a  Niter  Buro,  but  a  potash  man  who 
examined  sed  he  reckin  not,  for  ther 
weren't  no  ashes  in  the  drawers,  nor 
naro  ash  hopper  on  the  premises. 

By  and  by  the  Comanchy  Skouts  and 


pickets  all  kum  in,  and  shuk  ther  am- 
brosial locks  and  received  the  congrat- 
ulations of  ther  friends.  Then  begun 
the  ovashun  of  fair  women  and  brave 
men  to  Gen.  Forrest  and  his  gallant 
boys  Bokays  and  tears  were  all  mixed 
up  promiskous.  Big  chunks  of  cake  and 
gratitude  were  distributed  generally 
and  frequent.  Strawberries  and  cream, 
eggs  and  inyuns,  pies  and  pancakes — 
all  flew  aroun  amazin,  for  everybody 
was  determined  to  do  sKnithin.  Gen. 
Forrest  subsided,  and  General  Jew- 
bilee  tuk  command,  and  Rome  her- 
self again.  The  4  pronged  forks  and 
silver  spoons  ros  from  the  dead  and 
even  the  old  hen  what  one  of  our  city 
aldemen  had  hurried  with  her  head 
out,  was  disinterred  and  sacrificed  im- 
mediately for  the  good  of  the  koun- 
try. 

Thus  hav  ended  the  raid,  and  no 
loss  on  our  side.  Howsumever,  I  sup- 
pose that  Mr.  Linkhorn  will  keep  "peg- 
gin'  away." 

Yours   truly   and   immensely, 

THE   ORTHOR, 
Adjective  Generul  of  Yeomanry. 


The  Yankee  cavalry  roamed  a  little 
too  far  from  home  when  they  ventured 
a  journey  to  Rome.  The  citizens  there- 
of were  Romans  enough  to  meet  them 
in  battle  array,  and  Forrest,  at  Rome, 
was  the  "noblest  Roman  of  them  all." 
—Rebel. 

Proclamation. — To  the  Citizens  of 
Rome:  A  little  more  than  a  week  ago 
our  city  was  beleaguered  by  the  most 
lawless  band  of  incendiaries  that  ever 
disgraced  humanity.  This  enemy  came 
with  "lust  in  his  eye,  poverty  in  his 
purse  and  hell  in  his  heart.  He  came 
a  robber  and  a  murderer."  But  at  our 
very  threshold  he  was  arrested  by  the 
Lord  God  of  Hosts.  Thus  we  were  de- 
livered, and  thus  our  city  was  saved 
from  destruction.  Under  such  circum- 
stances it  is  right,  proper  and  our 
bounden  duty  as  a  people  to  bow  down 
in  adoring  thankfulness  to  that  kind 
F'ather  whose  everlasting  arms  have 
been  around,  about  and  underneath 
us,  to  protect  us  from  harm,  and  it  is 
our  duty  and  privilege  to  ascribe  to 
him  all  the  honor  of  our  deliverance. 

Now,  therefore,  I,  John  M.  Gregory, 
mayor  of  the  City  of  Rome,  do  issue 
this,  my  proclamation,  setting  apart 
Wednesday,  the  13th  inst.,  as  a  day  of 
thanksgiving  and  prayer  to  Almighty 
God  for  the  great  mercies  vouchsafed 
to  us,  and  I  do  therefore  earnestly  in- 
vite the  people  of  the  city  to  assemble 
at   their    respective    places    of   worship 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


169 


on  that  day,  and  to  unite  in  render- 
ing thanks  and  praise  to  God.  Given 
under  my  hand  and  seal  of  office,  this 
May  11,  1863.  J.  M.  Gregory,  Mayor 
of  the  City  of  Rome. — Tuesday,  May 
12,    1863. 

Gen.  Forrest  and  the  Citizens  of 
Rome — As  a  slight  appreciation  of  the 
services  of  the  gallant  Forrest  in  sav- 
ing our  beautiful  city  from  sack  and 
flames,  at  the  hands  of  the  ruthless 
vandals,  who  lately  came  to  lay  our 
homes  in  desolation,  a  suggestion  was 
made  that  it  would  be  expressive  of 
our  gratitude  to  present  the  General 
with  a  fine  horse,  and  in  the  course 
of  an  hour  or  two  over  $1,000  was  con- 
tributed for  this  purpose.  But.  Col. 
A.  M.  Sloan,  anticipating  the  move- 
ment, on  his  own  private  account  pre- 
sented Gen.  Forrest  with  his  splendid 
saddle  horse,  for  which  he  would  not 
on  any  other  account  have  taken  the 
best  negro  fellow  in  the  State.  This 
was  an  appropriate  and  magnificent 
offering  on  the  part  of  Col.  Sloan.* 

We  are  advised  that  the  money 
which  had  been  contributed  by  the 
citizens  for  this  purpose  was  turn- 
ed over  to  Gen.  Forrest  to  be  used  for 
the  benefit  of  the  sick  and  wounded  of 
his   command. 

The  Alabama  Traitors. — We  have 
had  the  pleasure  of  reading  a  letter 
from  Gov.  Shorter,  of  Alabama,  to 
Surgeon  P.  C.  Winn,  in  regard  to  the 
Alabama  traitors  captured  by  Gen. 
P"'orrest  in  North  Alabama,  in  which 
the  Governor  says  he  has  demanded 
"under  the  order  of  President  Davis, 
all  the  officers  taken  in  Alabama, 
found  serving  with  armed  slaves,"  etc. 

We  greatly  admire  the  spirit  of  Gov. 
Shorter  in  this  matter  and  hope  to  see 
his  example  emulated  in  every  state. 

Perhaps  no  event  of  the  war  has 
caused  more  profound  regret  through- 
out the  Confederacy  or  more  real  sat- 
isfaction to  the  Yankees  than  the 
death  of  glorious  old  Stonewall  Jack- 
son. After  having  made  such  hair- 
breadth escapes  from  Yankee  bullets 
he  has  died  at  last  at  the  hands  of  his 
own  men.  His  memory  is  embalmed 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  his 
name    will    live    through    all    times. 

Some  of  our  contemporaries  are  de- 
termined that  the  royal  ape  of  Wash- 
ington shall  have  his  proper  cognomen 
of  "Hanks,"  and  "Hanks"  let  it  be, 
and  thereby  free  the  respectable  name 
of  Lincoln  from  the  odium  attached  to 

*A.  M.  Sloan,  banker  and  warehouseman, 
formerly    of   Columbus. 


it  from  his  bearing  it.  It  is  said  that 
old  Hanks  has  started  the  old  pegging 
system  of  tactics.  If  so,  we  suppose 
the  recent  raid  to  Rome  was  one  of 
the  pegs  driven  in  and  broken  off. — 
Thursday,  May  14,  1863. 


The  Meeting  on  Thursday — A  large 
number  of  the  citizens  of  Floyd  and 
the  surrounding  counties  met  in  this 
city  on  Thursday  last  to  consult  to- 
gether on  the  best  means  of  defending 
our  city  and  the  approaches  to  the 
State  road,  against  raiding  parties  of 
the  public  enemy.  Major  John  Rush 
was  chosen  president  and  Mr.  John  M. 
Berry  secretary.  Col.  Fouche  explain- 
ed the  object  of  the  meeting,  and 
moved  the  appointment  of  a  commit- 
tee of  five,  who  were  himself.  Col. 
D.  R.  Mitchell,  Maj.  J.  G.  Yeiser,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Glenn  and  Col.  Alfred  Shorter. 
During  the  absence  of  the  committee, 
Hon.  John  W.  H.  Underwood  was  in- 
vited to  address  the  meeting,  but  de- 
clining to  do  so,  called  on  Dr.  P.  C. 
Winn,  of  Alabama,  who  entertained 
the  audience  with  a  spirited  plea  for 
home  defense.  The  committee  report- 
ed stirring  resolutions,  which  were 
unanimously  adopted. 

We  would  appeal  to  every  boy  and 
man  who  has  the  pluck  to  defend  his 
home,  to  join  some  military  company. 
We  know  of  but  three  excuses  which 
any  man  could  offer  for  not  joining: 
utter  physical  inability,  innate,  incur- 
able cowardice  and  old  age.  But  the 
man  should  be  so  old  that  he  would  not 
think  of  maiTying  again  if  his  wife 
should  die.  If  any  man  will  come  out 
and  establish  his  right  to  plead  any  of 
those  three  excuses,  let  him  be  perpet- 
ually exempt  from  all  military  serv- 
ice;" but  let  all  others  shoulder  arms 
and  fall  into  ranks  for  the  defense  of 
their  native  soil. — Saturday,  May  16, 
1863. 


To  Arms,  Ye  Romans! — We  find  the 
following  astounding  telegram  to  the 
Associated  Press,  which,  if  true,  it  is 
time  Romans  were  looking  to  their  lau- 
rels : 

Atlanta,  May  16.— Quartermaster 
Polk's  Corps  arrived  and  passed 
through  this  morning.  We  have  re- 
l)orts  that  7,000  or  8,000  of  the  enemy 
are  approaching  Rome.  All  the  avail- 
able force  here  is  ordered  to  be  held 
in  readiness. 

There  is  a  grape-vine  telegram 
afloat  that  Jackson,  Miss.,  has  iK^en 
taken  by  the  enemy,  and  that  our 
forces  have  them  surrounded  and  cut 
off.— Tuesday,    May   19,    1863. 


170 


A'^HisTORY  OF  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


NINETEEN    DWELLINGS    OF    MANY    TYPES. 

1 — Wilson  M.  Hardy;  2 — old  A.  R.  Sullivan  home;  3 — old  Goetchius  home;  4 — Dr.  J.  C. 
Watts  (C.  N.  Featherston)  ;  5 — part  of  old  Battey  infirmary;  6 — J.  W.  Rounsaville;  7 — 
Eliza  Frances  Andrews;  8 — A.  B.  S.  Moseley;  9 — T.  J.  Simpson  (J.  L.  Sulzbacher)S  10 — 
Ed.  L.  Bosworth;  11 — O.  L.  Stamps  (C.  Rowell)  ;  12 — S.  F.  Magruder;  13 — old  Harper  home; 
i^     ii^  Reynolds    (R.    D.    VanDyke)  ;     15 — Hood-Cumming-Featherston     (Rixie);     16 — Dr. 

T.    R.    Garlington    (J.    D.    Hanks);    17 — Unknown;    18 — VanDyke-Maddox;    19 — Henry    Stoffregen. 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


171 


To  All  People  Who  Are  Able  to  Bear 
A^rms! — The  question  can  no  longer  be 
blinked.  You  must  either  fight,  run 
or  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Lin- 
coln. This  call  is  made  to  the  fight- 
ing men,  young  and  old.  If  there  be 
any  of  the  other  classes,  we  don't  want 
them;  the  sooner  they  take  care  of 
themselves,  the  better.  Daily  develop- 
ments convince  all  thinking  men  of  the 
immediate  necessity  of  a  strong  mili- 
tary organization  for  self-defense.  The 
people  are  invited,  perhaps  for  the  last 
time,  to  meet  at  the  court  house  in 
Rome  on  Tuesday  morning  next,  May 
26  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  to  learn  what 
has  been  done,  and  to  determine,  un- 
der a  proper  organization,  what  they 
will  do  in  defense  of  their  property, 
their  wives  and  their  children.  We 
beseech  you  to  come  and  to  come  ready 
to  make  all  needed  sacrifices  for  your 
country! — J.  M.  Gregory,  mayor;  S. 
Fouche,  D.  R.  Mitchell,  "j.  G.  Yeiser, 
A.  Shorter,  J.  W.  Glenn,  Committee. — 
Tuesday,  May  26,  1863. 


Rev.  Georg'e  Pierce,  son  of  the 
bishop  of  that  name  who  served 
the  Rome  district  after  the  war, 
had  intended  to  preach  at  one  of 
the  IMethodist  chtirches  on  the 
Sunday  Forrest  appeared,  but  he 
quickly  caught  the  war  fever  and 
shouldered  a  gun.* 

According  to  William  Hardin 
and  Jas.  O.  Winfrey,  the  well- 
known  Confederate  veterans.  Col. 
Streight  cried  over  his  plight,  and 
it  was  said  on  good  authority  at 
the  time  that  he  tried  to  get  a  pis- 
tol to  shoot  himself.  He  was  de- 
scribed by  all  who  knew  him  as 
an  intrepid  soldier. 

Reminiscences  by  the  late  Dr. 
P.  L.  Turnley,  presented  to  the  U. 
D.  C,  add  this  information : 

Col.  Hathaway,  original  commander 
of  the  raiders,  was  shot  through  the 
neck  and  killed  at  the  foot  of  Owl 
Mountain,  near  Turkeytown,  Etowah 
County,  Ala.,  while  eating  breakfast. 
Two  young  sharijshooters,  brothers 
named  Hall,  had  climbed  to  the  top  of 

♦Authority :  20th  Contiiry  Rome,  Tribune  In- 
dustrial  Edition,   Oct.,    1902. 

**Accordin!j  to  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey,  several 
younpr  women   snipped  ofT  lonK  raven  locks. 

***Authority :  Edward  C.  Peters,  of  Rome. 
Since  the  total  casualties  are  1,T•>A^  by  this  esti- 
mate, there  is  a  discrepancy  of  453  men,  the 
number   at  the  start   having   been   2,000. 


the  spur  above  the  invaders  and  crack- 
ed down  on  the  officer.  Streight  was 
then  placed  in  command. 

The  news  that  Streight  was  ap- 
proaching spread  like  prairie  fire,  and 
more  activity  was  shown  in  Rome  than 
for  a  long  time.  By  noon  the  town 
was  fairly  well  garrisoned  by  men  and 
boys  of  all  ages.  The  bridges  were 
blocked  with  cotton  bales,  and  the 
floors  covered  with  straw  saturated 
with  oil.  Every  cellar  and  garret  had 
been  ransacked  for  arms  and  weapons 
of  any  kind.  Col.  J.  G.  "Yeiser  obtain- 
ed two  old  honey-combed  cannon,  and 
placed  the  dangerous  ends  toward  the 
enemy.  These,  with  old  rusty  flint- 
lock rifles  and  a  few  pistols,  were  all 
the  defenders  had,  but  they  were  suf- 
ficient to  turn  back  Streight's  advance 
guard. 

Rome  was  so  hilarious  that  Gen. 
Forrest  could  hardly  attend  to  his  du- 
ties; and  it  has  been  said  by  one  who 
was  present  that  the  brave  general 
would  have  been  bald  had  he  given 
locks  of  his  hair  to  all  the  ladies  who 
made  the  request.** 

Forrest's  losses  were  said  to 
have  been  ten  killed  and  40  wound- 
ed. Streight's  losses  from  Apr. 
27  through  May  3,  1863,  from  Tus- 
cumbia  to  Rome  (including  Day's 
Gap,  Apr.  30,  Black  Warrior  Creek, 
Mav  1,  and  Blount's  Farm,  May  2) 
were  twelve  killed,  69  wounded. 
1.466  captured.  The  captives  were 
the  51st  and  73rd  Indiana  Volun- 
teers, the  3rd  Ohio,  the  80th  Illi- 
nois Mounted  Infantry  and  two 
companies  of  the  First  Alabama 
Cavalry  who  were  mostly  desert- 
ers from  the  Confederate  ar- 
my.*^=* 

Streight's  men  were  worn  out 
from  their  forced  marches  and 
loss  of  sleep,  and  when  Forrest 
came  up,  many  whtc  sleei)ing  on 
their  arms,  and  their  commander 
could  make  them  hght  no  longer. 

In  or<ler  to  get  the  facts  of  Wis- 
dom's ride.  Ca])t.  W.  P.  Pay.  of 
Gadsden,  visited  Mr.  Wisdom  at 
Hoke's  l-.luff,  Ala.  Capt.  Lay  re- 
lated the  story  to  Walter  Harper, 
who  i)resented  it  July  29.  1909.  in 
the  Gadsden  Daily  Times-News, 
a  (lav  after  Mr.  Wisdom  dicil  : 


172 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


John  H.  Wisdom,  long  a  citizen  of 
Etowah  County,  Alabama,  and  for- 
merly of  Rome,  Ga.,  died  at  his  home 
at  Hoke's  Bluff,  ten  miles  east  of 
Gadsden,  on  July  28,  1909.  He  was 
89  years  of  age  and  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial citizens  of  the  county.  He 
was  extremely  modest  and  for  that 
reason  but  little  has  ever  been  said 
or  known  about  the  crowning  exploit 
of  his  life,  which  saved  a  city,  result- 
ed in  the  capture  of  a  host  of  Federal 
soldiers  and  placed  him  in  the  class  of 
heroes  of  the  Civil   War. 

John  H.  Wisdom  and  Emma  Sanson 
were  jointly  responsible  for  the  saving 
of  Rome,  Ga.,  and  the  capture  of  Col. 
Abel  D.  Streight's  raiders  by  Gen. 
Nathan  B.  Forrest,  yet  neither  of  these 
heroes  was  aware  of  the  part  the  other 
was  playing  at  the  time. 

Shortly  after  Emma  Sanson  had  di- 
rected Gen.  Forrest  over  Black  War- 
rior Creek,  Mr.  Wisdom,  then  a  mail 
carrier  and  43  years  old,  left  his  home 
at  Gadsden  on  a  mail  trip,  and  after 
crossing  the  Coosa  river  went  several 
miles  beyond.  In  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day  he  returned  to  Gadsden,  to 
find  that  the  Federals  under  Col. 
Streight  had  been  in  the  town  and 
were  proceeding  toward  Rome.  The 
enemy  had  cut  a  hole  in  the  bottom 
of  the  ferry  boat  of  which  he  was  the 
proprietor  and  had  set  it  loose  to 
drift  down  the  Coosa.  Consequently, 
Mr.  Wisdom  did  not  recross  the  river, 
but  called  to  a  neighbor  to  tell  his 
family  that  he  had  gone  to  warn  Rome 
of  its  danger.  Still  in  his  trusty  buggy, 
he  dashed  toward  Rome.  This  was  at 
3:30  p.  m.  By  changing  steeds  he 
made  the  67  miles  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore midnight,  or  a  little  less  than 
eight  hours  and  a  half.  Deducting  an 
hour  and  a  half  for  changes  of  horses 
and  other  delays,  he  negotiated  the 
hilly,  river-crossing  journey  in  about 
seven  hours,  or  at  the  rate  of  9.6 
miles   per  hour.* 

In  the  early  Revolutionary  days 
Paul  Revere  rode  from  Boston  to  Con- 
cord, Mass.,  a  distance  of  18  miles,  to 
warn  the  citizens  of  the  approach  of 
the  British  soldiers.**  His  act  has  been 
the  subject  of  song  and  story  for  more 
than  100  years,  while  the  much  more 
difficult  and  daring  feat  of  John  H. 
Wisdom  is  known  to  but  a  comparative 
few  in  Alabama  and  Georgia. 

Following  is  the  story  in  Mr.  Wis- 
dom's own  words,  beginning  when  he 
returned  to  the  Coosa  River  at  Gads- 
den on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  May 
2,  1863:*** 


"It  occurred  to  me  at  once  that  I 
could  beat  them  to  Rome  and  sound 
the  alarm.  I  called  across  the  river 
that  I  was  going,  and  whipped  my 
horse  toward  Rome.  This  was  about 
3:30  p.  m.  I  dashed  by  Hoke's  Bluff, 
Gnatville,  Goshen  and  Spring  Garden, 
and  at  the  last-named  place  turned 
into  the  Rome  and  Jacksonville  stage 
road,  which  I  had  traveled  often  as 
driver  of  a  stage  from  Rome  to  the 
Alabama    town. 

"The  first  'lap'  of  the  ride  was  from 
the  east  bank  of  the  river  at  Gadsden 
to  Gnatville,  22  miles,  which  I  drove 
in  my  buggy  in  a  little  more  than  two 
hours.  Here  my  horse  became  ex- 
hausted and  I  left  him  and  the  buggy 
with  the  Widow  Hanks,****  who  offered 
me  a  lame  pony  on  my  promise  to  ride 
it  only  five  miles,  to  Goshen,  where  I 
thought  I  could  get  another  horse.  On 
account  of  the  pony's  condition,  I  was 
obliged  to  leave  him  at  Goshen,  where 
I  found  Simpson  Johnson  coming  in 
from  his  farm.  He  saddled  two  horses 
and  let  me  ride  one,  and  sent  his  son 
with  me  on  the  other  horse  to  bring 
both  back.  I  was  delayed  at  Goshen 
only  a  short  while,  but  it  was  not  dark 
and  I  realized  I  must  lose  more  time 
changing  steeds. 

"We  rode  the  Johnson  horses  in  a 
swift  gallop  eleven  miles  to  the  home 
of  Rev.  Joel  Weems,  above  Spring 
Garden,  Ala.,  where  I  was  delayed 
some  time,  but  finally  managed  to  get 
a   fresh  horse. 

"On  the  next  'lap'  I  stopped  several 
times,  trying  to  get  a  new  animal.  At 
one  place  I  woke  up  a  farmer  and  told 
him  what  I  wanted.  He  replied  gruffly 
that  I  couldn't  get  any  of  his  horses, 
so  I  rode  eleven  miles  farther  to  John 
Baker's,  one  mile  south  of  Cave  Spring, 
and  after  a  short  delay  mounted  an- 
other horse  and  asked  him  to  keep  for 
the  owner  the  one  I  had  discarded.  I 
was  now  in  Georgia,  and  Cave  Spring 
loomed  ahead,  then  I  raced  through 
Vann's  Valley.  While  going  down  a 
long  hill  in  a  sweeping-  gallop,  Mr. 
Baker's  horse  stumbled  and  fell,  throw- 
ing me  in  an  ungraceful  sprawl  ahead 
of  him.  I  got  up  quickly,  remounted 
and  made  off.  After  proceeding 
twelve    miles,    to    within    six    miles    of 

*The  Courier  account  stated  that  Wisdom 
arrived  at  2  :3()  a.  m.,  after  a  ride  of  eleven 
hours. 

**  Revere  was  bound  for  Concord,  hut  was 
held  up  about  half  way,  at  Lexington,  by 
British    soldiers. 

'**Mr.  Wisdom  lived  prior  to  the  war  in  a 
cottage  with  his  mother  at  Second  Avenue  and 
East  Third  Street,  where  B.  T.  Haynes"  home 
now    stands. 

****Her    first    name    was    Nancy,    it    is    said. 


Streight's  Raiders  Captured  by  Forrest 


173 


Rome,  I  changed  horses  for  the  last 
time.  A  gentleman  whose  name  I  do 
not  remember  loaned  me  a  horse  and  I 
lost  little  time  entering  on  the  last 
'lap.'  This  horse  carried  me  safely 
into  Rome,  where  I  arrived  at  four 
minutes  before  midnight,  May  2,  1863. 
I  thus  made  the  ride  of  about  67  miles 
in  slightly  less  than  eight  and  a  half 
hours,  including  delays.  Lost  time 
amounted  to  about  an  hour  and  a 
half. 

"On  arriving  in  the  city  I  galloped 
to  the  leading  hotel,  the  Etowah 
House,  then  kept  by  Mr.  G.  S.  Black, 
and  told  him  the  Yankees  were  com- 
ing. At  his  request,  I  rode  through 
the  streets,  sounding  the  alarm  and 
waking  the  people.  Everybody  jump- 
ed out  of  bed,  and  the  excitement  was 
great.  The  people  ran  in  all  direc- 
tions, but  under  the  command  of  their 
leader  got  down  to  the  business  of  pil- 
ing cotton  bales  in  breastwork  style  on 
the  Rome  ends  of  the  bridges. 

"There  were  few  men  in  Rome  at 
the  time,  most  of  them  having  gone 
away  to  war,  but  those  who  were  left 
soon  hauled  out  all  the  old  squirrel 
rifles,  shot  guns  and  muzzle-loading 
muskets  that  could  be  found,  and  di- 
vided them  among  those  able  to  bear 
arms. 

"The  little  railroad  from  Rome  to 
Kingston  fired  up  the  engines  and  ran 
them  every  30  minutes  in  and  out  of 
the  city,  carrying  the  news  into  the 
country  districts  and  bringing  to  town 
the  farmers  with  their  old  battle 
pieces. 

"The  handful  of  convalescent  Con- 
federate soldiers  in  Rome  took  charge 
of  the  home  guard  and  lined  them  up 
behind  the  breastworks  of  cotton.  The 
Bridge  Street  (Fifth  Avenue)  bridge 
across  the  Oostanaula  River,  a  wooden 
structure,  was  filled  with  hay  which 
was  saturated  with  turpentine  so  it 
could  be  fired  in  case  of  defeat  and 
a  retreat. 

"About  sunrise  next  morning.  May 
3,  (Sunday)  six  hours  after  my  ar- 
rival, Streight's  advance  guard  ap- 
peared on  Shorter's  Hill,  one  mile  west 
of  Rome.  Through  their  field  glasses 
they  saw  the  'fortifications'  and  the 
bustling  activity  in  the  town.  An  old 
negro  woman,  asked  if  there  were  any 
Confederates  around,  replied,  'Yassir, 
boss,    de   town    am   full    of   sojers!' 

"So  impressive  was  the  scene  that 
the  advance  guard  retreated  without 
any  attempt  to  take  the  bridge.  A  few 
shots  were  fired  between  the  sharp- 
shooters. 


"About  3  or  4  o'clock  that  after- 
noon Forrest  marched  into  Rome  with 
Streight's  command  as  prisoners. 
When  the  Yankees  found  out  there 
had  been  no  real  soldiers  in  Rome,  and 
that  they  had  been  captured  by  For- 
rest's inferior  force,  they  became  very 
angry,  and  it  was  feared  that  they 
would  revolt,  but  Gen.  Forrest's  fore- 
sight in  separating  officers  and  men, 
imprisoning  the  officers  in  the  court 
house  and  putting  the  privates  under 
guard  at  the  forks  of  the  rivers, 
averted  trouble. 

"It  has  been  erroneously  stated  that 
I  was  sent  to  Rome  by  Gen.  Forrest. 
I  knew  nothing  of  Gen.  Forrest's  pur- 
suit of  the  raiders  until  he  marched 
into    Rome   with    them. 

"The  people  of  Rome  made  me  a 
present  of  a  silver  service  valued  at 
$400,  which  I  now  have  and  prize  very 
highly.  They  also  gave  me  $400  in 
money  and  sent  the  Widow  Hanks 
$400  for  giving  me  the  use  of  her  lame 
pony." 

According  to  the  oflficial  reports  of 
Col.  Abel  D.  Streight.  made  after  his 
escape  from  Libby  prison  to  Union 
headquarters,  Aug.  22,  1864,  John  H. 
Wisdom  was  directly  responsible  for 
his  surrender  to  Gen.  Forrest.  The 
following  from  Col.  Streight's  report 
is  significant: 

"After  some  maneuvering,  Forrest 
sent  in  a  flag  of  truce,  demanding  sur- 
render, so  I  called  a  council  of  war.  I 
had  previously  learned  in  the  mean- 
time, however,  that  Capt.  Milton  Rus- 
sell had  been  unable  to  take  the  bridge 
at  Rome.  Our  condition  was  can- 
vassed, and  although  personally  op- 
posed to  surrender,  and  so  expressing 
myself  at  the  time,  yet  I  yielded  to  the 
unanimous  voice  of  my  regimental 
commanders,  and  at  about  noon  of 
May  3  we  surrendered  as  prisoners  of 
war. 

Col.  Streight  continued  with  the 
statement  that  he  had  dispatched  Capt. 
Russell  with  200  picked  men  to  take 
the  Rome  bridge,  and  this  officer  had 
reported  that  it  was  held  by  a  formi- 
dable force  of  Confederates,  and  in 
his  opinion  could  not  be  captured  by 
the  forces  available. 

Tn  one  ])art  df  :in  orio-inal  ac- 
count in  his  own  liatul-writini^-,  Ct^l. 
Wisdom  staled  tliat  in  addition  to 
five  horses,  he  used  one  mule.  He 
recited  that  Miss  l\mma  Sanson, 
daus-hter  of  the  W'itlow  Sanson, 
\\h(")     lived     near     T.lack     Warrior 


174 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Creek  l)ridi^e,  two  miles  west  of 
Gadsden,  got  up  behind  Gen.  For- 
rest on  his  horse  and  directed  him 
to  ford  the  creek  after  Streight 
had  burned  the  bridge.  Streight's 
rear  guard  sent  a  fusillade  of  bul- 
lets tow^ard  the  double-mounted 
horse,  and  Forrest  and  Miss  San- 
son were  forced  to  dismount  and 
hide  behind  a  bank.  The  general 
finally  rode  back  to  the  farm  house 
with  the  brave  girl,  then  crossed 
the  ford  with  his  men. 

During  the  delay,  Streight's 
men  had  entered  Gadsden  and  be- 
gun burning  and  plundering.  They 
discovered  Col.  Wisdom's  smoke 
house,  in  which  had  been  stored 
a  quantity  of  bacon  by  a  crowd  of 
refugees  from  Tennessee.  While 
Streight's  men  tried  to  find  the 
key  to  the  smoke  house  and  made 
preparations  to  batter  down  the 
door,  Forrest's  men  arrived, 
chased  them  and  devoured  the  ba- 
con. 


According  to  Col.  Wisdom, 
Streight  surrendered  at  Law- 
rence's Spring,  four  miles  east  of 
Cedar  Bluff,  Cherokee  County, 
Ala.,  and  24  miles  west  of  Rome. 
He  confirms  the  statement  that 
spirituous  liquor  flow^ed  pretty 
freely  in  Rome  that  Sunday :  "I 
thought  a  lieutenant  would  ride 
his  black  mare  to  death.  He  kept 
riding  up  and  down  the  Oosta- 
naula  from  Battey's  Shoals  to 
towai  and  back,  to  keep  the 
Yankees  from  crossing.  They 
said  he  w^as  'tight.'  " 

Gen.  Forrest  hurried  down  into 
Alabama  to  engage  in  a  new  chase, 
w^ithout  waiting  to  attend  the  pic- 
nic Romans  had  planned  for  him. 
While  awaiting  orders  in  Rome  for 
about  four  days,  Forrest  maintain- 
ed headquarters  at  the  Choice 
House,  wdiere  the  Hotel  Forrest 
now  stands,  and  the  hospitality  of 
the  Temple  of  Justice  a  block  to 
the  east  was  enjoyed  by  the  of- 
ficers he  had  corralled. 


TWO  FAMOUS  RIDES  COMPARED. 

John  H.  Wisdom's  famous  ride,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing,  is  here 
compared  with  Paul  Revere's  : 


PAUL    REVERE'S   RIDE. 

Date— Apr.    19,    1775. 

War — Revolutionary. 

Starting    Point — Charlestown,    Mass. 

Destination — Concord,    Mass. 

Place   Reached — Lexington,   Mass. 

Distance — Nine    miles. 

Time — Two  hours,  15  minutes. 

Miles  per  Hour — Four. 

How    Traveled — Horseback. 

Object    to    Save — Lex.   and    Concord. 

Start  of  Ride — About  11:45  p.  m. 

End  of  Ride— Two  a.  m. 

Horses   Used — One. 

Road    Condition — Fair. 

Riding  by  Dark — Two  hours,  15  min. 

Riding    by    Light — None. 

Country — Undulating. 


JNO.    H.   WISDOM'S    RIDE. 

Date— May  2,   1863. 
War— Civil. 

Starting   Point — Gadsden,   Ala. 
Destination — Rome,    Ga. 
Place    Reached — Rome,    Ga. 
Distance^Sixty-seven    miles. 
Time — Eleven  hours    (814   riding). 
Miles  per  Hour — Eight. 
How  Traveled — Buggy,  horseback. 
Object  to   Save — Rome,  Ga. 
Start  of  Ride— About  3:30  p.  m. 
End  of   Ride — Two-thirty  a.   m. 
Horses   Used — Five    (one  mule). 
Road    Condition — Rough. 
Riding   by    Dark — Seven    hours. 
Riding  by   Light — Four  hours. 
Country — Hilly. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Sherman's  Army  Captures  Rome 


HE  climax  to  Rome's  mili- 
tary successes  and  failures 
was  Gen.  Wm.  Tecumseh 
vSherman,  United  States  ar- 
my, of  Ohio.  In  a  chase  after  Gen. 
Jos.  E.  Johnston  from  Dalton  and 
Resaca,  the  right  wing  of  his  ar- 
my (14th  and  16th  corps),  under 
command  of  Gen.  Jas.  Birdseye 
McPherson,*  also  of  Ohio,  sent  its 
scouts  into  Rome  May  17,  1864, 
after  an  artillery  duel  for  a  day 
with   Gen.   Stuart's   defenders.** 

Virgil  A.  Stewart,  a  sharpshoot- 
er wdio  helped  defend  Rome,  states 
that  a  spirited  resistance  was 
maintained  for  a  day  through  the 
artillery  but  the  superiority  of 
the  Federal  force  was  so  great 
that  the  Confederates  were  forced 
to  retire,  burning  the  Fifth  Ave- 
nue and  Broad  Street  bridges  as 
they  went.  From  him,  Horry 
Wimpee,  Wm.  M.  Hardin  and 
others  we  get  the  following  gen- 
eral  description   of   activities : 

Gen.  Sherman  had  sent  Garrard's 
Cavah-y*'''*  dotwn  the  Oostanaula 
River  from  Resaca,  and  Gen.  Jefferson 
C.  Davis'  division  of  McPherson's  Ar- 
my of  the  Tennessee  in  support  of  it. 
The  Federals  were  advised  that  only 
a  small  garrison  defended  Rome,  so 
they  chose  to  go  against  the  point  of 
greatest  resistance  rather  than  lose 
the  time  involved  in  circumvention. 
They  proceeded  down  the  right  or 
north  bank  of  the  river  to  Armuchee 
creek,  where  they  found  the  Confed- 
erate skirmishers.  Shots  were  ex- 
changed and  one  man  was  killed,  prob- 
ably   a    Confederate. 

Cannon    had    been    placed    on    Fort 

*KilIpd  while  reconnoitericiK  near  Atlanta 
some  three  months  later  by  a  Confocleratc 
sharpshooter    named    McPherson. 

♦♦Authority:  Virpril  A.  Stewart.  This  Stuart 
was  undoubtedly  not  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart.  The 
Weekly  Courier  of  Thursday,  Aug.  .■?!,  18G5, 
says  May  17  was  the  day  of  ;nv<^tment.  The 
diary  of  Reuben  S.  Norton  says  May  18.  It  is 
likely  that  the  main  body  of  ttie  troops  entered 
on   the   latter   date. 

♦♦*The    famous    Black    Horse    Troop. 

♦♦♦*A  trench  two  or  three  feet  deep  can  still 
be  found  on  the  southeastern  slope  of  the  water- 
works   hill :    picture   of    it    is    shown    herein. 


Jackson,  the  city  pumping  station  site, 
on  the  top  of  a  high  hill  in  North 
Rome,  then  known  as  Fort  Norton;  on 
the  ridge  crossing  the  Summerville 
road  one  mile  northwest  of  the  court- 
house, at  the  rock  quarry,  then  known 
as  Fort  Attaway,  overlooking  Little 
Dry  creek;  and  on  the  crest  of  Myrtle 
Hill  cemetery,  then  known  as  Fort 
Stovall.  At  the  foot  of  Fort  Norton 
a  redoubt  was  built  to  impede  the 
progress  of  the  enemy  in  any  attempt 
to  scale  the  heights  for  a  hand-to- 
hand  encounter.  In  front  of  the  pres- 
ent Second  (or  Fifth  Avenue)  Baptist 
church,  on  a  slight  ridge  where  John 
Ross  used  to  live,  was  a  trench  to 
which  the  Confederate  infantrymen 
fell  back  after  their  outposts  had  been 
driven  in  and  Ft.  Attaway  silenced.**** 
The  second  fort  to  withdraw  its  fire 
was  Fort  Norton,  and  its  garrison  unit 
withdrew  to  points  in  the  city  and  as- 
sisted the  remaining  unit  on  Fort  Sto- 
vall  (cemetery  hill)   to  hold  out. 

Gen.  Davis  had  planted  his  artillery 
on  the  ridge  above  and  southwest  of 
Shorter's  Spring,  being  the  site  of  the 
new  Shorter  College,  and  particularly 
the  location  of  the  Selkirk  home,  now 
known  as  "Maplehurst,"  the  residence 
of  the  president  of  the  institution. 

The  cannonading  had  started  about 
daybreak.  A  column  of  Confederate 
cavalry  had  skirmished  with  the  Fed- 
erals around  Little  Dry  creek,  but 
these  retired  before  the  hosts  of  Gar- 
rard. All  but  42  of  the  non-combatant 
population  had  taken  bag  and  baggage 
and  selves  away  from  Rome.  The 
others  preferred  to  remain  and  em- 
brace whatever  fate  awaited  them,  for 
it  might  be  worse  farther  down,  and 
home  was  home.  One  of  those  who 
remained  was  as  staunch  and  militant 
a  "Rel)cl"  as  ever  lived — Mrs.  Lizzie 
Roach  Hughes,  dressmaker  and  mil- 
liner and  resident  of  the  P\)urth  Ward. 
"Miss  Lizzie,"  as  she  was  called  all 
over  Rome,  used  to  do  a  lot  of  sewing 
for  the  soldiers,  and  the  day  was  never 
too  wet  or  cold  or  the  night  too  dark 
for  her  to  go  foraging  ifor  "sumpin' 
t'eat."  Her  activities  caused  many  a 
gray-jacketed  heart  to  throb  grate- 
fully. However,  there  were  always 
people  of  low  enough  conscience  and 
purpose  to  tell  the  invaders  what  Ro- 
mans were  the  most  unflagging  in 
support    of    the    Southern    cause,    and 


176 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


those  who  were  informed  upon  were 
forced  to  suffer.  The  Union  troops 
cultivated  "Miss  Lizzie,"  and  nuide 
life  unbearable  for  her.  Their  first 
meeting:  came  when  the  soldiers  en- 
tered West  Rome.  Gen.  Davis  and 
several  officers  "requested"  "Miss  Liz- 
zie" to  go  with  them  to  the  top  of  the 
hill  to  see  if  any  more  Confederates 
were  on  cemetery  hill.  The  Confed- 
erates recognized  "Miss  Lizzie" 
through  their  field  glasses,  and  waved 
a   flag  at   her. 

"Thank  you,  'Miss  Lizzie/  "  said  Gen. 
Davis. 

In  a  minute  there  came  a  cannon 
ball  screeching  overhead,  too  close  for 
conxfort.  "Miss  Lizzie,"  mad  as  a  wet 
hen,  shouted,  "So  THAT  was  why  you 
invited  me  up  here !  Evidently,  Gen. 
Davis,  some  of  our  men  ARE  left, 
and  they  have  the  nerve  to  express 
themselves!" 

Grabbing  up  her  skirts,  "Miss  Liz- 
zie" ran  home,  there  to  find  that  the 
invaders  had  ransacked  everything 
had  stolen  her  fowls  and  her  eggs, 
and  made  her  brother-in-law  a  pris- 
oner. The  man  was  placed  in  the  cus- 
tody of  "Miss  Lizzie"  on  her  assurance 
that  his  wife  was  very  ill,  and  on  her 
promise  to  make  him  behave.  After 
the  occupation  of  Rome,  "Miss  Lizzie" 
got  even  with  the  "Yankees"  by 
charging  them  top  prices  for  fancy 
hats  and  flowers  to  send  home  to 
their  wives.  From  an  astute  old  wom- 
an of  Rome  "Miss  Lizzie"  had  learned 
to  make  feathers  into  artificial  flow- 
ers. Hidden  out  at  Coosa  were  a  few 
white  ganders  and  at  Floyd  Springs 
some  guineas  and  a  peafowl  or  two, 
so  "Miss  Lizzie"  went  to  these  places 
after  material.  If  she  could  get  a 
horse,  all  right,  and  if  not,  she  would 
walk,  five  miles,  ten  miles — it  made 
no  difference.  Once  she  indignantly 
refused  to  let  a  Northern  soldier  help 
her  mount  a  steed.  This  exhibition  of 
lese  majeste  caused  the  soldier  to  call 
the  corporal  of  the  guard,  who  es- 
corted her  with  an  armed  squad  to 
Gen.  Davis'  headquarters  on  Fourth 
Avenue.  Some  more  of  her  privileges 
were  taken  away,  including  her  lib- 
erty for  a  day,  but  this  only  served 
to  make  her  increase  the  price  of  her 
wares. 

"Miss  Lizzie"  was  also  suspected  of 
furnishing  "underground  telephone" 
information  to  the  Confederates;  she 
was  undoubtedly  guilty,  as  were  most 
of  the  other  women,  and  proud  of  it, 
but  the  "Yankees"  couldn't  get  a  thing 
on   her,   so    she   remained   a    privileged 


character  and  added  greatly  to  the 
drab  camp  life  of  the  uninvited  guests 
of  Rome. 

The  cannon  of  the  enemy  were 
trained  almost  exclusively  on  the  de- 
fending forts,  and  practically  all  the 
buildings  and  houses  escaped  destruc- 
tion at  that  time.  No  doubt  many  a 
shell  could  be  found  buried  in  the  va- 
rious hills.*  The  figures  as  to  losses 
are  not  available,  but  it  is  believed 
that  the  casualties  were  few.  While 
the  bombardment  was  at  its  height,  B. 
G.  Salvage,  foreman  of  The  Courier 
composing  room,  who  had  succeeded 
Capt.  Dwinell  as  editor  while  the  lat- 
ter laid  aside  editorial  pellets  for  the 
real  kind,  was  busy  grinding  out  the 
last  issue  of  the  paper  that  Romans 
were  to  receive  before  Aug.  31,  1865. 
The  makeshift  editor  pied  his  type  and 
took  to  swamps  and  hills.  The  May 
16,  1864,  issue  is  not  available,  hence 
much  that  took  place  on  that  stirring 
occasion  is  forever  lost. 

However,  we  are  told  by  the  sur- 
vivors mentioned  above  that  the  Con- 
federates withdrew  from  the  last  fort 
(Stovall)  under  cover  of  the  dark- 
ness of  May  16,  and  took  up  sniping 
positions  on  Cantrell's  Ridge,  South 
Rome;  on  Tubbs'  Mountain  and  other 
vantage  points;  also  that  the  invading 
skirmishers  cautiously  entered  on  May 
17  after  having  crossed  the  Oosta- 
naula  at  or  near  Battey's  Shoals,  and 
by  noon  had  advanced  their  line  to 
Maiden  Lane  (now  Third  Avenue). 
On  the  following  day.  May  18,  after 
awaiting  orders  and  packing  up,  Gen. 
Davis'  hosts,  said  to  have  been  parts 
of  the  14th  and  16th  Army  corps, 
numbering  pei-haps  30,000  men,  cross- 
ed the  Oostanaula  at  Printup's  wharf, 
midway  between  the  Second  Avenue 
and  Fifth  Avenue  bridges,  six  abreast 
and  on  pontoon  bridges  made  partly 
of  church  pews.  Their  heavy  wagons 
and  artillery  went  over  safely.  Gen. 
Wm.  Vandever  tarried  a  short  time, 
but  soon  pushed  on  to  Kingston,  and 
left  Gen.  John  M.  Corse  in  charge  of 
the  garrison  of  1,054  men. 

The  most  serious  infantry  and  cav- 
alry engagement  took  place  at  Fort 
Attaway,  lasting  from  3  to  5  p.  m.  of 
May  16.  As  the  Confederates  with- 
drew, they  took  with  them  everything 
that  could  possibly  be  used,  and  de- 
stroyed all  that  might  benefit  the  ene- 
my. A  Texas  regiment  is  said  to  have 
removed  $150,000  in  provisions  and 
clothing     from     Broad     Street     stores. 

*C.  L.  Kins,  cemetery  sexton,  has  several 
which  were  dug  out  of  graves  in  Myrtle  Hill. 


Sherman's  Army  Captures  Rome 


177 


A  PAIR  OF  GENERALS  WHO   "DROPPED  IN"   ON  ROME. 

At    the   left    is    Gen.   Jefferson    C.   Davis,    commander   of   the   Garrison,    and    at    right 
is    Gen.    Wm.    T.    Sherman,    who    spent    several    days    on    Fourth    Avenue, 


The  new  "tenants"  finished  the  job. 
The  few  pigs,  chickens  and  cows  that 
were  left  were  eagerly  seized  and 
killed,  and  it  was  "every  Roman  for 
himself."  Things  of  no  military  value 
were  smashed  or  burned.  "Bulls"  got 
into  the  "china  shop"  of  the  Buena 
Vista    Hotel    and    had    a    lively    time. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Gregory  had  been  mayor 
the  year  before.  He  had  refugeed, 
but  his  good  wife  and  her  mother, 
Mrs.  Hutchings,  the  kindly  proprie- 
tress, wrung  her  hands  vainly  in  pro- 
test. 

Mrs.  John  Choice  remained  behind, 
cheering  the  retreating  Confederates 
as  they  passed.  For  the  offense  of 
keeping  two  buckets  of  water  sitting 
at  the  front  of  her  place  to  slake  the 
thirst  of  the  boys  in  gray,  Mrs.  Greg- 
ory's home  was  set  on  fire.  The  flames 
spread  over  the  lower  floor,  and  her 
aged  mother  had  to  be  carried  down  a 
ladder  from  the  second  story.  The 
colored  maid,  later  a  resident  of  Chi- 
cago, followed  her  just  as  the  fire  was 
entering  the  room. 

Mrs.  Samuel  Stewart's  home  on 
Eighth  Avenue  could  be  seen  from 
afar,  and  clothing  hung  up  in  a  cei-- 
tain  way  on  the  back  porch  gave  sig- 
nals to  the  Confederates.  Union  sol- 
diers went  to  this  home  and  carried 
away  everything  of  value,  and  poured 
ink  on  Mrs.  Stewart's  wearing  ap- 
parel. 


A  lot  of  munitions  of  war  and  a 
cannon  or  two  were  thrown  into  the 
Oostanaula  above  Fifth  Avenue  by  the 
Federals,  who  had  more  than  they 
could  carry.  A  little  gunpowder  and 
a  few  shells  found  in  the  arsenal  at 
Myrtle  Hill  were  destroyed.  Zach 
Mooney,  who  had  been  employed  to 
help  make  cannon  at  the  Noble  Foun- 
dry, took  two  old  pieces  and  did  away 
with  them;  one  went  "kerchug!"  into 
the  Etowah  nearby,  and  another 
splashed  into  an  old  well. 

The  Lumpkin-Holmes-Morris  home 
on  Eighth  Avenue  was  used  as  a  hos- 
pital for  the  wounded  Union  men.  The 
Spullock  home  was  made  the  head- 
quarters of  Gen.  Corse,  and  Gen.  Van- 
dever  occupied  first  the  Hood-Cum- 
niing  -  Featherston  -  Rixie  home  on 
Broad,  and  then  the  Chas.  H.  Smith 
("Bill  Arp")  home  on  Fourth  Ave- 
nue, which  was  used  successively  by 
Gens.  Jefl'erson  C.  Davis  and  Wm.  T. 
Sherman.  A  Gen.  Cox  is  also  men- 
tioned as  having  had  charge  foi-  a 
short   time   at    Rome. 

Horry  Wimiiee  and  many  others 
unite  in  praising  Gens.  Vandever  and 
Davis  as  kind  -  hearted  gentlemen 
whose  treatment  of  Ronuins  was  all 
that  could  have  been  expected.  Gen. 
Sherman  ajipears  not  to  have  engaged 
in  any  atrocities  at  Rome.  As  for 
Gen.  Corse,  he  was  not  possessed  of 
the  amenities  bestowed  upon  the  oth- 
ers;   early    in    his    career    at    Konie    he 


178 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


caused  the  handsome  Hawkins  home 
on  the  Lindale  road  to  be  burned  be- 
cause a  crowd  of  his  foragers  were 
ambushed  at  that  spot.  He  was  a 
stubborn  fighter,  however;  when  near- 
ly overwhelmed  by  Gen.  S.  G.  French 
at  Allatoona,  he  signalled  Gen.  Sher- 
man: "I  am  short  a  cheek  bone  and 
part  of  an  ear,  but  am  able  to  whip 
all  hell  yet!" 

Gen.  Sherman  entered  Rome  from 
Kingston  Oct.  12,  1864,  on  a  chase 
after  Gen.  Hood,  who,  after  the  fall 
of  Atlanta  Sept.  2,  rambled  all  over 
the  old  Cherokee  nation  in  Georgia, 
Alabama  and  Tennessee,  and  proved 
as  elusive  as  a  Jack-o-Lantern.  Hood 
had  marched  down  the  south  bank  of 
the  Etowah,  passing  through  or  close 
to  Cave  Spring,  and  crossing  the 
Coosa  at  Veal's  Ferry,  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Coosa.  He  flitted  through 
Texas  Valley  on  the  northwestern  side 
of  Lavender  Mountain,  with  the  pur- 
pose of  destroying  the  W.  &  A.  railroad 
and  cutting  off  Sherman's  supplies 
from  Chattanooga.  Part  of  Hardee's 
corps  went  to  Mt.  Pleasant  Methodist 
church  (now  Oreburg) ,  turned  to  the 
left  at  Farmer's  bridge,  Armuchee 
Creek,  and  then  went  through  Floyd 
Springs  to  Chattooga  County,  and 
hauled  up  near  Dalton ;  Gen.  Stuart's* 
corps  penetrated  Robinson's  gap,  Lav- 
ender Mountain,  then  went  through 
Texas  Valley  and  crossed  Little  Ar- 
muchee Creek  at  Echols'  Mill.  A  junc- 
tion of  some  of  the  units  was  ef- 
fected near  Resaca  and  Hood  demand- 
ed the  surrender  of  the  garrison  there, 
but  was   refused. 

Hood  had  crossed  the  Coosa  Oct.  10 
and  left  a  part  of  Harrison's  Brigade 
(being  the  8th  and  11th  Texas  Regi- 
ments, the  3rd  Arkansas  and  the  4th 
Tennessee)  strung  from  Lavender  Mt. 
to  Veal's  Ferry;  also  Stuart's  corps  of 
four  regiments  at  Sardis  church, 
Coosa.  A  feint  on  Rome  Nov.  12  from 
1,200  to  1,500  of  these  troops  so  alarm- 
ed Gen.  Sherman  that  he  wired  At- 
lanta that  Hood  was  turning  back  on 
the  Hill  City,  and  ordered  50,000  men 
from  At'anta  rushed  to  his  aid!**  This 
order  was  countermanded  later  when 
Sherman  learned  that  Hood's  main 
force  was  bearing  down  on  Resaca. 
Sherman  went  on  to  Resaca  the  night 
of  Oct.  12  and  left  Corse  in  charge  at 
Rome;  and  Corse  scouted  into  the 
Coosa  Valley  and  brought  back  some 
prisoners    and    guns. 

Gen.  Sherman  returned  to  Rome  the 
night  of  Oct.  28  with  his  staff,  and 
again  perched  himself  on  Fourth  Ave- 
nue ;    and    for    four    days    and    a    half, 


until  the  morning  of  Nov.  2,  directed 
operations  from  that  point.  On  this 
occasion  he  was  returning  after  a 
chase  with  Hood  which  had  taken  him 
down  the  Chattooga  Valley  to  Gayles- 
ville,  Ala.  The  grizzled  West  Pointer 
exhibited  considerable  chagi-in  that  he 
had  been  unable  to  corner  the  South- 
ern army  and  wipe  it  out  with  his 
superior  force.  On  the  retreat  from 
Dalton,  Gen.  Johnston  had  scarcely 
lost  a  prisoner  or  a  gun,  nor  had  he 
left  behind  many  loaves  or  fishes  for 
the  Federals  to  feed  upon.  As  for 
Hood,  his  baggage  was  so  light  that 
he  moved  like  the  wind.  Finally  Sher- 
man gave  up  the  chase,  and  set  his 
course  for  the  sea.  The  evacuation  of 
Rome  started  Nov.  10,  1864,  and  was 
completed  by  9  a.  m.  of  Nov.  11.  Act- 
ing on  orders  from  Sherman,  then  at 
Kingston,  Gen.  Corse  burned  all  the 
mills  and  factories  and  some  other  es- 
tablishments that  might  be  of  use  to 
the  Confederates. 

The  burning  took  place  on  the  night 
of  November  10.  Never  had  a  scene 
of  such  wantonness  and  misery  been 
presented  to  Rome.  Dry  goods  boxes 
and  trash  were  piled  high  in  stores 
and  set  off,  and  the  crackling  of  the 
timbers  furnished  a  melancholy  echo 
to  the  wails  of  women  and  children. 
Soldiers  ran  from  place  to  place  with 
fii-ebrands  in  their  hands,  setting  the 
places  designated  here,  and  perfectly 
harmless  places  there.  Necessarily 
the  stores  and  shops  next  to  the  con- 
demned improvements  went  up  in 
smoke.  With  hundreds  of  bayonets 
bristling,  the  40  steadfast  male  Ro- 
mans could  do  nothing  but  watch  and 
allow    their    souls    to    fill    with    regret. 

Here  are  some  of  the  Broad  Street 
or  central  establishments  which  were 
destroyed;  both  depots,  Cunning- 
ham's cotton  warehouse,  the  bank, 
David  J.  Meyerhardt's  store  house, 
Daniel  R.  Mitchell's  houses,  the  Eto- 
wah Hotel  (then  at  Howard  Street, 
or  Second  Avenue).  Cohen's  gr'jst 
mill  on  Silver  Creek,  between  East 
Rome  and  South  Rome  burnt  mer- 
rily. The  great  brick  smoke  stacks 
of  the  Noble  Foundry  were  blown 
up  with  powder  blasts,  and  the  build- 
ings then  fired.  Only  isolated  struc- 
tures escaped,  until  there  was 
no  place  much  to  do  business,  and 
less  business  to  do  than  places.  A 
livery  stable  caught,  and  the  odor  of 
burning  horseflesh  could  be  detected 
for  several  blocks.  The  whinnies  of 
the   horses   told  of  their   awful   plight. 

*Not   J.  E.   B.   Stuart. 
♦♦Authority :     Wm.   M.    Hardin. 


Sherman's  Army  Captures  Rome 


179 


With  this  kind  of  a  gesture,  Gen. 
Corse  bade  farewell  to  Rome.  .  Had 
he  fiddled  as  well,  the  picture  could 
have  been  little  less  complete.  There 
was  more  work  for  him  to  do.  As 
Sherman  left  Kingston,  he  said: 
"Corse,  the  torch."  It  was  not  always 
Corse  who  happened  to  be  convenient. 
Gen.  Davis  was  hard  by  when  Gen. 
Sherman  on  Nov.  21  found  himself  on 


*Gen.  Sherman  no  doubt  traversed  after  tlie 
war  a  considerable  part  of  his  course  throii-jh 
Georgia.,  to  verify  data  for  his  book.  He  was 
interested  in  the  Tecumseh  Iron  Works  at  Te- 
cumseh,  Cherokee  Co.,  Ala.,  two  miles  north  of 
Borden-Wheeler  Springs,  and  the  manager  of 
that  concern.  Gen.  Willard  Warner,  a  member 
of  Gen.  Sherman's  staff,  used  to  buy  largj  quan- 
tities of  goods  through  the  wholesile  grocery 
house  of  IBerrys  &  Co.  (later  Montgomery,  IVIe- 
Laurin  &  Co.),  of  Rome.  On  one  occasion, 
about  18S0,  Gen.  Sherman  came  indnnounced 
to  Rome,  and  spent  some  little  time  waiting  to 
change  trains  at  the  Rome  Railroad  depot, 
going  to  or  coming  from  Tecumseh.  Several 
Romans  recognized  him  by  his  stubby  chin  dec- 
orations and  shook  hands  with  him.  It  was 
too  soon  after  the  war,  however,  and  most  of 
the  little  crowd  contented  themselves  with  a 
look  and  grunt  from  a  distance,  and  voted  him 
the    ugliest    mortal    they    had   ever   daen. 


the  Howell  Cobb  plantation  in  middle 
Georgia.  Hardly  a  scrap  of  that  place 
was  spared,  becau.se  Cobb  had  just 
left  a  cabinet  position  at  Washington. 
Although  it  is  popularly  accepted 
that  Sherman's  March  to  the  Sea 
started  at  7  a.  m.,  Nov.  15,  from  At- 
lanta, the  preliminaries  were  staged 
at  Rome,  Kingston,  Cartersville  and 
other  points  north  of  the  capital. 

The  stern  injunction,  "Leave 
not  a  blade  of  grass  that  a  grass- 
hopper could  subsist  upon !"  was 
likewise  applicable  to  the  conduct 
of  the  army  in  the  upper  section 
of  the  state. 

It  was  a  devastating  scourge, 
this  march  ;  it  left  many  a  wrecked 
fortune,  bleeding  heart  and  broken 
spirit,  but  it  was  also  the  forerun- 
ner of  a  new  era  of  development 
and  progress  for  the  entire  South- 
land. 


180 


jA  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


X  DEFERKNCR  to  the 
feelings  and  preferences  of 
a  large  majority  of  readers, 
an  effort  was  made  to  ob- 
tain a  complete  and  accurate  ac- 
count of  the  troop  movements 
around  Rome,  written  from  the 
Southern  viewpoint.  Gen.  Jos.  R. 
Johnston's  story  was  consulted, 
but  it  contained  such  a  scanty  ref- 
erence to  Rome  that  it  was  con- 
sidered unavailable  for  the  pur- 
pose. Other  works  that  have  fal- 
len under  the  notice  of  the  author 
have  likewise  failed  to  satisfy  the 
curiosity  for  details,  hence  the  ac- 
count by  Gen.  Sherman  is  present- 
ed herewith,  in  the  belief  that  the 
fairness  and  accuracy  of  it  will 
commend  it  to  all.  The  extracts 
are  from  the  "Memoirs  of  Gen. 
Wm.  T.  Sherman,  Vol.  II  (D.  Ap- 
pleton  &  Co.,  New  York,  N.  Y., 
1875). 

On  the  18th  day  of  March,  1864,  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  I  relieved  Lt.  Gen. 
Ulysses  S.  Grant  in  command  of  the 
Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi, 
embracing  the  Departments  of  the 
Ohio,  Cumberland,  Tennessee  and 
Arkansas,  commanded  respectively  by 
Maj.  Gens.  Schofield,  Thomas,  Mc- 
Pherson  and  Steele.  General  Grant 
was  in  the  act  of  starting  east  to  as- 
sume command  of  all  the  Armies  of 
the  United  States,  but  more  particu- 
larly to  give  direction  in  person  to 
the  Armies  of  the  Potomac  and  James 
operating    against    Richmond. 

In  the  early  part  of  April  I  was 
much  disturbed  by  a  bold  raid  made 
by  the  rebel  General  Forrest  between 
the  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  rivers. 
He  reached  the  Ohio  River  at  Padu- 
cah,  but  was  handsomely  repulsed  by 
Colonel  Hicks.  He  then  swung 
down  toward  Memphis,  massacring 
a  part  of  its  garrison,  composed 
wholly  of  negro  ti'oops.  No  doubt 
Forrest's  men  acted  like  a  set 
of  barbarians,  shooting  down  the  help- 
less negro  garrison,  but  I  am  told  that 
Forrest  personally  disclaims  any 
active  participation  in  tiie  assault  and 
that  he   stopped   the  firing  as  soon   as 


he  could.  I  was  told  by  hundreds  of 
our  men,  who  were  at  various  times 
prisoners  in  Forrest's  possession,  that 
he  was  usually  very  kind  to  them. 

Writing'  from  Nashville  head- 
quarters Apr.  10,  1864,  Gen.  Sher- 
man outlined  to  Gen.  Grant  at 
Washington  some  of  the  plans  for 
his  campaign  against  Atlanta,  via 
Ringgold,  Dalton,  Resaca,  Rome, 
Cartersville,  Kingston,  Allatoona 
and  Marietta  : 

McPherson  will  have  nine  divisions 
of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee;  if  A.  J. 
Smith  gets  here  he  will  have  full  30,- 
000  of  the  best  men  in  America.  He 
will  cross  the  Tennessee  at  Decatur 
and  Whitesburg,  march  toward  Rome 
and  feel  for  Thomas.  If  Johnston 
falls  behind  the  Coosa,  then  McPher- 
son will  push  for  Rome,  and  if  John- 
ston falls  behind  the  Chattahoochee, 
as  I  believe  he  will,  then  McPherson 
will   cross  over  and  join   Thomas. 

On  Apr.  28,  Gen.  Sherman  re- 
moved his  headquarters  to  Chatta- 
nooga, and  on  May  5  he  took  the 
field  personally  and  marched  with 
about  100,000'  men  into  Georgia 
against  Gen.  Johnston,  who  re- 
treated from  rX'illini  after  a  brief 
skirmish  stand. 

On  May  11  the  Federal  com- 
mander, then  at  Tunnel  Hill.  Whit- 
field County,  ordered  Gen.  McPher- 
son, in  Sugar  Valley,  to  anticipate 
Gen.  Johnston's  evacuation  of  Dal- 
ton by  sending  On.  Garrard  by 
Summerville  to  threaten  Rome  antl 
that  flank.  Instead  of  taking  the 
small  Confederate  garrison  at  Re- 
saca. G.ordon  County,  Gen.  Mc- 
riicrson  fell  back  into  a  defensive 
position  in  Sugar  X'alley.  on  the 
Resaca  side  of  Snake  Creek  Gap. 
Sherman  continues  : 

Johnston,  as  1  anticipated,  had 
abandoned  all  iiis  weil-pri'pared  de- 
fenses at  Dalton  and  was  found  inside 
(.f  Resaca  with  tlie  bulk  of  his  army, 
holding  his  divisions  well  in  hand, 
acting    purely    on    the    defensive,    and 


182 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


fighting  well  at  all  points  of  conflict. 
A  complete  line  of  entrenchments  was 
found  covering  the  place,  and  this  was 
strongly  manned  at  all  points.  On  the 
14th  we  closed  in,  enveloping  the  town 
on  its  north  and  west,  and  during  the 
15th  we  had  a  continual  day  of  battle 
and  skirmish.  At  the  same  time  I 
caused  two  pontoon  bridges  to  be  laid 
across  the  Oostanaula  river  at  Lay's 
Ferry,  about  three  miles  below  the 
town,  by  which  we  could  threaten  Cal- 
houn, a  station  on  the  railroad  seven 
miles  below  Resaca.  I  also  dispatched 
Oen.  Garrard  with  his  cavalry  di- 
vision down  the  Oostanaula  by  the 
Rome  road,  with  orders  to  cross  over, 
if  possible,  and  to  attack  or  threaten 
the  railroad  at  any  point  below  Cal- 
houn and  above  Kingston. 

During  the  15th,  without  attempt- 
ii'.g  to  assault  the  fortified  works,  we 
pressed  at  all  points,  and  the  sound 
of  cannon  and  musketry  rose  all  day 
to  the  dignity  of  a  battle.  Toward 
evening  McPherson  moved  his  whole 
line  of  battle  forward,  till  he  had 
gained  a  ridge  overlooking  the  town, 
from  which  his  field  artillery  could 
reach  the  railroad  bridge  across  the 
Oostanaula.  The  enemy  made  several 
attempts  to  drive  him  away,  but  in 
every  instance  he  was  repulsed  with 
bloody   loss. 

Hooker's  Corps  had  also  had  some 
heavy  and  handsome  fighting  that  aft- 
ernoon and  night  on  the  left,  where 
the  Dalton  road  entered  the  entrench- 
ments, capturing  a  4-gun  entrenched 
battery,  with  its  men  and  guns;  and 
generally  all  our  men  showed  the  finest 
fighting  qualities.  Howard's  Corps 
had  followed  Johnston  dovvm  from 
Dalton  and  was  in  line;  Stoneman's 
Division  of  Cavalry  had  also  got  up, 
and  was  on  the  extreme  left,  beyond 
the  Oostanaula.  On  the  night  of  May 
15  Johnston  got  his  army  across  the 
bridges,  set  them  on  fire  and  we  en- 
tered Resaca  at  daylight.  Our  loss 
up  to  that  time  was  about  600  dead 
and    3,375   wounded. 

That  Johnston  had  deliberately  de- 
signed in  advance  to  give  up  such 
strong  positions  as  Dalton  and  Resaca, 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  us  farther 
South,  is  simply  absurd.  Had  he  re- 
mained in  Dalton  another  hour  it 
would  have  been  his  total  defeat,  and 
he  only  evacuated  Resaca  because  his 
safety  demanded  it.  The  movement 
by  us  through  Snake  Creek  Gap  was 
a  total  surprise  to  him.  My  army 
about  doubled  his  in  size,  but  he  had 
all  the  advantage  of  natural  positions, 
of    artificial    forts    and   roads,    and    of 


concentrated  action.  We  were  com- 
pelled to  grope  our  way  through  for- 
ests, across  mountains  with  a  large 
army,  necessarily  more  or  less  dis- 
persed. 

Johnston  having  retreated,  imme- 
diate pursuit  was  begun.  A  division 
of  infantry  (Jefferson  C.  Davis')  was 
at  once  dispatched  down  the  valley 
toward  Rome,  to  support  Garrard's 
Cavalry,  and  the  whole  army  was  or- 
dered to  pursue — McPherson  by  Lay's 
Ferry,  on  the  right,  Thomas  "directly 
by  the  railroad,  and  Schofield  by  the 
left,  by  the  old  road  that  crossed  the 
Oostanaula  above  Echota  or  Nevrtown. 
We  hastily  repaired  the  railroad 
bridge  at  Resaca,  which  had  been  par- 
tially burned,  and  built  a  temporary 
floating  bridge  out  of  timber  and  ma- 
terials found  on  the  spot,  so  that 
Thomas  got  his  advance  corps  over 
during  the  16th,  and  marched  as  far 
as  Calhoun,  where  he  came  into  com- 
munication with  McPherson's  troops, 
which  had  crossed  the  Oostanaula  at 
Lay's  Ferry  by  our  pontoon  bridges 
previously  laid.  Inasmuch  as  the 
bridge  at  Resaca  was  overtaxed, 
Hooker's  Twentieth  Corps  was  also 
diverted  to  cross  by  the  fords  and 
ferries  above  Resaca,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Echota. 

On  the  17th,  toward  evening,  the 
head  of  Thomas'  column,  Newton's  Di- 
vision, encountered  the  rear  guard  of 
Johnston's  Army  near  Adairsville.  I 
was  near  the  head  of  the  column  at 
the  time,  trying  to  get  a  view  of  the 
position  of  the  enemy  from  an  eleva- 
tion in  an  open  field.  My  party  at- 
tracted the  fire  of  a  battery;  a  shell 
passed  through  the  group  of  staff  of- 
ficers and  burst  just  beyond,  which 
scattered  us  promptly.  The  next 
morning  the  enemy  had  disappeared, 
and  our  pursuit  was  continued  to 
Kingston,  which  we  reached  during 
Sunday  afternoon,  the  19th. 

From  Resaca  the  railroad  runs 
nearly  due  south,  but  at  Kingston  it 
makes  junction  with  another  railroad 
from  Rome,  and  changes  direction  due 
east  (west).  At  that  time  McPher- 
son's head  of  column  was  about  four 
miles  to  the  west  of  Kingston,  at  a 
country  place  called  "Woodlawn;" 
Schofield  and  Hooker  were  on  the  di- 
rect roads  leading  from  Newtown  to 
Cassville,  diagonal  to  the  i-oute  fol- 
lowed by  Thomas.  Thomas'  head  of 
column,  which  had  followed  the  coun- 
try roads  alongside  of  the  railroad, 
was  about  four  miles  east  of  Kingston, 
toward  Cassville.  About  noon  I  got 
a  message  from  him  that  he  had  found 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


183 


the  enemy  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle 
on  some  extensive,  open  gi'ound,  about 
half-way  between  Kingston  and  Cass- 
ville,  and  that  appearances  indicated 
a  willingness  and  preparation  for  bat- 
tle. 

Hurriedly  sending  orders  to  Mc- 
Pherson  to  resume  the  march,  to 
hasten  forward  by  roads  leading  to 
the  south  of  Kingston,  so  as  to  leave 
for  Thomas'  troops  and  trains  the  use 
of  the  main  road,  and  to  come  up  on 
his  right,  I  rode  forward  rapidly  over 
some  rough  gravel  hills,  and  about  six 
miles  from  Kingston  found  Gen. 
Thomas  with  his  troops  deployed ;  but 
he  reported  that  the  enemy  had  fallen 
back  in  echelon  of  divisions,  steadily 
and  in  superb  order,  into  Cassville. 

I  knew  that  the  roads  by  which 
Gens.  Hooker  and  Schofield  were  ap- 
proaching would  lead  them  to  a  sem- 
inary near  Cassville,  and  that  it  was 
all-important  to  secure  the  point  of 
junction  of  these  roads  with  the  main 
road  along  which  we  were  marching. 
Therefore,  I  ordered  Gen.  Thomas  to 
push  forward  his  deployed  lines  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  and  as  night  was 
approaching,  I  ordered  two  field  bat- 
teries to  close  up  at  a  gallop  on  some 
woods  which  lay  between  us  and  the 
town  of  Cassville.  We  could  not  see 
the  towTi  by  reason  of  these  woods, 
but  a  high  range  of  hills  just  back  of 
the  town  was  visible  over  the  tree  tops. 
On  these  hills  could  be  seen  fresh- 
made  parapets  and  the  movement  of 
men,  against  whom  I  directed  the  ar- 
tillery to  fire  at  long  range. 

The  stout  resistance  made  by  the 
enemy  along  our  whole  front  of  a 
couple  of  miles  indicated  a  purpose  to 
fight  at  Cassville,  and  as  the  night 
was  closing  in.  Gen.  Thomas  and  I 
were  together,  along  with  our  skirmish 
lines  near  the  seminary,  on  the  edge 
of  the  town,  where  musket  bullets 
from  the  enemy  were  cutting  the 
leaves  of  the  trees  pretty  thickly 
about  us.  We  went  back  to  the  bat- 
tery, where  we  passed  the  night  on 
the  ground. 

*The  wonderful  cave  visited  in  1835  by  John 
Howard  Payne.  Col.  Mark  A.  Hardin,  mem- 
bei-  of  Morgan's  Cavalry,  had  houjrht  it  in 
IKGl,  and  with  several  hundreds  of  slaves  work- 
inpT,  had  sent  (luantities  of  nitre  to  Knoxville 
to  make  (gunpowder  for  the  Confederate  Army. 
He  refused  an  offer  of  .$100,000  for  the  cave, 
and  shortly  afterward,  it  was  seized  by  the 
Confederate  Covernment,  which  was  in  charge 
when  (ien.  Sherman  captured  it.  Authority: 
Miss  Virginia  Hardin,  of  Atlanta.  It  is  said 
this  cave's  tributaries  extend  several  miles,  and 
that  they  have  never  been  thoroughly  explored. 
The  place  is  visited  yearly  by  thousands,  nota- 
bly  by   the   Boy   Scouts. 


During  the  night  I  had  reports  from 
McPherson,  Hooker  and  Schofield.  The 
former  was  about  five  miles  to  my 
right  rear,  near  the  "nitre  caves;"" 
Schofield  was  about  six  mils:,  north 
and  Hooker  between  us,  within  two 
miles.  All  were  ordered  to  clos'i  down 
on  Cassville  at  daylight,  and  to  attack 
the  enemy  wherever  found.  Skirmish- 
ing was  kept  up  all  night,  but  when 
day  broke  the  next  morning.  May 
20th,  the  enemy  was  gone,  and  our 
cavalry  was  sent  in  pursuit.  These 
reported  him  beyond  the  Etowah  Riv- 
er. We  were  then  well  in  advance  of 
our  railroad  trains,  so  I  determined 
to  pause  a  few  days  to  repair  the  rail- 
road. 

Nearly  all  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try seemed  to  have  fled  with  John- 
ston's Army,  yet  some  few  families 
remained,  and  from  one  of  them  I  pro- 
cured a  copy  of  an  order  which  John- 
ston had  made  at  Adairsville  in  which 
he  recited  that  he  had  retreated  as 
far  as  strategy  required,  and  that  his 
army  must  be  prepared  for  battle  at 
Cassville.  The  newspapers  of  the 
South,  many  of  which  we  found,  were 
loud  in  denunciation  of  Johnston's 
failing  back  before  us  without  a  se- 
rious   battle,    simply    resisting    by    his 


COL.  THOMAS  W.  ALEXANDKR,  once  M.iyor 
of  Rome,  in  the  uniform  he  wore  as  a  Con- 
federate  Army   officer. 


184 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


skirmish  line  and  rear  guard.  But 
his  friends  proclaimed  that  it  was  all 
strategic,  that  he  was  deliberately 
drawing  us  farther  and  farther  into 
the  meshes,  farther  and  farther  away 
from  our  base  of  supplies,  and  that 
in  due  season  he  would  not  only  halt 
for  battle,  but  assume  the  bold  offen- 
sive. 

Of  course  it  was  to  my  interest  to 
bring  him  to  battle  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, when  our  numerical  superiority 
was  at  the  greatest;  for  he  was  pick- 
ing up  his  detachments  as  he  fell 
back,  whereas  I  was  compelled  to  make 
similar  and  stronger  detachments  to 
repair  the  railroads  as  we  advanced, 
and  to  guard  them.  I  found  at  Cass- 
ville  many  evidences  of  preparation 
for  a  grand  battle,  among  them  a 
long  line  of  fresh  entrenchments  on 
the  hill  beyond  the  town,  extending 
nearly  three  miles  to  the  south,  eii- 
bracing  the  railroad  crossing.  I  was 
also  convinced  that  the  whole  of  Polk's 
corps  had  joined  Johnston  from  Mis- 
sissippi, and  that  he  had  in  hand  three 
full  corps,  viz..  Hood's,  Polk's  and  Har- 
dee's, numbering  about  60,000  men, 
and  could  not  then  imagine  why  he 
had  declined  battle,  and  did  not  learn 
the  real  reason  till  after  the  wai:  was 
over,  and  then  from  Gen.  Johnston 
himself. 

In  the  autumn  of  1865,  when  in 
command  of  the  Military  Division  of 
the  Mis.souri,  I  went  from  St.  Louis 
to  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  and  afterward 
to  Memphis.  Taking  a  steamer  for 
Cairo,  I  found  as  fellow  passengers 
Gens.  Johnston  and  Frank  Blair.  We 
were,  of  course,  on  the  most  friendly 
terms,  and  on  our  way  up  we  talked 
over  our  battles  again,  played  cards, 
and  ouestioned  each  other  as  to  par- 
ticular parts  of  our  mutual  conduct 
in  the  game  of  war.  I  told  Johnston 
that  I  had  seen  his  order  of  prepara- 
tion, in  the  nature  of  an  address  to 
his  army,  announcing  his  purpose  to 
retreat  no  more,  but  to  accept  battle 
at  Cassville.  He  answered  that  such 
was  his  purpose;  that  he  had  left 
Hardee's  corps  in  the  open  fields  to 
check  Thomas  and  gain  time  for  his 
formations  on  the  ridge,  just  behind 
Cassville;  and  it  was  this  corps  that 
Gen.  Thomas  had  seen  deployed,  and 
whose  handsome  movement  in  retreat 
he  had  reported  in  such  complimenta- 
ry terms.  Johnston  described  how  he 
had  placed  Hood's  Corps  on  the  right, 
Polk's  in  the  center  and  Hardee's  on 
the  left.  He  said  he  had  ridden  over 
the  ground,  given  to  each  corps  com- 
mander    his     position     and     orders    to 


throw  up  parapets  during  the  night; 
that  he  was  with  Hardee  on  his  ex- 
treme left  as  the  night  closed  in,  and 
as  Hardee's  troops  fell  back  to  the 
position  assigned  them  for  the  intend- 
ed battle  of  the  next  day;  and  that 
after  giving  Hardee  some  general  in- 
structions he  and  his  staff  rode  back 
to  Cassville.  As  he  entered  the  town, 
or  village,  he  met  Gens.  Hood  and 
Polk.  Hood  inquired  of  him  if  he  had 
had  anything  to  eat,  and  he  said  no, 
that  he  was  both  hungry  and  tired, 
when  Hood  invited  him  to  go  and  share 
a  supper  which  had  been  prepared  for 
him  at  a  house  close  by. 

At  the  supper  they  discussed  the 
chances  of  the  impending  battle,  when 
Hood  spoke  of  the  ground  assigned  to 
him  as  being  enfiladed  by  our  (Union) 
artillery,  which  Johnston  disputed, 
when  Gen.  Polk  chimed  in  with  the 
remark  that  Gen.  Hood  was  right; 
that  the  cannon  shots  fired  .by  us 
at  nightfall  had  enfiladed  their  gen- 
eral line  of  battle,  and  for  this  reason 
he  feared  they  could  not  hold  their 
men.  Gen.  Johnston  was  surprised  at 
this,  for  he  understood  Gen.  Hood  to 
be  one  of  those  who  professed  to  crit- 
icize his  strategy,  contending  that,  in- 
stead of  retreating,  he  should  have 
risked  a  battle.  Gen.  Johnston  said 
he  was  provoked,  accused  them  of 
having  been  in  conference,  with  be- 
ing beaten  before  battle,  and  added 
that  he  was  unwilling  to  engage  in 
a  critical  battle  with  an  army  so  su- 
perior to  his  own  in  numbers,  with 
two  of  his  three  corps  commanders 
dissatisfied  with  the  ground  and  posi- 
tions assigned  them.  He  then  and  there 
made  up  his  mind  to  retreat  still  far- 
ther South,  to  put  the  Etowah  River 
and  the  Allatoona  Range  between  us; 
and  he  at  once  gave  orders  to  resume 
the  retrograde  movement. 

This  was  my  recollection  of  the  sub- 
stance of  the  conversation,  of  which  I 
made  no  note  at  the  time;  but  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Society  of  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland  some  years  after, 
at  Cleveland,  O.,  about  1868,  in  a  short 
after-dinner  speech  I  related  this  con- 
versation, and  it  got  into  print.  Sub- 
sequently, in  the  spring  of  1870,  when 
I  was  at  New  Orleans,  en  route  for 
Texas,  Gen.  Hood  called  to  see  me 
at  the  St.  Charles  Hotel,  explained 
that  he  had  seen  my  speech  reprint- 
ed in  the  newspapers  and  gave  me  his 
version  of  the  same  event.  He  stated 
that  he  had  argued  against  fighting 
the  battle  purely  on  the  defensive,  but 
had  asked  Gen.  Johnston  to  permit  him 
with  his  own  corps  and  part  of  Polk's 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


185 


to  quit  their  lines  and  to  march  rapid- 
ly to  attack  and  overwhelm  Schofield, 
who  was  known  to  be  separated  from 
Thomas  by  an  interval  of  nearly  five 
miles,  claiming  that  he  could  have  de- 
feated Scho^'ield  and  got  back  to  his 
position  in  time  to  meet  Gen.  Thomas' 
attack  in  front.  He  also  stated  that 
he  had  contended  with  Johnston  for 
the  "offensive-defensive"  game,  instead 
of  the  pure  "defensive,"  as  proposed 
by  Gen.  Johnston;  and  he  said  it  was 
at  this  time  that  Gen.  Johnston  had 
taken  offense,  and  that  it  was  for  this 
reason  that  he  had  ordered  the  retreat 
that  night.  As  subsequent  events  es- 
tranged these  two  officers,  it  is  very 
natural  they  should  now  differ  on  this 
point;  but  it  was  sufficient  for  us  that 
the  rebel  army  did  retreat  that  night, 
leaving  us  masters  of  all  the  country 
above  the  Etowah  River. 

For  the  purposes  of  rest,  to  give 
time  for  the  repair  of  the  railroads 
and  to  replenish  supplies,  we  lay  by 
some  few  days  in  that  quarter — Scho- 
field with  Stoneman's  cavalry  holding 
the  gi'ound  at  Cassville  Depot,  at 
Cartersville,  and  the  Etowah  Bridge; 
Thomas  holding  his  ground  near  Cass- 
ville, and  McPherson  that  near  King- 
ston. The  officer  intrusted  with  the 
repair  of  the  railroads  was  Col.  W. 
W.  Wright,  a  railroad  engineer,  who, 
with  about  2,000  men,  was  so  indus- 
trious and  skillful  that  the  bridge  at 
Resaca  was  rebuilt  in  three  days,  and 
cars  loaded  with  stores  came  forward 
to  Kingston  on  the  24th.  The  tele- 
graph also  brought  us  the  news  of  the 
desperate  and  bloody  battles  of  the 
Wilderness,  in  Virginia,  and  that  Gen. 
Grant  was  pushing  his  operations 
against  Lee  with  terrific  energy.  I 
was  therefore  resolved  to  give  my 
enemy  no  rest. 

In  early  days,  1844,  when  a  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Third  Artillery,  I  had 
been  sent  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  to 
Marietta,  Ga.,  to  assist  Inspector  Gen- 
eral Churchill  to  take  testimony  con- 
cerning certain  losses  of  horses  and 
accoutrements  by  the  Georgia  Volun- 
teers during  the  Florida  War;  and 
after  completing  the  work  at  Mainetta 
we  transferred  our  party  over  to 
Bellefonte,  Ala.  I  had  ridden  the  dis- 
tance on  horseback,  and  had  noted  well 
the  topography  of  the  country,  espe- 
cially that  about  Kennesaw,  Allatoona 
and  the  Etowah  River.  On  that  oc- 
casion I  had  stopped  some  days  with 
a  Colonel  Tumlin,"  to  see  some  remark- 
able Indian  mounds  on  the  Etowah 
River,  usually  called  the  "Hightower." 

*Lewis    Tumlin. 


I  therefore  knew  that  the  Allatoona 
Pass  was  very  strong,  would  be  hard 
to  force,  and  resolved  not  even  to  at- 
tempt it,  but  to  turn  the  position  by 
moving  from  Kingston  to  Marietta  via 
Dallas;  accordingly,  I  made  orders  on 
May  20  to  get  ready  for  the  march 
to  begin  on  the  23d.  The  army  of 
the  Cumberland  was  ordered  to  march 
for  Dallas,  by  Euharlee  and  Stiles- 
boro;  Davis's  Division,  then  at  Rome, 
by  Van  Wert;  the  Army  of  the  Ohio 
to  keep  on  the  left  of  Thomas,  by  a 
place  called  Burnt  Hickory;  and  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  to  march  for 
a  position  a  little  to  the  South,  so  as 
to  be  on  the  right  of  the  general  army 
when  grouped  about  Dallas.  The  move- 
ment contemplated  leaving  our  rail- 
road, and  to  depend  for  20  days  on 
the  contents  of  our  wagons;  and  as 
the  country  was  very  obscure,  mostly 
in  a  state  of  nature,  densely  wooded 
and  with  few  roads,  our  movements 
were  necessarily  slow.  We  crossed 
the  Etowah  by  several  bridges  and 
fords,  and  took  as  many  roads  as  pos- 
sible, keeping  up  communication  by 
cross-roads,  or  by  couriers  through 
the  woods.  I  personally  joined  Gen. 
Thomas,  who  had  the  center,  and  was 
consequently  the  main  column,  or  "col- 
umn of  direction."  The  several  col- 
umns followed  generally  the  Valley  of 
the  Euharlee,  a  tributary  coming  into 
the  Etowah  from  the  South,  and  grad 
ually  crossed  over  a  ridge  of  moun- 
tains, parts  of  which  had  been  work- 
ed over  for  gold,  and  were  conse- 
quently full  of  paths  and  unused 
wagon   roads   or   tracks. 

A  "cavalry  picket"  of  the  enemy  at 
Burnt  Hickory  was  captured  and  had 
on  his  person  an  order  from  Gen. 
Johnston,  dated  at  Allatoona,  which 
showed  that  he  had  detected  my  pur- 
pose of  turning  his  position,  and  it 
accordingly  became  necessary  to  use 
great  caution,  lest  some  of  the  minor 
columns  should  fall  into  ambush,  but, 
luckily,  the  enemy  was  not  much  more 
familiar  with  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try than  we  were.  On  the  other  side 
of  the  .\llatoona  Range,  the  Pumpkin- 
Vine  Creek,  also  a  tril)utary  of  the 
Etowah,  flowed  north  and  west;  Dal- 
las, the  point  aimed  at,  was  a  small 
town  on  the  other,  or  cast  side  of  this 
creek,  and  was  a  point  of  concentra- 
tion of  a  great  many  roads  that  led 
in  every  direction.  Its  possession  would 
be  a  threat  to  Marietta  and  Atlanta, 
but  I  could  not  then  venture  to  at- 
t(>mpt  either,  till  I  had  regained  use 
of  the  railroad,  at  least  as  far  down 
as     its     debouch     from     the     Allatoona 


186 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Range  of  mountains.  Therefore,  the 
movement  was  chiefly  designed  to  com- 
pel Johnston  to  give  up  Allatoona. 

In  his  description  of  the  "drawn 
battle"  of  New  Hope  Church  at 
Dallas,  Paulding  County,  May  26, 
Gen.  Sherman  notes  that  Gen.  Jef- 
ferson C.  Davis'  Federal  Garrison 
or  Division  of  the  Fourteenth  Ar- 
my Corps  had  left  Rome  and  come 
to  his  assistance.  He  says  he  or- 
dered Gen.  Hooker  to  capture  the 
New  Hope  position  the  night  of 
the  25th,  if  possible,  and  goes  on: 

The  woods  were  so  dense  and  the 
resistance  so  spirited  that  Hooker 
could  not  carry  the  position,  though 
the  battle  was  noisy  and  prolonged 
far  into  the  night.  From  the  bloody 
fighting  there  for  the  next  week  it 
was  called  by  the  soldiers  "Hell-Hole." 
The  night  was  pitch-dark,  it  rained 
hard  and  the  convergence  of  our  col- 
umns toward  Dallas  produced  much 
confusion.  I  am  sure  similar  confusion 
existed  in  the  army  opposed  to  us,  for 
we  were  all  mixed  up.  I  slept  on  the 
ground  without  cover,  alongside  of  ;. 
log,  got  little  sleep,  resolved  at  day- 
light to  renew  the  battle.  The  battle 
was  renewed,  and  without  success.  A 
continual  battle  was  in  progress  by 
strong  skirmish  lines  taking  advan- 
tage of  every  species  of  cover,  and 
both  parties  fortifying  each  night  by 
rifle-trenches,  with  head-logs.  Occ; 
sionally  one  party  or  the  other  would 
make  a  dash  in  the  nature  of  a  sally, 
but  usually  it  sustained  a  repulse  with 
gTeat  loss  of  life.  I  visited  personally 
all  parts  of  cur  lines  nearly  every 
day,  was  constantly  within  musket 
range,  and  though  the  fire  of  mus- 
ketry and  cannon  resounded  day  and 
night  along  the  whole  line,  I  rarely 
saw  a  dozen  of  the  enemy  at  one 
time,  and  these  were  always  skirmish- 
ers, dodging  from  tree  to  tree,  or  be- 
hind logs  on  the  ground,  or  who  oc- 
casionally showed  their  heads  above 
the  hastily-constructed  but  remark- 
ably strong  rifle-trenches.  On  the  oc- 
casion of  my  visit  to  McPherson  on  the 
30th  of  May,  while  standing  with  a 
group  of  officers,  among  whom  were 
Gens.  McPherson,  Logan  and  Barry, 
and  Col.  Taylor,  my  former  chief  of 
artillery,  a  Minie  ball  passed  through 
Logan's  coat  sleeve,  scratching  the 
skin,  and  struck  Col.  Taylor  square 
in  the  breast;  luckily,  he  had  in  his 
pocket  a  famous  memorandum  book  in 
which  he  kept  a  sort  of  diary,  about 
which  we  used  to  joke  him  a  good  deal; 


its    thickness    saved    his    life,   breaking 
the  force  of  the  ball. 

Next  are  chronicled  the  bat- 
tles before  the  fall  of  Atlanta, 
Sept.  2,  1864.  Gen.  Johnston  had 
now  been  succeeded  in  command 
in  Georgia  by  Gen.  John  B.  Hood, 
and  Hood  led  Sherman  a  merry 
chase  back  toward  Rome  and  over 
a  considerable  part  of  the  terri- 
tory that  had  been  traversed  on 
the  drive  down.  Atlanta  was  or- 
dered evacuated  by  the  civilian 
population,  and  in  reply  to  pro- 
tests. Gen.  Sherman  wrote  Gen. 
H.  W.  Halleck,  chief  of  staff,  at 
Washington : 

If  the  people  raise  a  howl  against 
my  barbarity  and  cruelty,  I  will  an- 
swer that  war  is  war,  and  not  pop- 
ularity-seeking. If  they  want  peace, 
they  and  their  relatives  must  stop  the 
war. 

By  date  Sept.  28,  1864,  Gen.  Hal- 
leck wrote  Gen.  Sherman,  "I 
wotdd  destroy  every  mill  and  fac- 
tory within  reach  that  I  did  not 
want  for  my  own  use.  This  the 
rebels  have  done,  not  only  in  Ma- 
ryland and  Pennsylvania,  but  also 
in  Virginia  and  other  rebel  states, 
when  compelled  to  fall  back  before 
our  armies.  In  many  sections  of 
the  country  they  have  not  left  a 
mill  to  grind  grain  for  their  own 
suffering  families,  lest  we  might 
use  them  to  supply  our  armies.  We 
must  do  the   same."* 

Hearing  that  Gen.  Joe  Wheel- 
er's Confederate  Cavalry  was 
threatening  the  railroad  commti- 
nications  in  Middle  Tennessee  and 
that  Gen.  Forrest  was  coming  up 
from  Mississippi  to  join  him,  Gen. 
Sherman  ordered  Newton's  di- 
vision of  the  Fourth  Army  Corps 
back  to  Chattanooga,  Corse's  di- 
vision of  the  Seventeenth  Corps 
back  to  Rome,  and  warned  other 
commands  to  watch  out. 

"I  take  it  for  gi'anted  that  Forrest 
will  cut  our  road,  but  think  we  can 
prevent   him   from    making    a    serious 

*This    message    was    received    at    Rome. 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


187 


lodgment,"  wired  '^•en.  Sherman  Sept. 
29,  1864,  to  Gen.  Halleck.  "His  cav- 
alry will  travel  a  hundred  miles  where 
ours  will  ten.  I  have  sent  two  divis- 
ions up  to  Chattanooga  and  one  to 
Rome.  Our  roads  should  be  watched 
from  the  rear.  I  prefer  for  the  fu- 
ture to  make  the  movement  on  Mil- 
len,  Milledgeville  and  Savannah.  Hood 
now  rests  24  miles  south,  on  the  Chat- 
tahoochee, with  his  right  on  the  West 
Point  road.  I  can  whip  his  infantry, 
but   his  cavalry   is   to  be   feared." 

The  Union  army  under  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Sherman  had  been 
radically  reconstituted,  and  he 
claimed  60,000  infantry  and  artil- 
lery, with  two  small  divisions  of 
cavalry,  in  the  pursuit  after  Gen. 
Hood,  whose  forces  he  estimated 
at  35,000  to  40,000  men,  including- 
abotit  3,000  of  cavalry  under  Gen. 
Wheeler. 

"We  had  strong  railroad  guards  at 
Marietta  and  Kennesaw,  Allatoona, 
Etowah  Bridge,  Kingston,  Rome,  Re- 
saca,  Dalton,  Ringgold  and  Chatta- 
nooga," continues  the  Sherman  nar- 
rative. "All  the  important  bridges 
were  likewise  protected  by  good  block 
houses,  admirably  constructed,  and 
capable  of  a  strong  defense  against 
cavalry  or  infantry  We  crossed  the 
Chattahoochee  River  during  the  3rd 
and  4th  of  October,  rendezvoused  at 
the  old  battlefield  of  Smyrna  Camp, 
and  the  next  day  reached  Marietta 
and  Kennesaw.  On  the  4th  of  Octo- 
ber I  signalled  from  Vining's  Station 
to  Kennesaw,  and  from  Kennesaw  to 
Allatoona,  over  the  heads  of  the  enemy, 
a  message  to  Gen.  Corse  at  Rome,  to 
hurry  back  to  the  assistance  of  the 
garrison  at  Allatoona,  which  was  held 
by  a  small  brigade  commanded  by 
Lieut.  Col.  Tourtelotte,  my  present 
aide  de  camp,  who  had  two  small  re- 
doubts on  either  side  of  the  railroad, 
overlooking  the  village  of  Allatoona 
and  the  warehouses,  in  which  were 
stored  over  a  million  rations  of  bread." 

Here  he  comes  to  the  Big  Shan- 
ty neighborhood : 

Reaching  Kennesaw  Mountain  about 
8  a.  m.  of  Oct.  5  (a  beautiful  day), 
I  had  a  superb  view  of  the  vast  pan- 
orama to  the  north  and  west.  To  the 
southwest,  aboiK  Dallas,  could  bo  seen 
the  smoke  of  camp-fires,  indicating 
the  presence  of  a  large  force  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  whole  line  of  railroad 
from  Big  Shanty  up  to  Allatoona  (full 
fifteen  miles)   was  mai'ked  by  the  fires 


of  the  burning  railroad.  We  could 
plainly  see  the  smoke  of  battle  about 
Allatoona  and  hear  the  faint  reverber- 
ation of  the  cannon. 

The  signal  officer  on  Kennesaw  re- 
ported that  since  daylight  he  had  fail- 
ed to  obtain  any  answer  to  his  call 
for  Allatoona;  but  while  I  was  with 
him  he  caught  a  faint  glimpse  of  the 
tell-tale  flag  through  an  embrasure 
and  after  much  time  he  made  out 
these  letters:  "C,"  "R,"  "S."  "E," 
"H,"  "E,"  "R,"  and  translated  the  mes- 
sage, "Corse  is  here." 

Later  in  the  afternoon  the  signal 
flag  announced  that  the  attack  at  Al- 
latoona had  been  fairly  repulsed.  The 
next  day  my  aide.  Col.  L.  M.  Dayton, 
received  this  characteristic  despatch 
from  Gen.  Corse  at  Allatoona :  "I  am 
short  a  cheekbone  and  an  ear,  but  am 
able  to  whip  all  hell  yet!  My  losses 
are  very  heavy.  A  force  moving  from 
Stilesboro  to  Kingston  gives  me  some 
anxiety.     Tell  me  where  Sherman  is." 

Inasmuch  as  the  enemy  had  retreat- 
ed southwest  and  would  probably  next 
appear  at  Rome,  I  ordered  Gen.  Corse 
to  get  back  to  Rome  with  his  troops 
as  quickly  as  possible.  Gen.  Corse's 
report  of  his  fight  at  Allatoona  is 
very  full  and  graphic.  It  is  dated 
Rome,  Oct.  27,  1864;  recites  the  fact 
that  he  received  his  orders  by  signal 
to  go  to  the  assistance  of  Allatoona  on 
the  4th,  when  he  telegraphed  to  Kings- 
ton for  cars,  and  a  train  of  30  empty 
cars  was  started  for  him,  but  about 
ten  of  them  got  off  the  track  and 
caused  delay.  By  7  p.  m.  he  had  at 
Rome  a  train  of  20  cars,  which  he 
loaded  up  with  Col.  Rowett's  Brigade 
and  part  of  the  Twelfth  Illinois  In- 
fantry; started  at  8  p.  m.,  reached 
Allatoona  (35  miles)  at  1  a.  m.  of 
the  5th  and  sent  the  train  back  for 
more  men;  but  the  road  was  in  bad 
order  and  no  more  came   in  time. 

The  gallant  Major  Gen.  S.  G. 
French,  commanding  some  4,000 
Confederates,  surrounded  the  2.0(X) 
Federals  under  Gen.  Corse  and  Col. 
Tourtelotte,  and  sent  in  a  demand 
for  surrender  "to  avoid  a  needless 
effusion  of  l)loo(l."  Gen.  Corse  re- 
fused to  surrender  ;  he  was  badly 
wounded ;  Gen.  French  withdrew 
at  the  approach  of  a  superior  force 
from  Sherman's  army.  A  bullet 
cut  across  Gen.  C(irse's  face  and 
pimctured  one  of  his  ears ;  Col. 
Tourtelotte   was  shot   through  the 


188 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


hips,  but  continued  to  command ; 
Col.  Redlield,  of  the  39th  Iowa 
regiment,  was  killed,  and  Col. 
Rowett,  also  of  the  Union  army, 
was  wounded.  Corse's  casualties 
were  707,  or  more  than  one-third 
of  his  command,  (icn.  Sherman's 
account  continues  : 

In  person  I  reached  Allatoona  on 
the  9th  of  October,  still  in  doubt  as 
to  Hood's  immediate  intentions.  Our 
cavalry  could  do  little  ag:ainst  his  in- 
fantry in  the  rough  and  wooded  coun- 
try about  Dallas,  which  masked  the 
enemy's  movements;  but  Gen.  Corse, 
at  Rome,  with  Spencer's  First  Ala- 
bama Cavalry  and  a  mounted  regi- 
ment of  Illinois  Infantry,  could  feel 
the  country  south  of  Rome  about 
Cedartown  and  Villa  Rica,  and  report- 
ed the  enemy  to  be  in  force  at  both 
places.  On  the  9th  I  telegraphed  to 
Gen.  Thomas  at  Nashville,  as  follows: 

"I  came  up  here  to  relieve  our  road. 
The  Twentieth  Corps  remains  at  At 
lanta.  Hood  reached  the  road  and 
broke  it  up  between  Big  Shanty  and 
Acworth.  He  attacked  Allatoona,  but 
was  repulsed.  We  have  plenty  of  bread 
and  meat,  but  forage  is  scarce.  I  want 
to  destroy  all  the  road  below  Chatta- 
nooga, including  Atlanta,  and  to  make 
for  the  seacoast.  We  can  not  defend 
this  long  line  of  road. 

And  on  the  same  day  I  telegraplied 
to  Gen.  Grant  at  City  Point,  Va.: 

"It  will  be  a  physical  impossibility 
to  protect  the  roads,  now  that  Hood, 
Forrest,  Wheeler  and  the  whole  patch 
of  devils  are  turned  loose  without 
home  or  habitation.  I  think  Hood's 
movements  indicate  a  diversion  to  the 
end  of  the  Selma  &  Talladega  road,  at 
Blue  Mountain,  about  60  miles  south- 
west of  Rome,  from  which  he  will 
threaten  Kingston,  Bridgeport  and  De- 
catur, Ala.  I  propose  that  we  break 
up  the  railroad  from  Chattanooga  for- 
ward, and  that  we  strike  out  with 
our  wagons  for  Milledgeville,  Millen 
and  Savannah.  Until  we  can  repopu- 
late  Georgia,  it  is  useless  for  us  to  oc- 
cupy it;  but  the  utter  destruction  of 
its  roads,  houses  and  people  will  crip- 
ple their  military  resources.  By  at- 
tempting to  hold  the  roads  we  will  lose 
a  thousand  men  each  month,  and  will 
gain  no  result.  I  can  make  this  march 
and  make  Georgia  howl!  We  have  on 
hand  over  8,000  head  of  cattle,  and 
.3,000,000  rations  of  bread,  but  no  corn. 
We  can  find  plenty  of  forage  in  the 
interior  of  the  state." 


Meantime,  the  rebel  Gen.  Forrest 
had  made  a  bold  circuit  in  Mid- 
dle Tennessee,  avoiding  all  forti- 
fied points,  and  breaking  up  the  rail- 
road at  several  places;  but  as  usual, 
he  did  his  work  so  hastily  and  care- 
lessly that  our  engineers  soon  repair- 
ed the  damage — then  retreating  before 
Gen.  Rousseau,  he  left  the  State  of 
Tennessee,  crossing  the  river  near 
Florence,  Ala.,  and  got  off  unharmed. 

On  the  10th  of  October  the  enemy 
appeared  south  of  the  Etowah  River 
at  Rome,  when  I  ordered  all  the  ?irm- 
ies  to  march  to  Kingston,  rode  myself 
to  Cartersville  with  the  23rd  Corps 
(Gen.  Cox)  and  telegraphed  from 
there  to  Gen.  Thomas  at  Nashville: 

"It  looks  to  me  as  though  Hood  was 
bound  for  Tuscumbia.  He  is  now 
crossing  the  Coosa  River  below  Rome, 
looking  west.  Let  me  know  if  you  can 
hold  him  with  your  forces  now  in  Ten- 
nessee and  the  expected  re-enforce- 
ments, as,  in  that  event,  you  know 
what  I  propose  to  do.  I  will  be  at 
Kingston  tomorrow.  I  think  Rome  is 
strong  enough  to  resist  any  attacks, 
and  the  rivers  are  all  high.  If  he 
turns  up  by  Summerville,  I  will  get 
in   behind   him." 

And  on  the  same  day  to  Gen.  Grant 
at    City    Point: 

"Hood  is  now  ci'ossing  the  Coosa, 
twelve  miles  below  Rome,  bound  west. 
If  he  passes  over  to  the  Mobile  & 
Ohio  railroad,  had  I  not  better  execute 
the  plan  of  my  letter  sent  you  by  Col- 
onel Porter,  and  leave  Gen.  Thomas, 
with  the  troops  now  in  Tennessee,  to 
defend  the  state?  He  will  have  an  am- 
ple force  when  the  re-enforcements  or- 
dered reach  Nashville." 

I  found  Gen.  John  E.  Smith  at  Car- 
tersville, and  on  the  11th  rode  on  to 
Kingston,  where  I  had  telegraphic 
communications  in  all  directions.  From 
Gen.  Corse,  at  Rome,  I  learned  that 
Hood's  army  had  disappeared,  but  in 
what  direction  he  was  still  in  doubt; 
and  I  was  so  strongly  convinced  of  the 
wisdom  of  my  proposition  to  change 
the  whole  tactics  of  the  campaign,  to 
leave  Hood  to  Gen.  Thomas,  and  to 
march  across  Georgia  for  Savannah 
or  Charleston,  that  I  again  telegraph- 
ed  Gen.   Grant: 

"We  can  not  now  remain  on  the  de- 
fensive. With  25,999  infantry  and  the 
bold  cavalry  he  has,  Hood  can  con- 
stantly break  my  road.  I  would  in- 
finitely prefer  to  make  a  wreck  of  the 
road  and  the  country  from  Chatta- 
nooga to  Atlanta,  including  the  lat- 
ter   city;    send    back    all    my    wounded 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


189 


190 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


and  unserviceable  men,  and  with  my 
effective  army  move  through  Georgia, 
smashing  things  to  the  sea.  Hood  may 
turn  into  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  but 
I  believe  he  will  be  forced  to  follow 
me.  Instead  of  being  on  the  defensive, 
I  will  be  on  the  offensive.  Instead  of 
my  gTjessing  at  what  he  means  to  do, 
he  will  have  to  guess  at  my  plans.  The 
difference  in  war  would  be  fully  25 
per  cent.  I  can  make  Savannah, 
Charleston  or  the  mouth  of  the  Chat- 
tahoochee (Appalachicola).  Answer 
quick,  as  I  know  we  will  not  have  the 
telegraph   long." 

I  received  no  answer  to  this  at  the 
time,  and  the  next  day  went  on  to 
Rome,  where  the  news  came  that  Hood 
had  made  his  appearance  at  Resaca 
and  had  demanded  the  surrender  of 
the  place,  which  was  commanded  by 
Col.  Weaver,  reinforced  by  Brevet 
Brig.-Gen.  Raum.  Gen.  Hood  had  ev- 
idently marched  with  rapidity  up  the 
Chattooga  Valley  by  Summerville.  La- 
Fayette,  Ship's  Gap  and  Snake  Creek 
Gap,  and  had  with  him  his  whole 
army,  except  a  small  force  left  behind 
to  watch  Rome.  I  ordered  Resaca  to 
be  further  reinforced  by  rail  from 
Kingston,  and  ordered  Gen.  Corse  to 
make  a  bold  reconnoisance  down  the 
Coosa  Valley,  which  captured  and 
brought  into  Rome  some  cavalrymen 
and  a  couple  of  field  guns,  with  their 
horses  and  men.  At  first  I  thought 
of  interposing  my  whole  army  in  the 
Chattooga  Valley,  so  as  to  prevent 
Hood's  escape  south;  but  I  saw  at  a 
glance  that  he  did  not  mean  to  fight, 
and  in  that  event,  after  damaging  the 
road  all  he  could,  he  would  be  likely 
to  retreat  eastward  by  Spring  Place, 
which  I  did  not  want  him  to  do;  and 
hearing  from  Gen.  Raum  that  he  still 
held  Resaca  safe,  and  that  Gen.  Ed- 
ward McCook  had  also  got  there  with 
some  cavalry  re-enforcements,  I  turn- 
ed all  the  heads  of  columns  from  Re- 
saca, viz.,  Gen.  Cox's  from  Rome;  Gen. 
Stanley's  from  McGuire's,  and  Gen.  O. 
0.  Howard's  from  Kingston.  We  all 
reached  Resaca  during  that  night,  and 
the  next  morning  (13th)  learned  that 
Hood's  whole  army  had  passed  up 
the  valley  toward  Dalton,  burning  the 
railroad  and  doing  all  the  damage 
possible.  On  the  12th  he  had  demand- 
ed the  surrender  of  Resaca  in  the  fol- 
lowing letter : 

Headquarters  Army  of  Tennessee, 
In   the   Field,   Oct.    12,    1864. 

To  the  Officer  Commanding  the  Unit- 
ed  States   Forces   at  Resaca,  Ga.: 
Sir:      I    demand   the   immediate   and 

unconditional    surrender     of     the    post 


and  garrison  under  your  command, 
and,  should  this  be  acceded  to,  all 
white  officers  and  soldiers  will  be 
paroled  in  a  few  days.  If  the  place 
is  carried  by  assault,  no  prisoners  will 
be  taken. 

Most  respectfully,  your  obedient  ser- 
vant, 

J.  B.  HOOD,  General. 

To  this.  Col.  Weaver,  then  in  com- 
mand, replied: 

Headquarters    Second     Brigade,    Third 

Division,    Fifteenth     Corps,     Resaca, 

Ga.,    Oct.    12,    1864. 

To  General  J.  B.  Hood:  Your  com- 
munication of  this  date  just  received. 
In  reply  I  have  to  state  that  I  am 
somewhat  surprised  at  the  concluding 
paragraph,  to  the  effect  that  if  the 
place  is  carried  by  assault,  no  pris- 
oners will  be  taken.  In  my  opinion, 
I  can  hold  this  post.  If  you  want  it, 
come  and   take   it. 

I  am,  general,  very  respectfully, 
your    most    obedient    servant, 

CLARK   R.  WEAVER, 
Commanding   Officer. 

This  brigade  was  very  small,  and 
as  Hood's  investment  extended  only 
from  the  Oostanaula,  below  the  town, 
to  the  Connasauga,  above,  he  left  open 
the  approach  from  the  south,  which 
enabled  Gen.  Raum  and  the  cavalry  of 
Gen.  Edward  McCook  to  re-enforce 
from  Kingston.  In  fact,  Hood,  admon- 
ished by  his  losses  at  Allatoona,  did 
not  attempt  an  assault  at  all,  but  lim- 
ited his  attack  to  the  above  threat  and 
to  some  skirmishing,  giving  his  atten- 
tion chiefly  to  the  destruction  of  the 
railroad,  which  he  accomplished  all 
the  way  up  to  Tunnel  Hill,  nearly  20 
miles,  capturing  en  route  the  regiment 
of  black  troops  at  Dalton  (Johnson's 
44th  United  States,  colored).  On  the 
14th  I  turned  Gen.  Howard  through 
Snake  Creek  Gap,  and  sent  Gen.  Stan- 
ley around  by  Tilton,  with  orders  to 
cross  the  mountain  to  the  west,  so  as 
to  capture,  if  possible,  the  force  left 
by  the  enemy  in  Snake  Creek  Gap.  We 
found  this  gap  very  badly  obstructed 
by  fallen  timber,  but  got  through  that 
night,  and  the  next  day  the  main  army 
was  at  Villanow  (Walker  County).  On 
the  morning  of  the  16th,  the  leading 
division  of  Gen.  Howard's  column,  com- 
manded by  Gen.  Chas.  R.  Woods,  car- 
ried Ship's  Gap,  taking  prisoners  part 
of  the  24th  South  Carolina  Regiment, 
which  had  been  left  there  to  hold  us  in 
check. 

The  best  information  there  obtained 
located    Hood's    army     at     LaFayette, 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


191 


•near  which  place  I  hoped  to  catch 
him  and  force  him  to  battle;  but  by 
the  time  we  had  got  enoug^h  troops 
across  the  mountain  at  Ship's  Gap, 
Hood  had  escaped  down  the  Valley  of 
the  Chattooga,  and  all  we  could  do 
was  to  follow  him  as  closely  as  pos- 
sible. From  Ship's  Gap  I  dispatched 
couriers  to  Chattanooga,  and  received 
word  back  that  Gen.  Schofield  was 
there,  endeavoring  to  co-operate  with 
me,  but  Hood  had  broken  up  the  tele- 
graph, and  had  thus  prevented  quick 
communication.  Gen.  Schofield  did 
not  reach  me  until  the  army  had  got 
down  to  Gaylesville,  Ala.,  about  the 
21st  of  October.  We  quietly  followed 
him  down  the  Chattooga  Valley  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Gadsden,  but  failed 
the  main  armies  near  the  Coosa  River, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Chattooga. 

On  Oct.  19  I  telegraphed  Gen.  Amos 
Beckwith,  chief  commissary  in  At- 
lanta : 

"Hood  will  escape  me.  I  want  to 
prepare  for  my  big  raid.  On  the  1st 
of  November  I  want  nothing  in  At- 
lanta but  what  is  necessary  for  war. 
Send  all  trash  to  the  rear  at  once,  and 
have  on  hand  30  days'  food  and  but 
little  forage.  I  propose  to  abandon 
Atlanta  and  the  railroad  back  to  Chat- 
tanooga, to  sally  forth  to  ruin  Geor- 
gia, and  bring  up  on  the  seashore.  I 
will  go  down  the  Coosa  until  I  am  sure 
that  Hood  has  gone  to  Blue  Moun- 
tain." 

On  the  21st  of  October  I  reached 
Gaylesville,  had  my  bivouac  in  an  open 
field  back  of  the  village,  and  remained 
there  until  the  28th.  At  Gaylesville 
the  pursuit  of  Hood  by  the  army  un- 
der my  immediate  command  may  be 
said  to  have  ceased.  During  the  pur- 
suit the  Fifteenth  Corps  was  com- 
manded by  its  senior  major  general 
present,  P.  J.  Osterhaus,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  Gen.  John  A.  Logan;  and  the 
Seventeenth  Corps  was  commanded  by 
Brig.  Gen.  T.  E.  G.  Ransom,  the  senior 
officer  present,  in  the  absence  of-  Gen. 
Frank  P.  Blair.  Gen.  Ransom  was  a 
young,  most  gallant  and  promising  of- 
ficer, son  of  the  Col.  Ransom  who  was 
killed  at  Chapultepec,  in  the  Mexican 
War.  He  had  served  with  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee  in  1862  and  1863  at 
Vicksburg,  where  he  was  severely 
wounded.  He  was  not  well  when  we 
started  from  Atlanta,  but  he  insisted 
on  going  along  with  his  command.  His 
symptoms  became  more  aggravated  on 
the  march,  and  when  we  were  encamp- 
ed near  Gaylesville  I  visited  him  in 
company  with  Surgeon  John  Moore, 
who  said  the  case  was  one  of  typhoid 


fever,  which  would  likely  prove  fatal. 
I  few  days  later,  viz.,  the  28th,  he 
was  being  carried  on  a  litter  toward 
Rome;  and  as  I  rode  from  Gaylesville 
to  Rome  I  passed  him  by  the  way,  stop- 
ped and  spoke  to  him,  but  did  not  then 
suppose  he  was  so  near  his  end.  The 
next  day,  however,  his  escort  reached 
Rome,  bearing  his  dead  body.  The  of- 
ficer in  charge  reported  that  shortly 
after  I  had  passed,  his  symptoms  be- 
came so  much  worse  that  they  stopped 
at  a  farm-house  by  the  roadside, 
where  he  died  that  evening.  His  body 
was  at  once  sent  to  Chicago  for  burial, 
and  a  monument  has  been  ordered  by 
the  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee to  be  erected  in  his  memory. 

It  had  become  almost  an  ob- 
session with  Gen.  Sherman  that 
be  should  take  up  his  proposed 
"March  to  the  Sea,"  and  now  the 
opportunity  was  to  be  given  him. 
Up  to  this  time  he  had  been  kept 
pretty  busy  by  Johnston,  Hood, 
Wheeler  and  Forrest,  and  for  them 
all  had  acc[uired  a  considerable  ad- 
miration. He  respected  Johnston 
for  his  strategy  and  tenacious 
fighting   against    heavy    odds;    he 


JAMES  NOBLE.  SR.,  hoad  of  the  Noble  fam- 
ily, which  added  to  Rome's  advancement  and 
later  established   Anniston. 


192 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


gave  left-handed  praise  to  Hood 
for  his  elusiveness ;  he  worship- 
ped the  boldness  of  Wheeler's  cav- 
alry ;  and  he  took  off  his  hat  to 
Forrest  May  3,  1863,  when  For- 
rest's handful  of  men  captured 
Streight  with  a  force  three  times 
as  large  and  marched  the  captives 
into  Rome. 

Sherman  reports  that  on  Oct.  31, 
1864,  "Forrest  made  his  appearance 
on  the  Tennessee  River  opposite  John- 
sonville  (whence  a  new  raih-oad  led  to 
Nashville),  and  with  his  cavalry  and 
field  pieces  actually  crippled  and  cap- 
tured two  gunboats  with  five  of  our 
transports,  a  feat  of  arms  which  I 
confess  excited  my  admiration.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  the  month  of  October 
closed  to  us  looking  decidedly  squally; 
but  somehow  I  was  sustained  in  the 
belief  that  in  a  very  few  days  the  tide 
would  turn." 

Oct.  28,  1864,  found  Gen.  Sher- 
man quartered  in  the  comfortable 
two-story  frame  dwelling  of  Ma- 
jor Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill  Arp"), 
where  the  handsome  modern  home 
of  Mrs.  Chas.  A.  Hight  now  stands 
at  312  Fourth  Avenue,  Rome.  The 
general  was  an  exceedingly  busy 
man.  He  did  not  have  time  for 
social  entertainments,  assuming 
that  any  of  the  "natives"  felt  in- 
clined to  be  sociable.  He  was 
busy  writing  some  dispatches,  de- 
livering others  orally,  penning  tel- 
egrams to  Grant,  Halleck  and 
Thomas,  snatching  a  hasty  meal 
here  and  there  and  dashing  away 
on  his  trusty  charger.  Assuming 
that  he  arrived  in  Rome  the  night 
of  Oct.  28  and  that  he  remained 
until  the  morning  of  Nov.  2,  when 
he  left  for  Kingston,  he  spent 
three  and  a  half  days  on  this  oc- 
casion in  the  City  of  Seven  Hills. 
He  had  first  visited  Rome  as  a 
3^oung  army  lieutenant  in  1844,  go- 
ing to  Bellefonte,  Ala.,  from  Ma- 
rietta and  back  two  months  later 
by  horseback,  presumably  follow- 
ing the  same  route  both  ways ;  and 
again,  Oct.  12,  1864,  he  mentions 
that  he  went  to  Rome  from  King- 
ston, and  on  the   14th  was  before 


Resaca,  hence  on  that  visit  proba- 
bly stayed  several  hours.  Gen.  Jef- 
ferson C.  Davis,  having  been  sent 
down  the  Oostanaula  River  from 
Resaca  toward  Rome,  May  16, 
probably  arrived  at  Rome  May  17, 
and  made  his  headquarters  at  the 
Smith  home  on  Fourth  Avenue 
until  he  executed  orders  issued 
May  20  by  Sherman  to  March 
May  23  for  Dallas  via  Van  Wert, 
a  dead  town  of  Polk  Cotmty.  Per- 
haps 20,000  men  and  nearly  1,000 
wagons  in  Davis'  command 
marched  on  Rome,  which  was  gar- 
risoned by  a  small  Confederate 
force.  After  firing  on  the  invaders 
from  a  fort  on  Myrtle  Plill  Ceme- 
tery, the  Confederates  evacuated 
the  town,  and  the  invaders  crossed 
the  Oostanaula  River  at  the  old 
Printup  Wharf,  midway  between 
the  present  Second  and  Fifth  Ave- 
nue bridges,  on  pontoons  partly 
constructed  of  pews  taken  out  of 
the  churches  of  Rome. 

The  plan  of  Sherman's  advance 
had  been  this  :  The  Army  of  the 
Ohio  (Gen.  McPherson)  made  up 
the  left  wing,  and  marched  south- 
ward from  Resaca  on  the  left-hand 
side  of  the  Western  &  Atlantic 
(state)  railroad ;  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  (Gen.  Thomas)  made 
up  the  center  and  marched  along 
the  track  and  right-of-way;  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  (Gen. 
McPherson)  made  up  the  right 
wing,  and  took  the  right-hand  side. 
Davis'  Division  and  Garrard's  Cav- 
alry, dispatched  to  Rome,  evident-, 
ly  were  a  part  of  the  right  wing, 
or  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  In  view 
of  the  fact  that  Gen.  Sherman  was 
traveling  with  his  center  and  left 
in  the  close  pursuit  of  Johnston 
through  Bartow  County  (Adairs- 
ville,  Kingston,  Cassville  and  Car- 
tersville)  it  is  probable  that  dur- 
ing this  period  (May  18-20)  the 
Federal  commander  did  not  come 
to  Rome. 

"On    the    first    day     of     November, 
1864,"    wi'ites    Gen.     Sherman     in    his 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


193 


Memoirs,  "I  telegraphed  very  fully  to 
Gen.  Grant  at  City  Point  (who  must 
have  been  disturbed  by  the  wild  ru- 
mors that  filled  the  country),  and  on 
the  second  of  November  (at  Rome)  re- 
ceived  this    dispatch: 

"  'City  Point,  Va.,  Nov.  1,  1864,  6  P.  M. 
'•   'Major-General   Sherman: 

"  'Do  you  not  think  it  advisable, 
now  that  Hood  has  gone  so  far  north, 
to  entirely  ruin  him  before  starting  on 
your  proposed  campaign?  With  Hood's 
army  destroyed,  you  can  go  where  you 
please  with  impunity.  I  believed  and 
still  believe  if  you  had  started  south 
while  Hood  was  still  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, he  would  have  been  forced  to 
go  after  you.  Now  that  he  is  far 
away  he  might  look  upon  the  chase  as 
useless,  and  he  will  go  in  one  direc- 
tion while  you  are  pushing  in  another. 
If  you  can  see  a  chance  of  destroying 
Hood's  army,  attend  to  that  first,  and 
make  your   other  move  secondary. 

"  'U.   S.  GRANT,  Lieut.-Gen.' 

"My    answer   is   dated: 

"Rome,  Georgia,  Nov.  2,  1864. 
"Lieutenant-General  U.  S.  Grant,  City 

Point,   Virginia : 

"Your  dispatch  is  received.  If  I 
could  hope  to  overhaul  Hood,  I  would 
turn  against  him  with  my  whole  force; 
then  he  would  retreat  to  the  southwest, 
drawing  me  as  a  decoy  away  from 
Georgia,  which  is  his  chief  object.  If 
he  ventures  north  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  I  may  turn  in  that  direction, 
and  endeavor  to  get  below  him  on  his 
line  of  retreat;  but  thus  far  he  has 
not  gone  above  the  Tennessee  River. 
General  Thomas  will  have  a  force 
strong  enough  to  prevent  his  reaching 
any  country  in  which  we  have  an  in- 
terest; and  he  has  orders,  if  Hood 
turns  to  follow  me,  to  push  for  Selma, 
Alabama.  No  single  army  can  catch 
Hood  and  I  am  convinced  the  best  re- 
sults will  follow  from  our  defeating 
Jeff  Davis's  cherished  plan  of  making 
me  leave  Georgia  by  maneuvering. 
Thus  far  I  have  confined  my  efforts  to 
thwart  this  plan,  and  have  reduced 
baggage  so  that  I  can  pick  up  and 
start  in  any  direction ;  but  I  regard 
the  pursuit  of  Hood  as  useless.  Still, 
if  he  attempts  to  invade  Middle  Ten- 
nessee, I  will  hold  Decatur  and  be  pi'c- 
pared  to  move  in  that  direction;  but 
unless  I  let  go  of  Atlanta,  my  force 
will   not  be  equal  to  his. 

"W.   T.    SHERMAN,    Maj.-Gen." 

By  this  date,  under  the  intelligent 
and    energetic    action    of    Col.    W.    W. 


Wright,  and  with  the  labor  of  some 
1,500  men,  the  railroad  bi-eak  of  fif- 
teen miles  about  Dalton  was  repaired 
so  as  to  admit  of  the  passage  of  cars, 
and  I  transferred  my  headquarters  to 
Kingston  as  more  central.  (Note:  By 
this  last  statement  it  is  inevitable  that 
his  headquarters  had  been  at  Rome, 
and  he  was  not  there  merely  on  one 
of  his  "rounds").  From  that  place 
(Kingston)  on  the  same  day  (Nov.  2) 
I  again  telegraphed  to  Gen.  Grant: 

"Kingston,  Ga.,  Nov.  2,   1864. 
"Lieutenant-General    U.    S.    Grant, 
City    Point,    Virginia. 

"If  I  turn  back,  the  whole  effect 
of  my  campaign  will  be  lost.  By  my 
movements  I  have  thrown  Beauregard 
(Hood)  well  to  the  west,  and  Thomas 
will  have  ample  time  and  sufficient 
troops  at  Chattanooga  and  Atlanta, 
and  I  can  stand  a  month's  interruption 
to  our  communications.  I  do  not  be- 
lieve the  Confederate  army  can  reach 
our  railroad  lines  except  by  cavalry 
raids,  and  Wilson  will  have  cavalry 
enough  to  checkmate  them.  I  am  clear- 
ly of  the  opinion  that  the  best  results 
will  follow  my  contemplated  movement 
through  Georgia. 

"W.   T.    SHERMAN,  Maj.-Gen." 


J.  A.  (iLGVER,  banker  and  loadintr  citizen, 
for  many  years  closely  identilied  with  the 
commercial   development   of    Rome. 


194 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


That  same  day  I  received,  in  answer 
to   the    Rome   dispatch,   the    following: 

"City   Point,  Va.,   Nov.  2,   1862,   11:30 

A.  M. 
"Major-General  Sherman: 

"Your  dispatch  of  9  a.  m.  yesterday 
is  just  received.  I  dispatched  you  the 
same  date,  advising  that  Hood's  army, 
now  that  it  had  worked  so  far  north, 
ought  to  be  looked  upon  now  as  the 
'object.'  With  the  force,  however,  that 
you  have  left  with  General  Thomas, 
he  must  be  able  to  take  care  of  Hood 
and  destroy  him.  I  do  not  see  that 
you  can  withdraw  from  where  you  are 
to  follow  Hood,  without  giving  up  all 
we  have  gained  in  territory.  I  say, 
then,    go    on    as    you    propose. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieut.-Gen." 

Sherman's  word  to  "go"  was 
thus  received  while  he  was  head- 
quartered at  Kingston,  and  came 
in  response  to  his  urgent  appeal 
from  Rome,  and  in  consequence 
of  recommendations  before.  There 
is  an  evident  error  in  the  Grant 
message  just  above,  dated  Nov.  2 
and  referring  to  Sherman's  Rome 
message,  also  dated  Nov.  2,  as 
"your  dispatch  of  9  a.  m.  yester- 
day." The  Grant  dispatch  date 
undoubtedly  should  have  been 
Nov.  3. 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Gen. 
Grant  assented  to  the  "March  to  the 
Sea"  and  although  many  of  his  warm 
friends  and  admirers  insist  that  he 
was  the  author  and  projector  of  that 
march,  and  that  I  simply  executed  his 
plans.  Gen.  Grant  has  never,  in  my 
opinion,  thought  so  or  said  so.  The 
truth  is  fully  given  in  an  original  let- 
ter of  President  Lincoln,  which  I  re- 
ceived at  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  have  at 
this  instant  before  me,  every  word  of 
which  is  in  his  own  familiar  hand- 
writing.    It  is  dated — 

"Washington,   Dec.   26,    1864. 

"When  you  were  about  leaving  At- 
lanta for  the  Atlantic  Coast,  I  was 
anxious,  if  not  fearful;  but,  feeling 
that  you  were  the  better  judge,  and 
remembering  'nothing  risked,  nothing 
gained,'  I  did  not  interfere.  Now,  the 
undertaking  being  a  success,  the  honor 
is  all  yours;  for  I  believe  none  of  us 
went  further  than  to  acquiesce;  and, 
taking  the  work  of  Gen.  Thomas  into 
account,  as  it  should  be  taken,  it  is 
indeed  a  great  success.     Not  only  does 


it  afford  the  obvious  and  immediate 
military  advantages,  but,  in  showing 
Lo  the  world  that  your  army  could  be 
divided,  putting  the  stronger  part  to 
an  important  new  service,  and  yet 
leaving  enough  to  vanquish  the  old  op- 
posing force  of  the  whole.  Hood's 
army,  it  brings  to  those  who  sat  in 
darkness  to  see  a  great  light.  But 
what  next?  I  suppose  it  will  be  safer 
if  i  leave  General  Grant  and  yourself 
to    decide. 

"A.    LINCOLN." 

On  the  2nd  of  November  I  was  at 
Kingston,  Ga.,  and  my  four  corps — 
the  Fifteenth,  Seventeenth,  Four- 
teenth and  Twentieth — with  one  divis- 
ion of  cavalry,  were  strung  from  Rome 
to  Atlanta.  Our  raih-oads  and  tele- 
graph had  been  repaired,  and  I  de- 
liberately prepared  for  a  march  to  Sa- 
vannah, distant  300  miles  from  Atlan- 
ta. All  the  sick  and  wounded  men 
had  been  sent  back  by  rail  to  Chat- 
tanooga; all  our  wagon  trains  had 
been  carefully  overhauled  and  load- 
ed, so  as  to  be  ready  to  start  on  an 
hour's  notice,  and  there  was  no  se- 
rious  enemy   in   our   front. 

Gen.  Hood  remained  still  at  Flor- 
ence, Ala.,  occupying  both  banks  of 
the  Tennessee  River,  busy  in  collect- 
ing shoes  and  clothing  for  his  men 
and  the  necessary  ammunition  and 
stores  with  which  to  invade  Tennessee. 
Beauregard  was  at  Corinth,  hastening 
forward  these  necessary  preparations. 
Gen.  Thomas  was  at  Nashville,  with 
Wilson's  dismounted  cavalry  and  a 
mass  of  new  troops  and  quartermas- 
ter's employes,  amply  sufficient  to  de- 
fend the  place. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  at  Kings- 
ton, I  wrote  and  telegraphed  to  Gen. 
Grant,  reviewing  th'3  whole  situation, 
gave  him  my  full  plan  of  action,  stated 
that  I  was  ready  to  march  as  soon  as 
the  election  was  over,  and  appointed 
Nov.  10  as  the  day  for  starting.  On 
the   8th   I   received  this   dispatch: 

"City   Point,   Va.,   Nov.   7,   1864,   10:30 

P."M. 

"Major-General    Sherman : 

"  i  our  dispatch  of  this  evening  re- 
reived.  I  see  no  present  reason  for 
changing  your  plan.  Should  any  arise, 
you  will  see  it,  or  if  I  do  I  will  in- 
form you.  I  think  everything  here  is 
favorable  now.  Great  good  fortune 
attend  you !  I  believe  you  will  be  emi- 
nently successful,  and  at  worst,  can 
only  make  a  march  less  fruitful  than 
hoped   for. 

"U.    S.    GRANT,    Lieut.-Gen." 


Sherman's  Movements  as  Told  by  Himself 


195 


Meantime,  trains  of  cars  were  whirl- 
ing by,  carrying  to  the  rear  an  im- 
mense amount  of  stores  which  had  ac- 
cumulated at  Atlanta  and  at  the  other 
stations  along  the  railroad;  and  Gen. 
Steedman  had  come  down  to  Kingston 
to  take  charge  of  the  final  evacua- 
tion and  withdrawal  of  the  several 
garrisons  below  Chattanooga.  (Enter 
another  "villain!" — Author.) 

On  the  10th  of  November  the  move- 
ment may  be  said  to  have  fairly  be- 
gun. All  the  troops  designed  for  the 
campaign  were  ordered  to  march  for 
Atlanta,  and  Gen.  Corse,  before  eva- 
cuating his  post  at  Rome,  was  order- 
ed to  burn  all  the  mills,  factories,  etc., 
etc.,  that  could  be  useful  to  the  enemy 
should  he  undertake  to  pursue  us  or 
resume  military  possession  of  the 
country.  This  was  done  on  the  night 
of  the  10th  and  next  day  Corse  reach- 
ed Kingston.  Maj.  Gen.  Jefferson 
Davis  commanded  the  14th  Corps  of 
the  left  wing,  and  Corse  a  division  of 
the    15th    Corps. 

On  the  12th,  with  a  full  staff,  I 
started  from  Kingston  for  Atlanta, 
and  about  noon  of  that  day  we  reach- 
ed Cartersville  and  sat  on  the  edge 
of  a  porch  to  rest,  when  the  telegraph 
operator,  Mr.  Van  Valkenburg,  or  Ed- 
dy, got  the  wire  down  from  the  poles 
to  his  lap,  in  which  he  held  a  small 
pocket  instrument.  Calling  "Chatta- 
nooga," he  received  a  message  from 
Gen.    Thomas. 

Gen.  Sherman  records  that  just 
after  the  message  from  Gen. 
Thomas  had  come,  and  he  had  an- 


swered "Dis])atch  received — all 
right,"  some  of  the  marchers  burnt 
a  bridge,  which  severed  the  tele- 
graph wire  and  cut  all  communi- 
cation with  the   rear. 

As  we  rode  on  toward  Atlanta  that 
night,  I  remember  the  railroad  trains 
going  to  the  rear  with  a  furious  speed; 
the  engineers  and  the  few  men  about 
the  trains  waving  us  an  affectionate 
adieu.  It  surely  was  a  strange  event 
— two  hostile  armies  marching  in  op- 
posite directions,  each  in  the  full  be- 
lief that  it  was  achieving  a  final  and 
conclusive  result  in  a  great  war;  and 
I  was  strongly  inspired  with  the  feel- 
ing that  the  movement  on  our  part 
was  a  direct  attack  upon  the  rebel 
army  and  the  rebel  capital  at  Rich- 
mond, though  a  full  thousand  miles  of 
hostile  country  intervened,  and  that, 
for  better  or  worse,  it  would  end  the 
war. 

Thus  started  the  ruthless  cru- 
sade of  this  modern  Attila  the 
Hun,  in  which  all  rules  of  war 
touching  the  destruction  of  prop- 
erty and  the  treatment  of  human 
beings  in  the  broad  swath  of  war 
were  suspended.  Thus  did  ^^^m. 
Tecumseh  Sherman  write  his  name 
in  fire  and  blood  across  the  pages 
of  Georgia  history ;  justified,  as 
he  claimed,  by  the  objects  in  view, 
l)Ut  indelibly,  as  Georgians  of  to- 
day still  attest. 


196 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A   NOTED  SCHOOLHOUSE   AND  SEVEN   DWELLINGS. 

At    top     left,    is    No.   6   E.  Ninth    Avenue,   where    Prof.   Hay    Watson    Smith,    brother   of   Dr. 
ij"u-  '-""'^    Smith,    president    of    Washington    and    Lee   University,    taught   schooL      Next    is    the 
old   Hines  Smith   home;   the   homes   of   W.   H.  Pickling,   Mather   D.   Daniel,  Ed.   L     Bosworth     J     P 
Malone,  Dr.  J.  D.  Moreland  and  Mrs.  Martha  Battey,   follow  from   left  to   right 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Extreme  Desolation  Pictured  in  Diary 


Till'".  Rcmic  Chapter  of  tin- 
L'nited  Daughters  oi  the 
Confederacy  has  preserved 
ill  its  archives  a  choice  Ht- 
erary  morsel  in  the  form  of  ex- 
tracts from  the  diary  of  Reuben  v^. 
Norton,  which  was  placed  at  its 
disposal  by  Mrs.  Wm.  M.  Towers, 
his  only  daughter,  and  which  sheds 
a  flood  of  light  on  the  dark  days 
between  September,  1863,  and  the 
Confederate  surrender  in  April, 
1865.    These  extracts  follow  : 

Mary  Norton,  then  twelve  years  of 
age,  was  sent  with  friends  of  the  fam- 
ily in  1863  to  points  of  safety  farther 
South,  but  her  mother  and  1  decided 
to  remain  in  Rome  and  meet  whatever 
fate  might  befall  us. 

The  autumn  of  1863  found  our  citi- 
zens in  a  great  condition  of  uneasiness 
because  raiding  parties  had  moved  on 
Rome  from  various  directions;  and  so 
the  people  began  sending  their  fam- 
ilies and  negroes  to  safer  places. 
Heavy  reinforcements  came  in  fi-om 
Virginia  and  Mississippi,  but  as  the 
Yankees  were  now  in  possession  of 
Chattanooga,  the  worst  was  feared  for 
Rome.  In  October,  1863,  the  com- 
mands of  Gens.  Walker  and  Grist 
passed  through  Rome,  and  having  no 
means  of  transportation,  impressed  all 
the  wagons  and  teams  they  could  find 
v/ithin  ten  miles,  leaving  the  people 
with  no  stock  to  make  a  crop.  Such 
were  the  terrible  straits  to  which  our 
army  was   reduced  at  the  time. 

On  Dec.  8,  1863,  all  the  government 
hospitals  were  removed  from  Rome. 
The  people  realized  the  town  would 
soon  be  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and 
numerous  families  left  every  day.  Pro- 
visions were  exceedingly  high  and 
scarce,  and  were  preferred  to  money 
in  all  trading.  Conditions  grew  stead- 
ily worse  in  January,  1864.  All  the 
schools  were  closed,  and  the  Rome  Fe- 
male College  was  moved  away  by  the 
Caldwells. 

Four  months  later,  on  May  17,  our 
forces  began  to  evacuate  the  town  to 
escape  the  heavy  cannonading.  About 
dark  the  men  in  gray  drew  into  the 
town  and  began  to  move  out.  Think- 
ing the  enemy  would  capture  the 
available    stores,     clothing     and     food- 


stuffs, they  cari-ied  off  whatever  they 
could.  Several  Texas  regiments  sack- 
ed the  stores  of  about  .$1.50,000  in  cit- 
izens'  property. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  May  18 
our  men  burned  the  Oostanaula  River 
l)ridge.  The  Etowah  bridge  had  also 
been  burned.  About  11  o'clock  the 
Yankees  pushed  their  outposts  into 
town,  but  our  battery  on  Myrtle  Hill 
continued  to  fire  throughout  the  day. 
The  town  was  now  at  the  mercy  of 
ihe  invaders,  who  started  burning 
houses  and  making  themselves  com- 
fortable. Certain  wooden  structures 
were  torn  down  so  the  lumber  could 
be  used  to  make  temporary  shacks  for 
the  Union  soldiers.  The  home  of  Dr. 
Hicks  in  DeSoto  (now  the  Fourth 
Ward)  was  burned  because  it  was 
charged  Mrs.  Hicks  had  insulted 
Streight's  men  when  they  were 
brought  in  the  year  befoi'e  as  prison- 
ers by  Gen.  Forrest.  Mrs.  Choice's 
home  also  went  up  in  smoke,  and  the 
family  had  a  narrow  escape.  Several 
attempts  were  made  to  burn  the  Nor- 
ton home  and  barn,  but  the  fire  was 
put  out  each  time.  Many  more  fam- 
ilies left  town  in  haste  and  confusion. 
Pillaging  day  and  night  was  comnion. 
The  Confederates  were  scattered 
through  the  country,  and  Yankee 
wagon  trains  on  foraging  expeditions 
were  handled  roughly.  Scores  of  ne- 
groes were  sent  North  by  the  Union 
army  leaders;  they  were  not  only  of 
no  help  to  our  people,  but  in  the  way. 
Free  transportation  North  was  given 
such  people  as  wished  to  go,  and  a 
few  took  advantage  of  the  opportu- 
nity; I  think  there  were  eight  or  ten, 
whom  we   could  well   spare. 

Homes  were  quickly  turned  into  hos- 
pitals. Only  three  male  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  were  left: 
Nicholas  J.  Omberg,  H.  G.  Peter  and 
myself.  The  authorities  took  up  the 
carpets  of  the  church,  and  moved  the 
furniture  and  i)rayer  books;  pews  were 
removed  and  used  to  float  ponttwn 
bridges  across  the  rivers.  The  First 
Presbyterian  was  used  as  a  store 
house."  The  Methodist  church  was  fill- 
ed with  anununition  and  the  Baptist 
and  Episcopal  structures  were  con- 
verted   into    hospitals. 

A  provost  marshal's  establishment 
was  set  up,  and  the  civilians  were  vir- 
tually   i)risoners.      No    mails    were    re- 


198 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ceived  or  sent,  and  no  person  could 
pass  the  lines  going'  or  coming  with- 
out a  permit.  Thus  four  dreary 
months    passed. 

On  Sept.  18  the  Confederates  fired 
on  the  Yankees  on  the  Cave  Spring 
road,  killing  eight  or  ten  and  wound- 
ing others.  The  Federals,  fearing  a 
surprise  attack,  dug  additional  rifle 
pits.  The  people,  in  the  meantime, 
remained  in  their  homes  as  much  as 
possible.*  They  were  moved  about,  as 
their  ch  filings  were  needed  for  mili- 
tary purposes.  They  lived  on  what- 
ever they  could  hide  out;  sometimes 
cooked  for  the  enemy  and  thus  fed 
themselves.  Miss  Joe  Stewart  (later 
Mrs.  J.  A.  Stansbury)  told  how  she 
penned  up  a  lot  of  chickens  in  her 
basement,  and  how  their  feathers  were 
missing  when  they  were  finally  turned 
out  after  the  departure  of  the  enemy. 

Oct.  29  was  noteworthy  as  the  date 
Gen.  Sherman  and  his  staff  came  into 
town.  They  entered  at  night.  On 
Nov.  10  at  5  a.  m.  it  became  evident 
that  the  invaders  were  preparing  to 
evacuate,  for  they  started  burning  the 
places  of  military  value.  Several  ad- 
ditional citizens  went  North.  The  last 
of  the  Federals  left  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m., 
Nov.  11,  1864,  and  they  destroyed  such 
stores  as  they  could  not  take  along. 
Two  days  later  there  was  not  a  sol- 
dier of  either  army  to  be  seen.  The 
streets  were  entirely  deserted.  Every- 
thing was  as  still  and  quiet  as  if  no 
war  were  in  progress.  The  business 
section  was  dead;  only  a  little  drug 
store  was  left,  and  that  kept  by  Dr. 
J.  H.  Nowlin.  The  40  men  left  be- 
hind organized  a  patrol  force  for  the 
protection  of  their  homes.  They  were 
as  follows: 

A.  Tabor  Hardin,  postmaster;  Dr. 
J.  H.  Nowlin,  Geo.  P.  Burnett,  mayor; 
Jas.  Lumpkin,  Wm.  Quinn,  A.  M. 
Kerr,  Lewis  D.  Burwell,  Terrence  Mc- 
Guire,  Jesse  Lamberth,  M.  Marks, 
Green  Stewart,  S.  G.  Wells,  C.  W. 
Mills,  Reuben  S.  Norton,  John  De- 
Journett,  Nicholas  J.  Omberg,  Peter 
Omberg,  Wm.  Lumpkin,  Solomon  Mc- 
Kenzie,  Jas.  Langston,  Jas.  Noble,  Sr., 
J.  G.  Dailey,  A.  P.  Neal.  Ben  Thorn- 
ton, Lee  Lumpkin,  O.  Wiley  Harbin, 
Logan  Graves,  Peter  M.  Sheibley,  C. 
H.  Morefield,  John  B.  Jenkins,  Dr. 
Wm.  Farell,  Jno.  T.  Riley,  Jas.  Lee, 
Joe  Norris,  Dr.  Brown,  Mr.  Porter, 
Mr.  McGinnis,  Mr.  Jackson,  Mr.  Raw- 
lins, Mr.   Galceren. 

Of  these.  Judge  Burwell,  Mr.  Quinn 
and  Mr.  Lee  were  unable  to  bear  arms. 
The  ages  of  the  men  left  were  18  to 
70.     Among  the  women  who  remained 


at  home  might  be  mentioned  Mrs.  Liz- 
zie Roach  Hughes,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Greg- 
ory, Mrs.  Robt.  Battey,  Mrs.  John 
Choice,  Mrs.  Peter  M.  Sheibley  and 
Mrs.  R.  S.  Norton. 

Different  sections  were  assigned  to 
the  civilian  guard.  Mr.  Omberg  and 
Mr.  McGuire  were  on  duty  in  the 
Broad  Street  neighborhood  north  of 
the  Buena  Vista  hotel  (Sixth  Avenue). 
Early  one  night  they  heard  the  shrill 
voice  of  a  woman,  calling  for  help. 
They  rushed  forward  and  discovered 
it  was  old  Mrs.  Quinn.  Before  they 
reached  her,  a  ruffian  of  a  Scout  band 
held  them  up  at  the  point  of  a  pis- 
tol. Another  ruffian  placed  them  un- 
der guard.  Conversation  between  the 
two  robbers  revealed  that  they  had 
been  hanging  Mr.  Quinn  by  the  neck 
to  make  him  give  up  money  and  val- 
uables. He  surrendered  what  he  had, 
so  they  did  not  kill  him.  Mr.  Mc- 
Guire and  Mr.  Omberg  were  ordered 
to  follow  the  gang  leaders,  who  would 
'fix  them'  out  of  town.  The  two  ran 
for  their  lives.  A  dozen  shots  were 
fired  at  them,  one  taking  effect  in 
Mr.  Omberg's  leg.  Mr.  OmTserg's  vdfe 
was  dead,  and  he  and  his  children  were 
living  with  his  sister-in-law,  Mrs. 
Thos.  J.  Perry.  Mrs.  Perry  was  in 
her  yard  when  she  discovered  Mr. 
Omberg  coming  up  lamely  with  his 
hat  in  his  hand,  and  without  a  weapon. 
He  told  her  he  thought  he  was  done 
for,  and  begged  her  to  hide  him,  for 
he  knew  the  marauders  would  follow. 
She  got  him  upstairs  into  an  attic** 
and  ran  to  the  nearest  neighbor's  to 
get  aid  for  him.  The  neighbors  were 
afraid  to  venture  out,  so  Mrs.  Perry 
returned  to  the  sufferer  and  did  the 
best  she  could.***  Later  she  went  to 
the  home  of  her  neighbors  and  implored 
them  to  go  for  Dr.  Nowlin.     The  doc- 

*This  probably  refers  to  an  ambuscade  at  the 
Hawkins  place,  on  the  Lindale  road  one  mile 
north  of  Lindale,  by  Colquitt's  Scouts.  Some  25 
wagons  manned  by  soldiers  and  drawn  by 
horses  and  mules  were  held  up  by  fire  from  the 
bushes.  The  beasts  broke  into  a  wild  stampede, 
several  overturning  the  wagons.  Colquitt's  men 
escaped  into  the  hills.  Gen.  Jno.  M.  Corse,  com- 
manding at  Rome,  sent  ambulances  out  and 
brought  in  the  wounded,  several  of  whom  had 
been  taken  into  the  home  of  Mrs.  Tom  Hawkins 
and  given  first  aid.  Gen.  Corse  held  Mrs.  Haw- 
kins, her  absent  husband  and  her  father,  Roland 
Bryant,  responsible  for  the  attack,  and  burned 
her   home  while  she  looked   on. 

**Some    say    it    was    a    hay    loft. 

***Judge  John  C.  Printup  is  authority  for  the 
statement  that  Mr.  Omberg  was  shot  near 
Eighth  Avenue  and  Broad  Street,  and  died  at 
the  home  of  his  brother-in-law,  Thos.  J.  Perry, 
at  the  northwest  corner  of  Eighth  Avenue  and 
E.  First  Street.  It  is  generally  accepted  that  this 
job  was  done  by  Colquitt's  Scouts,  and  it  is 
said  that  several  young  men  of  Rome  were 
recognized  in  the  crowd.  Mrs.  Judge  Jno.  H. 
Lumpkin   was    also   robbed. 


Extreme  Desolation  Pictured  in  Diary 


199 


tor  finally  came,  but  could  do  little, 
and  Mr.  Omberg  died  about  9  the  next 
morning. 

Getting  him  buried  was  just  as  dif- 
ficult. Everybody  stayed  cooped  up 
in  their  homes  for  fear  of  being  shot 
down  by  a  hidden  foe.  Presently  the 
men  ventured  forth,  made  a  coffin  out 
of  pine  boards  and  laid  him  away. 

Judge  Burwell  and  Mr.  Cohen  were 
hung  up  until  they  agreed  to  hand 
over  their  valuables. '*' 

These  robbers  were  deserters  from 
both  armies,  and  they  banded  together 
to  prey  upon  defenseless  citizens.  They 
committed  many  atrocities  in  the  coun- 
try, but  did  not  come  to  Rome  again. 

The  steamboat  (probably  the  Laura 
Moore)  arrived  from  Gadsden  to  see 
how  things  were  getting  along  at 
Rome,  but  went  back  the  next  day. 
Many  country  people  came  to  town 
to  avoid  the  Scouts;  they  crossed  the 
rivers    in   batteaux. 

Postmaster  Hardin  arranged  to  get 
mail  through  the  country  in  a  buggy, 
and  gradually  the  people  began  to  cir- 
cumvent Sherman's  army  and  to  re- 
turn home.  After  the  final  surrender, 
the  refugees  came  in  large  numbers 
and  turned  willing  hands  to  the  res- 
toration of  their  premises  and  their 
fortunes.  Rome  cotton  that  had  been 
hid  out  was  brought  to  town  and 
made  a  little  trade;  it  brought  25  to 
30   cents   in   greenback. 

On  May  13,  1865,  the  condition  of 
affairs  was  dreadful;  negroes  trouble- 
some, food  scarce,  very  little  specie  in 
the  country.  Not  a  yard  of  cloth  could 
be  bought.  There  were  no  shoes,  no 
groceries,  no  anything  except  a  few 
drugs  at  Dr.  Nowlin's,  and  they  could 
not  be  eaten.  All  was  used  up,  wast- 
ed away.  That  our  people  rose  above 
these  conditions  is  a  splendid  tribute 
to  their  stamina  and  light-heartedness. 

The  Federal  authorities  came  into 
Rome  on  June  20,  1865,  and  announced 
to  Mayor  Jas.  Noble,  Jr.,  that  his  of- 
fice was  vacant  and  the  town  was  un- 
der military  rule.  The  Freedmen's 
Bureau  was  established  with  Capt.  C. 
A  de  la  Mesa  in  charge,  and  thus 
began  the  rule  of  the  carpetbagger, 
under  which  our  people  endured  life 
calmly  until  their  country  was  once 
more  restored  to  their  keeping. 

The  following-  letter,  sent  from 
Rome  Nov.  17-  1864,  (one  day  aft- 
er Sherman  started  his  March  to 
the    Sea    from   Atlanta),   by    Mrs. 

*Mr.  Cohen's  people  deny  he  was  hung  up ; 
he  may  have  been  forced  to  give  over  his  money. 


Rol)ert  P>attey  to  her  husband, 
then  presumably  at  Selma,  Ala., 
contains  a  graphic  description  of 
the  privations  endured  by  the  few 
people  left  at  home : 

My  Darling:  I  have  just  received 
your  letter  from  Selma.  I  am  so 
sorry  that  you  could  not  come  home 
for  a  few  days.  I  feel  as  if  you  are 
so  far  from  me  now;  it  may  be  a  long 
time  before  I  see  you  again,  if  ever. 
I'm  feeling  sad  tonight.  I  have  had 
a  hard  time  for  the  last  two  months. 
The  negroes  all  left  me  and  went  to 
the  Yankees,  and  when  the  Yankees 
left,  the  negroes  all  had  to  "foot  it"  to 
Kingston,  Aunt  Cheney  carrying  her 
clothes  and  Belle  the  baby;  Bill  car- 
rying himself  the  best  he  could.  Pagey 
got  along  very  well,  but  old  Mary  had 
a  hard  time  walking  so  far  and  by  the 
time  they  reached  Kingston  they  were 
sick  of  the  Yankees  and  turned  and 
came  home. 

Two  miles  this  side  of  Kingston  a 
man  took  Belle  and  carried  her  to  his 
home.  Day  before  yesterday  the  ne- 
groes all  returned  except  Belle.  I 
heard  that  she  was  at  Mr.  Sheibley's 
place,  so  Mr.  Sheibley  went  up,  found 
her  and  brought  her  home  today.  Now 


MRS.  WILLIAM  SMITH  (later  Mrs.  Anderson 
W.  Redding,  of  Jamestown,  Lee  County, 
Ga.),   mother    of    Mrs.    Robert    Battey. 


200 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


I  have  them  all  home.  They  lost  all 
their  bedding'  and  clothing.  They  have 
treated  me  very  badly,  left  me  sick; 
Bessie  to  nurse;  cow^s  to  milk,  cook- 
ing to  do,  washing  and  everything 
else.  No  one  to  help  but  George.  We 
had  a   hard  time. 

Willie  went  with  Mrs.  Hawkins  to 
Columbus.  I  look  for  them  back  Sun- 
day. I  need  him  very  much.  We 
have  no  wood,  and  no  one  to  get  it 
for  me.  My  fences  are  all  gone.  You 
would  not  know  our  home. 

I  was  ready  to  go  South  when  Mr. 
Maupin  came  home.  He  told  me  that 
you  thought  it  best  for  me  to  stay  at 
home,  even  if  I  had  to  live  in  one  side 
of  the  house  and  burn  the  other,  so  I 
concluded  to  stay.  I  had  no  one  to 
help  me  out  with  my  children.  I  felt 
that  I  could  not  carry  Bessie,  so  I 
hope    it   will    all   be   for   the   best. 

I  don't  know  how  the  negroes  will 
treat  me  when  I  take  to  my  bed.  I 
miss  poor  old  Coyle.  I  wrote  you  that 
he  was  dead.  He  died  two  or  three 
months  ago. 

Should  I  ever  see  you  I  will  tell 
you  what  I  have  to  go  through.  Don't 
have  too  much  confidence  in  all  of  the 
negroes;   some  of  them  are  mean. 

The  Yankees  are  gone,  I  hear,  to 
Macon.  They  have  60  days'  rations. 
I  fear  we  have  no  force  there,  and  am 
so  anxious  to  know  what  they  are  go- 
ing to  do.  I  feel  more  discouraged  now 
than  I  ever  have  before. 

Our  people  are  doing  so  badly.  They 
are  in  hei-e  robbing  and  killing.  They 
robbed  old  Mr.  Burwell  a  few  nights 
ago,  and  again  last  night  they  hung 
him  until  he  was  almost  dead,  for  his 
money.  They  have  it  all  now.  They 
killed  Mr.  N.  J.  Omberg  last.  He  was 
out  in  the  yard,  he  and  Mr.  McGuire, 
and  they  heard  somebody  cry  out,  and 
ran  to  old  Mrs.  Quinn,  and  found  they 
were  hanging  Mr.  Quinn.  They  met 
Mr.  Omberg  and  he  asked  them  who 
they  were.  They  replied,  "Friends." 
Mr.  Omberg  put  down  his  gun  and 
they  walked  up  to  him  and  took  all 
his  greenbacks,  then  shot  him.  He 
lived  until  today.  They  robbed  Mrs. 
Lumpkin  of  everything  she  had,  and 
Peter  Omberg,  too.  I  look  for  them 
all  night. 

I  don't  undress  for  fear  they  will 
come.  I  have  no  money  for  them  to 
get,  and  hope  they  will  spare  me. 
Such  a  life  to  lead!  No  rest  night  or 
day!  I  had  expected  that  when  the 
Yankees  left  I  would  get  to  sleep  some 
at  night,  but  it  is  worse  than  ever. 
You  don't  know  anything  about  it. 


The  night  the  town  was  burned  I 
was  all  alone,  except  for  my  little  chil- 
dren. I  can  not  describe  my  feelings. 
I  did  not  know  what  to  do,  so  I  went 
to  washing,  and  washed  two  or  three 
dozen  pieces.  I  had  not  had  any  done 
for  four  weeks.  I  passed  the  night 
away  somehow  and  am  still  alive.  But 
I  must  not  write  you  all  these  things. 
I  hope  you  will  excuse  me,  as  I  can 
not  think  of  anything  else. 

Dear  Grace,  I  am  glad  to  hear  she 
is  well  and  wish  so  much  I  had  her 
with  me.  The  poor  child  would  not 
feel  at  home  here  now;  everything  is 
so  changed.  I  will  write  her  tonight. 
She  had  better  come  home  if  I  stay 
here.  Oh,  how  I  long  to  see  you,  to  be 
near  one  who  feels  an  interest  in  me! 
I  don't  know  what  I  will  do  while  I 
am  sick,  but  I  hope  that  you  will  be 
here  or  that  something  may  happen 
to   help    me. 

Don't  bother  about  money;  if  you 
can't  get  it  you  can  do  without  it.  I 
owe  some  greenback,  but  they  will 
have  to  wait  for  it.  I  have  tried  to  get 
along  the  best  I  could   since  you  left. 

The  children  are  all  well.  Little 
Bessie  is  well,  but  cannot  walk;  I  feel 
very  anxious  about  her  and  fear  she 
never  will.  Reddy  looks  delicate,  but 
keeps  up  and  is  a  good  little  thing. 
George,  Mary  and  Henry  are  well  and 
help  me  all  they  can.  They  want  to 
see  their   dear  father  very  much. 

Mr.  Norton  and  family  are  well. 
Aunt  Cooley  is  not  in  good  health. 
Georgia  and  Mary  are  well.  Where  is 
Mrs.  Stillwell?  I  heard  from  Bailie; 
he  was  well  but  needed  money.  He 
wrote  Mr.  Moore  for  some.  I  sent 
him  $5,  all  I  had,  but  don't  know 
whether  he  got  it  or  not.  I  would 
write  to  Mrs.  Stillwell  if  I  knew 
where  to  write.  Mrs.  Lee  and  children 
are  well.  Some  of  their  negroes  are 
gone — old  Annie,  Richmond  and  Hay- 
good.  Jack's  wife  has  not  gone.  She 
had  a  baby  and  is  doing  well.  I  hope 
Mrs.   Graves  will   get  home   soon  now. 

I  might  write  you  a  more  interest- 
ing letter  and  tell  you  how  I  fared 
with  the  new  commander  we  had  here. 
I  will  write  again  when  I  feel  more 
cheerful.  I  will  finish  this  in  the 
morning. 

Your   devoted   wife, 

M.   BATTEY. 

Mrs.  Naomi  P.  Bale  (Rome's 
venerated  "Grandma  Georgy"), 
tells  in  a  contribution  to  the  U. 
D.    C.    this    graphic    story    of   war 


Extreme  Desolation  Pictured  in  Diary 


201 


trials  and  tribulations  in  Dirttown 
Valley,  Chattooga  County,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  Rome: 

The  first  real  sorrow  that  came  to 
me  during  the  Civil  War  was  when 
my  only  brother  was  brought  back 
home  in  his  coffin  from  Cumberland 
Gap,  Tenn.,  Dec.  1,  1862.  It  had  never 
occurred  to  me  that  his  home-coming 
would  be  so  sad,  that  with  my  dear 
old  father,  whose  life  was  bound  up 
in  his  promising  son,  and  whose  heart 
never  recovered  from  this  stroke,  and 
with  the  broken-hearted  young  widow 
and  the  five  little  children,  I  would 
stand  beside  the  form  of  a  strong 
young  soldier,  cut  down  in  the  hey- 
day of  his  youth. 

Nearer  and  darker  grew  the  war 
cloud  in  1863.  Marching  and  coun- 
ter-marching was  the  order  of  the  day. 
Wheeler's  and  Forrest's  cavalries 
dashed  in  and  out  of  our  quiet  little 
Dirttown  Valley.  Thousands  of  cav- 
alry camped  on  my  father's  extensive 
plantation;  the  commanding  officers 
quartered  in  our  home,  and  often  sat 
at  our  table. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of 
1863  nearly  every  family  of  promi- 
nence in  our  neighborhood  refugeed.  On 
Sept.  20  and  21,  1863,  the  thunders 
of  artillery  from  Chickamauga  battle- 
field startled  us,  and  from  then  until 
the  capture  of  Kennesaw  mountain 
the  roar  of  cannon  reverberated  over 
this  section  of  Georgia  day  and  night. 
Then  came  the  lull  before  the  storm. 
For  six  long  weeks  everybody  in  our 
neighborhood  kept  close  at  home;  not 
a  human  outside  our  own  family  did  I 
see,  save  my  step-brother-in-law  as  he 
passed  twice  a  day  going  to  and  from 
his    mill. 

One  bright  moonlight  night  I  was 
awakened  by  a  low,  rumbling  sound; 
the  sound  came  nearer  and  nearer 
until  I  recognized  the  hoof  beats  of 
cavalry.  In  a  short  time  the  noise 
increased  and  I  heard  the  command, 
"Halt!"  given.  Instantly  the  quiet 
became  intense.  I  raised  up  in  bed 
and  peered  through  my  window.  The 
whole  front  grove  seemed  full  of 
mounted  soldiers,  whether  friend  or 
foe  I  could  not  tell.  In  a  few  moments 
a  trim,  soldierly  fellow  rapped  loudly 
on  the  front  door.  I  threw  uj)  a  win- 
dow and  asked,  "Who  knocks?"  He 
replied,  "I  am  Capt.  Harvey,  of  Mis- 
sissippi, and  I  have  been  ordered  by 
Gen.  Johnston  to  his  rear  to  tear  u]) 
the  railroad  between  Chattanooga  and 
Kingston.  I  am  here  in  command  of 
100    men.      We   have   ridden    100    miles 


out  of  our  way  just  to  forage  on 
Wesley    Shropshire's    farm." 

In  the  meantime,  my  father  remain- 
ed in  his  room  listening  to  the  con- 
versation. His  life  had  been  threat- 
ened often,  and  for  this  reason  we 
never  allowed  him  to  appear  at  the 
front  door  until  some  of  the  family 
had  first  reconnoitered.  I  said  to  the 
captain,  "Step  out  into  the  moonlight 
and  let  me  see  your  uniform."  He 
jumped  lightly  over  the  bannisters 
and  jocularly  remarked,  "Are  you  sat- 
isfied?" I  made  him  promise  on  his 
honor  as  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman 
that  my  father  should  suffer  no  vio- 
lence from  him  or  his  men.  He  sol- 
emnly gave  his  word,  and  I  then  di- 
rected him  to  a  window  in  my  father's 
room.  He  and  father  had  quite  a 
chat;  he  gave  father  several  Confed- 
erate newspapers  and  father  presented 
him  with  a  number  of  Northern  pa- 
pers that  a  neighbor  had  secured  in 
Chattanooga.  Father  then  directed 
Capt.  Harvey  where  he  could  find  corn 
and  fodder  for  his  horses. 

Capt.  Harvey  and  his  command  re- 
mained in  our  neighborhood  six  weeks 
or  more,  raiding  the  railroads  up  about 
Ringgold  and  Dalton,  and  capturing 
many  Federal  prisoners,  many  of 
whom  could  not  sceak  a  word  of  Eng- 


Ri:V.  (;.  A.  NUNNALLY.  Baptist  minister 
who  once  ran  for  Governor  of  (leorRia  on 
a    liquor    prohibition    platform. 


202 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


lish  intelligibly — these  were  foreign- 
ers imported  by  wealthy  Northerners 
as  substitutes  in  the  Federal  army. 
The  prisoners  were  taken  to  Cedar 
BluflF,  Ala.,  and  as  a  member  of  Capt. 
Hai-vey's  command  told  me,  "were  lost 
in   the    Coosa    river." 

I  can  say  that  Capt.  Harvey  was  a 
gentleman,  and  we  suffered  no  violence 
from  him  or  his  command.  He  was 
very  fond  of  music  and  liked  to  play 
whist,  and  was  a  frequent  guest  in 
our  house.  Thus  he  whiled  away  his 
time  with  my  step-sister  and  myself. 
Once  when  I  sang  "The  Officer's  Fu- 
neral," he  leaned  his  head  on  the  table 
and  sobbed  aloud.  He  begged  me  to 
overlook  his  apparent  weakness,  for 
he  had  a  wife  and  a  little  boy  in  Mis- 
sissippi, and  the  chances  were  he 
would    never    see   them    again. 

On  Sept.  15,  1864,  we  met  a  different 
band  of  men.  These  were  the  "Inde- 
pendent Scouts."  Yes,  write  the  name 
in  blood,  drape  it  with  the  pall  of 
death,  trace  it  with  fire,  and  then  you 
cannot  conceive  the  full  meaning  of 
the  term.  A  horde  of  these  marauders 
made  their  camp  in  our  neighborhood, 
committing  the  most  outrageous  atroci- 
ties on  old  and  feeble  men.  A  gang 
of  perhaps  a  dozen  came  to  our  home, 
and  took  everything  they  could  carry 
away.     Before  leaving  they  laid  violent 


MAX  MEYERHARDT,  once  judge  of  the  City 
Court  and  for  many  years  prominent  in 
Masonic    and    civic    affairs    of    Rome. 


hands  on  my  father,  swearing  he 
should  be  hung  unless  he  gave  them 
money,  either  gold  or  silver.  A  rope 
was  thrown  over  his  head,  and  with 
an  oath  one  of  them  started  to  drag 
him  off  to  a  limb.  I  threw  up  my 
hands  and  begged  for  my  father's  life 
with  all  the  fervor  of  a  pent-up  soul, 
assuring  them  he  had  no  specie.  The 
ring-leader  looked  me  steadily  in  the 
face  and  said,  "I  believe  you  are  tell- 
ing the  truth."  I  answered,  "On  my 
honor  as  a  lady,  as  sure  as  there  is  a 
God,  I  am!"  The  rope  was  removed 
from  my  father's  neck,  the  leader  re- 
marking, "Old  man,  you  owe  your  life 
to  your  daughter;  but  for  her  we 
would  have  hung  you  as  high  as  Ha- 
maan." 

On  Oct.  10  and  12  Hood's  weary 
horde  appeared  and  passed  in  hot  re- 
treat. It  was  ragged,  worn,  foot-sore 
and  dejected  in  spirit.  Yet  they  plod- 
ded on  their  weary  march,  some  bare- 
foot, others  with  raw-hide  tied  over 
their  bleeding  feet.  "Lost  Cause"  was 
stamped  on  every  face.  I  knew  then 
the   Confederacy  was  doomed. 

On  Oct.  14  and  15  the  center  of 
Sherman's  army  passed,  following 
Hood.  I  think  this  part  was  com- 
manded by  Gens.  Slocum  and  Frank 
Blair.  What  the  "Scouts"  left  was 
appropriated  by  the  Federals.  Again 
our  home  was  pillaged  from  founda- 
tion to  attic.  Large  army  wagons 
were  loaded  to  the  brim  vdth  corn, 
fodder  and  wheat;  cows  and  hogs  were 
driven  off  or  shot,  smoke  houses  strip- 
ped, pantries  cleaned  of  every  mova- 
ble article,  and  such  as  could  not  be 
carried  off  was  broken  or  damaged. 
The  negroes  huddled  together  in  their 
houses,  like  sheep  among  wolves, 
scared  out  of  their  wits  and  fright- 
ened almost  white. 

P'ather  and  several  neighbors  had 
left  a  few  days  before  for  Blue  Moun- 
tain, Ala.,  to  procure  salt,  all  of  this 
commodity  having  been  exhausted 
some  time  before  from  the  smoke 
houses.  My  step-mother,  a  woman  of 
unusual  courage,  was  so  prostrated 
with  fear  that  she  took  to  her  bed. 
Thus  I  again  had  to  run  the  household. 
Capt.  Hall,  of  Kentucky,  kept  guard 
over  us  for  four  hours,  and  after  he 
left  we  were  at  the  mercy  of  "wagon 
dogs."  Three  of  these  prowlers  shut 
my  step-sister,  Em  White,  and  myself 
in  a  room,  swearing  they  would 
search  us.  Em  collapsed  in  a  large 
rocking  chair.  One  of  the  marauders 
stood  with  his  back  to  the  door,  while 
another  ransacked  bureau  drawers, 
wardrobes,    turned    up    the    mattress, 


Extreme  Desolation  Pictured  in  Diary 


203 


etc.  I  engaged  the  third  in  conversa- 
tion, holding  in  my  hand  a  heavy 
wrought  iron  poker,  with  which  I  oc- 
casionally poked  the  fire,  but  really 
kept  in  readiness  to  give  the  fellow 
a  whack  if  he  dared  lay  hands  on  me. 
That  "dog"  never  made  a  movement 
to  touch  me,  although  he  said  he  had 
"stripped  many  as  damned  good- 
looking  women  as  I  was  and  searched 
them."  One  jerked  Em  from  the 
rocker  and  pretended  that  he  would 
strip  her.  I  begged  for  her  and  he 
let  her  go.  They  left  very  much  dis- 
appointed that  they  found  little  of 
value. 

Hoop  skirts  were  in  vogue  then,  and 
so  were  full  skirts.  I  had  several 
thousand  dollars  in  Confederate  money 
in  a  bustle  around  my  waist,  and  my 
small  amount  of  jewelry  and  a  few 
keepsakes  in  huge  pockets  under  my 
hoops.  Em  had  her  jewelry  and  sil- 
ver forks  and  spoons  in  pockets  under 
her  hoop. 

After  the  Federals  had  passed,  des- 
olation was  writ  throughout  the  val- 
ley. For  three  weeks  a  hundred  in 
our  family  (including  slaves)  literally 
lived  from  hand  to  mouth.  We  picked 
up  scraps  of  potatoes  left  in  the  fields, 
small  scattered  turnips  and  meat  from 

*JudKe  John  W.  Maddox  declared  in  a  speech 
early  in  1921  at  the  City  Auditorium  that  all 
the  Yankees  left  in  Chattooga  County  was  a 
broken-down  steer  that  was  not  fit  to  be  eaten 
by  man  or  beast. 

**Mr.  Lincoln's  proclamation  was  issued  in 
1S63,  but  news  of  it  evidently  hadn't  reached 
Georgia. 


the  carcasses  left  by  the  Yankees  and 
dragged  in  by  the  negroes.  The  new 
corn  left  was  sufficiently  soft  to  be 
grated  on  graters  constructed  from 
mutilated  tinware.* 

Oh,  those  were  strenuous,  perilous 
times.  I  will  say  in  justice  to  our 
faithful  slaves  that  only  four  left  us; 
they  stood  by  us  nobly  until  my  father 
came  in  from  Rome  and  announced 
that  Lee  had  surrendered.  My  father 
called  them  all  up  and  told  them  they 
were  all  free.**  He  employed  some; 
others  "spread  wing."  None  went 
away  empty-handed.  Father  helped 
them  to  the  extent  of  his  ability. 

When  Gen.  Lee  furled  the  Stars  and 
Bars,  sheathed  his  sword  and  shook 
hands  with  Gen.  Grant,  I  did  the  same 
and  on  that  day  I  buried  every  feeling 
of  animosity,  never  to  resurrect  the 
dead  past.  With  thousands  of  other 
Southern  women  I  had  my  baptism  of 
fire  and  blood  that  tears  cannot  efface. 

Standing  on  this  mountain-top  of 
three-score  and  eleven  years  (she  is 
now  well  around  80),  and  looking  back 
through  the  vista  of  time,  I  see  how 
lovingly  my   Heavenly    Father   led    me 

"Sometimes  through  scenes  of  deepest 

gloom, 
Sometimes    through    bowers    of    Eden 

bloom." 

I  exclaim  with  the  Psalmist,  "Bless 
the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not 
all   His  benefits." 


204 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


SS«L 


PRESENT-DAY  ROMANS  IN  STRIKING  ATTITUDES 

1 — Rev.    J.    E.    Sammons.      2 — E.    E.    Lindsey.       3 — Rev.    H.    F.    Saumenig.      4 — W.    C.    Rash. 

5 Rev.  E.  F.   Dempsey.      6 — F.    W.   Copeland.      7    (Top) — Judge    Moses    Wright,    addressing   Easter 

crowd,  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery,  Sunday,  March  26,  1921.  8 — B.  F.  Quigg.  9 — Mrs.  Bessie  B. 
Troutman.  10 — Wm.  A.  Patton.  11 — Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  at  90.  12 — Young  folk  in  Washington  s 
Birthday  fete.  13 — Virgil  A.  Stewart.  14 — Miss  Lilly  Mitchell.  IS — Miss  Martha  Berry. 
16 — E.  P.  Treadaway.  17 — Miss  Marion  Moultrie.  18 — Burnett  Norton.  19 — Miss  Helen  Knox 
Spain. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
Depredations  of  the  Independent  Scouts 


V 


ARTOUS  roving-  bands,  or- 
o-anized  for  good  purposes 
and  bad,  added  substantial- 
ly to  the  misery  which  hov- 
ered like  a  spectre  over  the  people 
at  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  Pri- 
marily, these  bands  separated 
themselves  from  the  main  body  of 
the  Confederate  forces  in  order  to 
impede  the  i)rogress  of  the  Union 
troops  (or  they  were  cut  ofT),  and 
to  this  extent  their  existence  Avas 
justified.  P\arts  ot  the  forces  ot 
Gen.  Johnston  and  Gen.  Hood  had 
been  forced  steadily  back  into 
Georgia  by  the  driving  power  of 
Sherman's  army,  and  they  never 
rejoined  their  regular  commands, 
but  carried  on  a  bushwhacking 
campaign  from  the  hills.  As  long 
as  opposition  to  the  invaders  re- 
mained their  object,  they  acquitted 
themselves  with  l^ravery  and 
credit,  but  once  the  Union  army 
had  passed,  certain  of  these  bands 
fell  behind  and  plundered  the  coun- 
tryside ;  they  stole,  destroyed  and 
murdered,  and  for  a  time  the  peo- 
ple were  completely  at  their  mer- 
cy. 

These  organizations  were  usu- 
ally made  u])  of  liorsemen,  30  to 
50  in  number,  l^'xcellent  riders 
thev  were,  and  well  heeled.  They 
had  a  rather  definite  range,  but 
no  ])articular  headquarters.  When 
the  men  l)ecame  hungry,  they 
would  swoop  down  upon  a  ])lan- 
tation  or  small  house  and  take 
v^  hat  tliey  could  find  :  they  were 
always  looking  for  saddles  and 
riding  boots  as  well  as  mone\'  and 
food,  v^ometimes  they  paid  tor 
things  ai)propriate(l,  but  this  was 
not  often. 

Now  and  then  the  scout  organi- 
zations clashed  with  each  othor 
to  determine  which  crowd  should 
subsist  on  a  certain  section.     As  a 


general  rule,  however,  they  were 
content  to  prey  upon  the  defense- 
less. 

In    the    "uj)    ccjunties"    near    the 
Tennessee  line,  perhaps   the  best- 
known      gang      was      Gatewood's 
Scouts,  organized  and  led  by  John 
Gatewood,   of   Tennessee,   assisted 
by  his   brother,   Henry  Gatewood, 
who  kept  the  books  and  accounts 
of  the  company.     John  (kitewood 
was      an      illiterate      mountaineer 
whose  red  hair  fell  In  long  fronds 
down  his  back,  like  Daniel  Boone 
and  David  Crockett ;  and  when  he 
wished    to    escape    detection    in    a 
tlaring   dash,    he    would    cram    his 
locks   into   the   crown   of   his    soft 
felt  hat.     He  was  a  man  of  won- 
derful physique,   tall   and  angular, 
with  the  fire  of  \'ulcan  in  his  eye  ; 
and  it  used  to  be  said  that  while 
galloping"   on    his    horse    he    could 
shoot  a  partridge  off  a  rail   fence 
with  his  pistol  in  either  hand.  His 
reason  for  taking  the  saddle  inde- 
pendently  against   the  Union   men 
was    that   the>'    had   killed    his    old 
father   in    Tennessee,   and    he    was 
pledged   to   vengeance,     .\fter   the 
Federals  had  left,  however,  his  men 
terrorized       llie       country       from 
Gaylesville.  Ala.,  as   far  northeast 
as  LaFayette.  Walker  Co.,  Ga.,  and 
touching  Al])ine,   Summerville  and 
Trion.      Chattooga      County,      Ih-- 
tween.     it    was   nnchnibtedly    (".ate- 
wood's     Scouts     who     visited     the 
W'eslev    Shroi:)shire    ])lantation    in 
Dirttown  X'alley.  Chattooga  Coun- 
tv,  Sept.   15.  1864:  but  so  far  as  is 
Ivuowii   tliey  ]iai(l  only  one  \isit   to 
i\( inie. 

bihn  ('latt'wood  had  an  Indian 
who  looked  after  his  horse.  One 
lav  he  sent  the  Indian  to  a  grist 
mill  near  Trion,  to  have  some  corn_ 
ground  into  meal.  .\  band  of 
"scouts   favorable  to  the  Union,  led 


206 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


I  y  John  Long',  killed  this  Indian 
by  way  of  defying  Gatewood.  The 
challenge  was  accepted,  and  a 
pitched  battle  was  fought  near 
the  spot  at  night.  Later  Long 
was  convicted  of  kilHng  Blev.  Tay- 
lor in  Alabama  near  Frix's  Mill, 
McLemore's  Cove,  Chattooga  Co., 
and  died  in  an  Alalxima  peniten- 
tiary camp  near  Wetumpka  while 
serving  a  life  sentence. 

Gatewood  is  said  to  have  killed 
Green  Cordle,  another  independent 
scout  leader  and  a  man  of  some 
years,  in  Walker  County,  after 
running  him  out  of  a  house  where 
he  was  enjoying  a  meal.  It  was 
Gatewood's  policy  to  exterminate 
the  other  leaders  and  bands  wher- 
ever he  could,  but  in  several  in- 
stances he  found  strong  opposi- 
tion. His  gang  gradually  broke  up 
and  he  left  Gaylesville  on  horse- 
back, riding  over  Lookout  Moun- 
tain to  Texas,  where  he  established 
himself  on  a  ranch.     Maj.  John  T. 


,<5«i»*» 


-w    \.,  kM  ' 


WM.  SMITH,  one  of  the  four  founders  of 
Rome,  who  contributed  much  to  the  young 
city's    growth    and    progress. 


Burns,  of  Rome,  state  comptroller 
general  in  1869,  who  also  went  to 
Texas,  once  ran  across  Gatewood 
after  the  war,  and  found  him  en- 
gaged in  peaceful  pursuits. 

Gatewood's  Scouts  participated 
in  one  of  the  most  spectacular 
events  of  the  war  at  Chattanooga, 
probably  early  in  1864.  They  rode 
boldly  into  the  Northern  army 
camp  at  night  (this  time  with  no 
less  than  100  men)  and  stampeded 
and  drove  away  2,000  cattle  and 
horses  which  they  took  to  Gayles- 
ville and  sold  or  turned  over  to  the 
Confederate  army. 

The  scout  band  best  known  to 
Rome  was  that  of  Capt.  Jack  Col- 
quitt, a  member  of  a  Texas  regi- 
ment who  remained  behind  in 
1864  and  married  a  daughter  of 
Jerry  Isbell,  of  Polk  County,  near 
Etna  and  Prior's  Station.  Its  clash 
with  the  Prior  boys  and  its  daring 
incursion  into  Rome  in  November, 
1864,  will  long  be  remembered  by 
the  older  Romans.  Reference  has 
already  been  made  to  the  gang's 
murder  of  Nicholas  J.  Omberg  and 
its  hanging  of  Judge  L.  D.  Bur- 
well  and  Wm.  Ouinn  to  make  them 
give  up  their  money  and  valua- 
bles ;  also  of  its  robbery  of  Mrs. 
[no.  H.  Lumpkin  and  J.  J.  Cohen. 

Judge  Burwell  was  keeping  a 
c[uantity  of  gold  (said  to  have  been 
at  least  $1,800)  for  a  Jewish  mer- 
chant named  Wise,  of  the  firm  of 
Magnus  &  Wise.  He  was  afflicted 
with  some  physical  deformity  that 
caused  him  to  bend  far  forward 
when  he  walked,  and  the  scouts 
told  him  if  he  didn't  give  up  the 
gold  they  would  "straighten  him 
out."  He  didn't  surrender  it  until 
the  noose  began  to  cut  into  his 
neck.  They  said  "We've  got 
Wise's  gold ;  now  tell  us  where 
yours  is,  or  we'll  hang  you  up 
again."  As  it  happened.  Judge 
Burwell  had  entrusted  $500  in  gold 
to  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey,  who  had  put 
it  in  her  stockings.  When  the  scouts 


Depredations  of  the  Independent  Scouts 


207 


came  to  her  house  the  same  night, 
they  stole  a  lot  of  small  things, 
but  did  not  get  the  money.  They 
also  intended  to  hang  up  James 
Noble,  Sr.,  on  Howard  Street,  but 
were  scared  off  by  the  determined 
attitude  of  his  daughters. 

There  appear  to  be  two  versions 
as  to  what  brought  the  Priors  into 
conflict  with  Colquitt's  Scouts, 
with  such  disastrous  results  to  the 
latter.  One  says  that  Capt.  Jack 
Colquitt  was  killed  by  the  Priors 
in  the  presence  of  Hayden  Prior, 
the  father,  near  Prior's  Station, 
because  he  had  driven  off  some  of 
the  cattle  of  the  family  when  he 
stocked  the  farm  of  his  father-in- 
law,  Jerry  Isbell.  The  other,  more 
generally  accepted,  is  that  Col- 
quitt's men  first  killed  Hayden 
Prior,  better  known  as  "Hayd" 
Prior,  and  the  sons  then  took  up 
the  feud  and  accounted  for  seven 
r»f  the  scouts,  including  their 
leader.  At  any  rate,  Hayden 
was  shot  oft'  his  mule  between  Cave 
Spring  and  Prior's  Station,  and 
fell  face  forward  into  a  branch 
where  the  animal  was  drinking.  A 
brother  of  Capt.  Jack  Colquitt  is 
supposed  to  have  been  in  this  am- 
bushing party,  as  well  as  the  ca])- 
lain  himself. 

Capt.  Col(|uitt  was  found  one 
day  in  1864  in  Cedartown  by  the 
brothers,  John  T.  and  James  j\I. 
Prior.  He  was  in  a  grocery  store, 
and  pretty  well  loaded  with  mean 
liquor  as  well  as  his  brace  of  ])is- 
tols.  The  brothers  took  him  by 
surprise  and  got  his  pistols  away 
by  covering  him  with  their  own.  It 
was  apparently  their  intention  to 
put  him  under  arrest  and  get  him 
a  trial,  but  he  showed  fight. 

"Cimme  a  chance  with  my  gun 
nnd  I'll  clean  all  of  yer  up,  one  at 
a  time !"  he  roared,  at  the  same 
instant  drawing  a  long  Bowie 
knife  out  of  his  right  boot. 

Quick  as  lightning  Jim  Prior 
shot    Colquitt    over    John's    shoul- 


der, and  the  two  pumped  bullets 
into  his  chest  until  there  were 
eight.  John  explained  as  follows 
to  a  friend  and  hunting  companion 
some  time  later : 

"I  was  so  close  when  I  fired  my 
first  shot  that  I  saw  smoke  come 
out  of  his  mouth." 

The  men  in  the  store  removed  a 
ham  and  box  of  baking  powder 
and  stretched  Capt.  Jack  Colquitt 
otit  on  the  counter.  He  wore  a 
red-spotted  calico  shirt ;  the  white 
spots  were  now  dyed  deep  in  the 
red  of  his  own  blood. 

The  Prior  boys  went  quietly  oft' 
and  were  not  arrested,  nor  did  they 
ever  answer  in  court  for  taking 
seven  scout  scalps.  They  had 
sworn  to  exterminate  the  Colquitt 
gang  as  a  service  to  the  commu- 
nity. 

John  Prior  was  a  man  of  iron 
will  and  nerves  in  a  knotty  bundle. 
He  had  little  beady,  black  eyes 
that   danced  as  he  talked,  and  he 


JOS.  L.  BASS,  merchant  and  i)r(imuter.  who 
was  head  of  the  old  dummy  line  at  Rome 
and    a     constructive     fo- ce     in     many    ways. 


208 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


^vasn't  afraid  of  the  devil.  He  was 
loval  to  his  friends  and  an  impla- 
cable foe  to  his  enemies.  Men  who 
hunted  with  him  said  he  was  the 
deadest  shot  for  miles  around;  he 
could  lay  his  double-barreled  shot- 
gun on  the  ground,  flush  a  covey 
of  partridges,  pick  up  his  gun  and 
kill  two  every  time.  Jim  was  of 
more  even  temper,  regular  build, 
but  he  also  took  no  foolishness 
from  any  man,  and  he  contributed 
his  part  toward  a  genuine  pair  in 
those  stormy  days. 

The  brothers  quit  the  corn  and 
cotton  fields  and  hunted  scouts.  A 
man  named  Tracy  and  several  oth- 
er friends  joined  them  at  various 
times.     Tracy  later  went  to  Texas 
to  live.  The  Priors  came  upon  Col- 
quitt's  Scouts    in   camp   near   Ball 
Play     and     Turkeytown,     Etowah 
County,  Ala.,  on  the  Coosa  River ; 
gave  them  a  surprise  at  night  and 
put    them    to    flight.      The    scouts 
scattered    and    the    Priors    found 
two      of      them       eating      at      a 
house       by       the        road.       John 
killed    one    as    he    hopped    oft    the 
near  end  of  the  porch  and  the  other 
as  he  left  the   far  end.     On  their 
persons  w-ere   found   a   number  of 
$20  gold  pieces  (Wise's  money  cap- 
tured     in      November,      1864,     at 
Rome)  ;   when   things   had  quieted 
down  John  Prior  sent  one  of  these 
coins  to  New  York  and  had  a  cav- 
alry  battle    engraved    on    the    ob- 
verse   side,   and   wore   the   trinket 
as  a  watch  charm. 

Near  Cave  Spring  the  Priors 
came  upon  two  scouts  riding  along 
the  road.  Surrender  was  de- 
manded. One  young  fellow  held 
up  his  hands  and  came  in.  The 
other  wheeled  about,  dug  his  spurs 
into  the  flanks  of  his  horse  and 
sped  away  like  a  flash.  John  was 
carrying  the  shotgun  his  father 
had  used  so  long.  As  the  fugitive 
turned  a  sharp  curve  in  the  road, 
he  cracked  down.  It  was  impos- 
si1)le    to    tell    the    result,    and    the 


young  captive  said : 

"I  believe  you  missed  him." 
"We'll      see,"       responded      the 
marksman;   "if  I   missed  him.   Til 
turn  you  loose !" 

The  poor  devil  was  dying  in  the 
bushes  ;  his  horse  kept  going.  Sev^ 
tral  buckshot  had  entered  the 
man's  back,  and  several  the  base  of 
the  saddle.  It  is  supposed,  but  not 
definitely  known,  that  the  fellow 
taken  captive  met  a  violent  end. 

The  next  victim  was  a  farnier 
of  the  neighborhood.  John  Prior 
walked  up  to  this  man's  house  and 
asked  his  wife  where  he  was.  The 
woman  replied  that  he  was  plow- 
ing in  the  bottom.  John  went 
down  there  and  told  the  farmer  to 
unhitch  his  horse  and  send  him  in 
a  canter  to  the  house;  to  say  his 
prayers  if  he  w^anted  to,  because 
he  was  going  to  be  killed.  The  man 
begged  for  his  life ;  he  w^as  re- 
minded that  old  man  Prior  was 
shown  no  mercy.  A  shot  in  the 
breast  finished  him. 

The  hunter  next  heard  that  one 
of  the  marked  men  was  living  in 
the  West,  maybe  Arkansas,  maybe 
Texas.  He  went  to  the  man's 
residence  and  executed  his  design. 
After  living  a  while  out  there. 
Prior  returned  to  Prior's  Station, 
and  later  removed  to  the  territory 
of  Washington,  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  where  he  died.  Jim  died 
at  his  Prior  Station  home. 

A  farmer  named  Ritchie,  killed 
on  the  Carlier  Springs  road  about 
five  miles  east  of  Rome,  was 
charged  up  to  Colquitt's  Scouts. 
Isoni  Blevins,  a  young  Texan,  was 
killed  at  night  by  a  Rome  crowd 
at  Flat  Rock,  where  the  Southern 
crosses  the  N.,  C.  &  St.  L.  (or 
Rome)  Railroad.  His  boots  and 
spurs  were  removed  and  his  body 
w^as  thrown  some  50  feet  off  the 
blufl:  into  the  Etowah  River.  Sev- 
eral days  days  later  the  body  w^as 
found  lodged  against  a  willow 
snag   at    the    foot    of   Myrtle   Hill 


Depredations  of  the  Independent  Scouts 


209 


cemetery,  and  was  buried  on  the 
river  bank.  A  scout,  sometimes 
known  as  "The  Lone  Soldier,"  was 
waylaid  and  killed  on  the  Ala- 
bama Road  between  Coosa  and 
Beech  Creek,  and  lies  buried  on 
the  Rogers  place,  near  the  road, 
about  five  miles  west  of  Rome.  The 
grave  is  surmounted  by  a  head- 
stone, and  residents  of  the  neigh- 
borhood have  kept  it  green  for  57 
years,  and  have  maintained  around 
it  a  neat  picket  fence. 

In  these  fierce  depredations 
Romans  were  reminded  of  the 
lawlessness  of  the  Indian  days ; 
and  as  if  to  answer  their  prayers, 
a  local  scout  organization  was 
formed  by  "Little  Zach"  Har- 
grove. Many  people  thought  "Lit- 
tle Zach's"  crowd  would  prove  to 
be  as  bad  as  the  test,  but  Horry 
Wimpee  and  others  testify  that  it 
was  organized  for  protective  pur- 
poses, and  did  much  to  drive  the 
camp  -  followers  and  deserters 
away.  It  was  reported  that  "Little 
Zach"  attracted  the  attention  of 
John  Gatewood,  and  that  Gatewood 
brushed  by  Rome  with  an  invita- 


tion to  fight ;  but  the  result  is  not 
known. 

The  Ku  Klux  was  also  active 
soon  after  this  period,  especially 
around  Coosa,  so  the  anxiety  of 
the  civilian  population,  who  were 
bent  on  making  crops  and  a  liv- 
ing, can  well  be  imagined.  One 
night  the  Ku  Klux  called  on  Prof. 
Peter  J\I.  Sheibley,  a  Northerner 
by  birth  and  a  non-combatant  in 
the  war.  When  Mr.  Sheibley 
opened  his  front  door,  a  wooden 
coffin  fell  into  his  arms. 

The  political  views  of  Judge  Jno. 
W.  H.  Underwood  caused  the  Ku 
Klux  to  play  a  gruesome  joke  on 
this  sparkling  humorist.  A  young 
fellow  well  disguised  by  a  turned- 
up  coat  collar  and  a  turned-down 
hat  walked  up  to  Judge  Under- 
wood after  dark  and  ofifered  him 
a  cordial  greeting.  The  extended 
hand  was  left  with  him,  and  it  was 
made  of  wood  ! 

Such  incidents  added  a  piquant 
touch  to  the  lives  of  Romans, 
wrung  the  hearts  of  many,  and 
brought  a  strong  desire  for  peace, 
ci.  helpful  understanding  and  a  con- 
structive program. 


210 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


WHEN  MAN   TAKES  HIS  PADDLE   IN    HAND. 

Batteau  and  canoe  trips  on  the  rivers  of  Rome  afford  endless  pleasure.  Dr.  Hugh  I.  Bat- 
tey  of  Atlanta,  native  son  of  Rome,  here  forgets  incisions  and  bandages.  His  "voyage"  was  taken 
in  October,  1920,  from  Carter's  Quarters,  Murray  County,  down  to  "Head  of  Coosa,"  105  miles, 
and  was  made  leisurely  in  three  nights  and  two  days.  He  brought  a  string  of  pearls  for  the 
Home-coming   queen,   Miss  Penelope  Stiles. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


ROSS-RIDGE  FACTIONS  FIGHT. 
— The  following  item  from  the  Georgia 
Constitutionalist  (Augusta)  of  Friday, 
Aug.  21,  1835,  will  give  an  idea  of  the 
feeling  between  the  factions  repre- 
sented   by    Ross    and    Ridge: 

More  Indians  Murdered. — The  Cass- 
ville  Pioneer  of  the  7th  inst.  says: 

"We  have  just  learned  of  another 
murder  having  been  committed  in  this 
country  on  the  3d  of  August,  inst.  The 
names  of  the  Indians  killed  were  Mur- 
phy and  Duck.  It  occurred,  we  un- 
derstand, at  an  Indian  dance  on  the 
Oostanaula  river,  where  a  considerable 
number  of  the  town  or  clan  had  col- 
lected to  enjoy  the  customary  pastime. 

"Sometime  within  the  night  the  In- 
dians murdered  were  seen  standing 
conversing  in  apparent  friendship.  A 
few  minutes  later  Murphy  exclaimed 
that  he  was  stabbed,  and  expired  im- 
mediately. 

"Duck  was  heard  to  say  at  the  time 
that  there  was  but  one  other  Ridge 
man  on  the  ground,  and  that  he  would 
inherit  the  same  fate  if  he  did  not 
leave  the  place  instantly. 

"Duck  was  found  dead  on  the  en- 
suing morning,  murdered,  it  is  be- 
lieved, by  the  friends  of  Murphy. 
Neither  man,  it  is  thought,  was  drunk. 

"Is  it  not  manifest  from  the  many 
outrages  of  the  kind  that  it  is  the  set- 
tled determination  of  Ross'  myrmidons 
to  silence  opposition  by  the  knife  of  the 
assassin,  and  unless  they  are  kept  in 
awe  by  the  Guard  will  go  far  to  ex- 
ecute their  hellish  purpose?" 
*      *      * 

In  1835  (or  1837)  an  atrocity  that 
was  typical  of  the  others  committed  in 
the  section  occurred  in  Floyd  County 
near  the  Polk  line.  The  body  of  Eze- 
kiel  Blatchford  (or  Braselton),  a  land 
trader  from  Hall  County,  was  discov- 
ered in  a  lime  sink;  he  had  been  mur- 
dered, it  was  believed.  A  single  gold 
button  was  found  on  one  of  his  coat 
sleeves,  and  it  was  of  odd  design,  pi'ob- 
ably  having  been  worked  out  of  a  nug- 

*Authority :  Hilliard  HoiTy  Wimpee.  Virgil 
A.  Stewart  statetl  that  the  name  of  the  In- 
dians' victim  was  White.  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey 
stated  his  name  was  IJraselton.  The  name  Eze- 
kiel  Buffinston  appears  on  the  real  estate  rec- 
ords of  that  period  at  the  courthouse.  The  name 
Blatchford  war-  taken  from  an  account  in  1H89 
by  Belle  K.  Abbott,  written  for  The  Atlanta 
Constitution. 

**At  Rome:  Cherokee  Indians,  ConKi-essional 
Documents     (1835-6),    Doc.    120,    p.    593. 


get  extracted  by  the  wearer  from  a 
gold  mine  in  Hall.  With  the  button 
as  a  clue,  the  local  authorities  and 
friends  of  the  deceased  went  to  work. 
The  police  in  Indian  Territory  arrest- 
ed two  Indians  wearing  bottons  similar 
to  the  one  found  on  the  sleeve.  Bar- 
ney Swimmer  and  Terrapin  were 
brought  back  to  Rome,  were  given  a 
fair  trial  at  the  old  court  house,  found 
guilty  of  murder  and  sentenced  by 
Judge  Owen  H.  Kenan,  of  Newnan,  to 
die  by  hanging.  This  was  the  first 
capital  punishment  meted  out  to  In- 
dians in  Floyd  County,  and  it  was  a 
coincidence  that  a  cousin  of  the  mur- 
dered man,  Wm.  Smith,  who  was  serv- 
ing temporarily  as  sheriff,  should 
have  met  the  duty  of  sending  them  to 
their  happy  hunting  grounds.  The 
hanging  took  place  at  a  tree  at  Broad 
Street  and  Ninth  Avenue,  and  was  wit- 
nessed by  practically  everybody  in  the 
town,  and  by  hundreds  from  the  coun- 
ty. Several  hours  before  the  Indians 
were  due  to  have  been  hung  they  re- 
quested permission  to  take  a  last  swim 
where  the  Etowah  and  the  Oostanaula 
join.  This  was  the  place  they  had  often 
swum  as  boys.  Judge  Kenan  granted 
the  request,  and  a  strong  guard  watch- 
ed them  from  the  various  banks.  They 
thanked  the  court  and  the  officers  for 
the  privilege,  and  went  to  their  death 
with  the  courage  of  Stoics.  It  was 
said  that  Terrapin  was  full  of  whis- 
key during  his  trial  and  up  to  the  time 
of  his  execution.* 


A  LETTER  FULL  OF  NEWS.— 
The  following  letter  from  Geo.  M. 
Lavender,  trading  post  man  at  Major 
Ridge's  up  the  Oostanaula,  gives  a 
picture  of  pioneer  life  around  Rome: 
*-Major  Ridge's  Ferry,  May  3,  1836. 
Mr.  John  Ridge: 

Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  but  one 
letter  from  you  since  your  departure, 
and  that  was  received  some  time  since 
and  should  have  written  you,  but  ex- 
pected, for  some  weeks  back,  that  you 
were  on  your  way  home.  I  have  con- 
cluded from  the  "  last  letters  received 
from  you  that  you  remain  at  Wash- 
ington  some    time    yet. 

I  have  but  little  news  of  impor- 
tance to  communicate  to  you.  Mrs. 
Betsy  Waitie,  con.sort  of  Stand 
Waitie.  Esq..  died  four  or  five  days 
since    from    the    delivery     of    a     child, 


212 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


which  also  died,  it  is  said.  She  had 
medical  aid,  but  died  under  great  af- 
flictions.^'^ 

One  of  the  emigrants,  named  Seek- 
atowwa,**  of  Hightown,  was  shot  two 
or  there  weeks  ago  by  a  white  man 
at  a  little  whiskey  shop,  one  mile  from 
Artsellers  or  Dun  Steers, '="=^*  said  to 
be  an  accident;  he  is,  however,  dead 
and  no  more. 

Your  family  are  all  well  and  every- 
thing about  vour  crop  appears  to  be 
going  on  finely.  Major  Ridge's  fam- 
ily are  all  well,  and  your  mother  is 
going  on  in  her  usual  and  fine  way 
in  making  a  crop,  though  frequently 
a  little  unwell,  but  no  ways  danger- 
ous. No  person,  except  a  Mr.  Cox, 
has  taken  any  of  the  cleared  land;  he 
has  taken  one-half  of  the  long  field 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river .*-=='^' 
She  has  lost  none  on  the  side  we  live. 

Our    season    for    planting    has    been 
very  bad,  owing  to  so  much  rain;  but 
all  appears  to  be  getting  on  very  well 
except  the    poor    Cherokees,    of   which 
there  is  not  a  few  who  have  been  dis- 
possessed of  their  fields  and  dwellings, 
and  turned  out  to  seek  refuge  in  Ala- 
bama and  Tennessee,  without  any  kind 
of   support,   moneyless   and   nothing  to 
buy  provisions.     I  know   of  a  number 
of    families    destitute    of   provision,    or 
money  to   buy   it,   and  wandering   and 
eating  from  them  that  has  a  little  sub- 
sistence, and  many  of  whom   are  emi- 
grants.    The   circumstance   calls  aloud 
on   the   authorities   of    Government  for 
relief    of   these    people.      It    seems    im- 
possible for  them  to  last  through  the 
season.      Corn   is  scarce  and  worth  $1 
per  bushel  by  the  quantity,  cash ;  flour 
could  now  be  had,  and  bacon  at  toler- 
able moderate  prices.     You  can  scarce 
have    any    idea   of    the    suffering   your 
Cherokee    friends    are    now    encounter- 
ing.    Every  week  we  have  lots  of  men 
hunting   stolen     property,     and     smoke 
houses  robbed  of  bacon,  and  every  kind 
of   stealing   going  on. 

Your  friend  Knitts,  of  Donehutta, 
received  120  lashes  a  few  days  ago, 
supposed  to  be  concerned  in  robbing 
a  smoke  house;  but  I  think  he  will 
be   proved  innocent. 

I  see  my  Cherokee  friends,  emi- 
grants, within  this  vicinity  every  week, 
inquiring  what  is  doing  at  Washing- 
ton, and  trying  to  find  out  what  will 
be  done  as  regards  their  perilous  sit- 
uation. 

Many  families  in  our  neighborhood 
would  "be  glad  to  emigrate  if  the  Gov- 
ernment would  enable  them  to  do  so. 


Please  give  my  respects  to  the  Ma- 
jor   and   all  your   delegation. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
GEO.  M.  LAVENDER. 

(Note:  Referred  to  the  Indian  Of- 
fice by  Major  Ridge.) 

CAVE  SPRING  INDIANS.— Now 
and  then  a  roving  band  of  Creek  In- 
dians would  descend  upon  the  newly- 
created  Floyd  County  to  fight  or  treat 
with  their  ancient  foes,  the  Cherokees. 
It  was  probably  in  1832  that  a  group 
of  them  pitched  camp  close  to  the  white 
settlement  at  Cave  Spring,  prepared 
to  go  into  a  pow-wow  the  next  day 
with  their  more  intelligent  neighbors, 
whose  camp  was  situated  not  a  great 
hark    away. 

Among  the  old  settlers  living  at 
Cave  Spring  then  was  William  Smith, 
who  removed  to  Rome  two  years  later. 
Mr.  Smith  was  away  from  home  when 
the  Creeks  appeared,  and  his  wife  was 
badly  frightened.  The  visitors  look- 
ed so  dark  and  villainous,  and  they 
crept  about  like  snakes.  When  night 
came,  Mrs.  Smith  gathered  her  baby 
Martha  (Mrs.  Robt.  Battey)  m  her 
arms,  and  taking  a  negro  nurse,  stole 
out  of  the  house  into  the  underbrush, 
where,  wrapped  in  shawls  and  an  In- 
dian blanket,  they  spent  thfe  night. 
Mrs  Smith  had  feared  the  Creeks 
might  break  into  her  house  during  the 
night;  they  could  be  seen  moving 
stealthily  and  keeping  a  close  watch, 
but  they  attempted  no  outrage. 

Included  in  the  Cherokees  fc  CfY^ 
Spring  was  a  young  fellow  called  Lit- 
tle Meat.  He  was  in  the  habit  ot 
scaring  wee  Martha  Smith  now  and 
then  by  appearing  suddenly  and  grunt- 
ing "Ugh!"  and  at  the  same  time  lift- 
ing her  up  into  his  swarthy  arms.  He 
was  a  playful  rascal  and  never  meant 
any  harm,  but  he  nearly  scared  the  lit- 
tle' girl  out  of  her  wits  many  times. 
They  called  him  Little  Meat  because 
he  killed  so  many  small  birds  and 
roasted    them    on    a    spit. 

The  country  was  wild,  sparsely  set- 
tled full  of  bad  Indians  and  adventur- 
ous whites,   a  few   soldiers   at  isolated 

♦Should    be    Watie.  „, 

**Sukatowie's  enrollment  number  was  biS. 
He  was  of  the  Chickamaugee  district  and  votea 
with    Ross    at    the    Rome    council 

***Probably  intended  for  Dirtsel ler  s  Chat- 
tooga County.  A  map  dated  1810,  m  the  Car- 
negie Library  at  Atlanta,  places  .Hightown 
between  the  rivers  where  Rome  ""^  'S-  H^gh- 
tower"  is  probably  a  variation  of  Hightown 
and  may  have  referred  to  an  Indian  signal 
station  on  the  present  Tower  HiU. 
^  *iUNow  part  of  the  bottom  land  on  the 
Linton    A.    Dean    farm. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


213 


posts,  and  here  and  thei-e  a  rough  In- 
dian trail  that  sufficed  for  a  road. 
As  settlers  came  in  they  were  chosen 
by  mutual  consent  for  certain  duties. 
William  Smith  was  usually  in  "saddle 
and  boots,"  prospecting-  a  mine  down 
the  Coosa,  trading  in  land  up  the 
Oostanaula,  attending  court  at  Living- 
ston, hence  acted  as  "sheriff"  before 
the  county  machinery  had  been  set  up 
(and  perhaps  afterward).  On  one  oc- 
casion an  Indian  charged  with  a  se- 
rious offense  was  caught  and  brought 
to  Cave  Spring  behind  Mr.  Smith  with 
hands  tied.  They  rode  a  horse.  There 
was  no  secure  place  to  keep  the  In- 
dian, so  Mr.  Smith  lashed  him  with 
rope  to  a  bed-post  at  the  foot  of  the 
bed,  after  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
retired,  and  Mr.   Smith   slept  soundly. 

Once  several  years  later  at  the 
Forks  Ferry,  Rome,  a  sullen  Indian 
provoked  the  wrath  of  Mr.  Smith,  who 
knocked  the  man  unconscious  with  a 
heavy  stick.  The  condition  of  the  In- 
dian for  a  time  was  serious,  and  Mr. 
Smith,  following  the  advice  of  friends 
that  he  should  be  careful  of  violence, 
went  for  a  week  to  live  with  Philip  W. 
Hemphill  at  the  place  now  known  as 
DeSoto  Park.  Most  of  the  Indians  were 
his  friends,  however,  and  they  sent 
him  word  that  no  harm  would  come 
tij  him. 

David  Vann,  the  sub-chief,  was  the 
most  powerful  member  of  his  tribe 
around  Cave  Spring,  and  Vann's  Val- 
ley was  named  after  him.  On  July 
28,  1850,  he  was  living  temporarily 
at  the  Lake  House,  Cave  Spring.  He 
was  very  well  educated  and  wrote  a 
pleasing  hand  with  occasional  mis- 
spelt words,  like  most  of  the  Indian 
leaders.  He  had  two  handsome,  pleas- 
ant mannered  sons  called  Cooey  and 
Clem,  who  in  1851  were  living  in 
Crandsalem,  Cherokee  Nation,  Arkan- 
sas, and  about  that  time  visited  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Robert  Battey  on  Second 
Avenue  on  their  way  to  a  law  school 
in  Baltimore.  Other  sons  were  said 
to  have  been  Augustus  and  Washing- 
ton. Under  date  of  Aug.  27,  1850,  Da- 
vid Vann  wrote  William  Smith  at 
Rome  from  Washington,   D.   C. : 

"Dear  Sir:  I  wrote  to  you  some 
time  since  infoi-ming  you  that  I  would 
be  glad  to  hear  from  you  respecting 
our  silver  mine  in  Alabama,  but  have 
not  yet  received  anything  from  you. 
Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  write  me  a 
few  lines  and  let  me  know  how  you 
are  getting  along?  I  have  determined 
to  go  that  way  when  I  leave  here  foi- 
home.  I  can  not  say  when  that  will 
be.     It   may  be  some   time   in   October. 


I  have  no  idea  that  I  can  get  away 
before  Congress  adjourns  &  there  i's 
no  time  set  yet  for  the  adjournment 
of  Congress,  though  I  will  let  you  know 
before  I  leave  when  I  will  be  at  your 
house.  I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  M*ajor 
Richardson  a  few  days  ago  requesting 
him  to  save  me  some  peech  seed  from 
my  old  orchard  (those  large  white 
peeches).  I  have  no  news  but  what 
you  see  in  the  papers.  Mr.  Clay  has 
got  back  this  morning.  He  has"  been 
absent  ever  since  his  Compromise  bill 
was  defeated.  The  Senate  has  passed 
all  the  measures  that  he  had  in  his 
Compromise  bill  separately  with  very 
slight  alterations.  Give  my  respects 
to  your  family  and  accept  for  your- 
self my  best  wishes  for  your  health 
and   prosperity. 

Your   friend   and   obt.    svt., 

"DAVID   VANN." 
(In  haste.) 

Under  date  of  July  28,  1850,  Chief 
Vann  wrote  Mr.  Smith  from  Washing- 
ton and  stated  that  he  was  having 
some  trouble  getting  his  patent  to  40 
acres  of  land  containing  the  silver 
mine,   and    adding: 

"I  presume  the  water  is  now  low 
enough    to    examine     the    ford    of   the 


MONTt;OML0KY  M.  J  01..SUM.  cUwr  uriUr  ui 
vcrsp,  in  his  rPKalia  aa  an  orticer  of  Chorokee 
LocIkp    66    of    Masons. 


214 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


creek.  By  looking  in  the  ford  you 
will  find  where  old  Campbell  cut  the 
hole  in  the  rock  and  filled  it  up,  and 
just  below  the  ford  he  said  there  was 
a  deep  hole,  evidently  dug  out  by 
some    person." 

Shortly  after  this  the  two,  accom- 
panied by  Col.  Cunningham  M.  Pen- 
nington, of  Rome,  visited  the  mine  on 
Sand  river,  but  failed  to  find  anything 
of  special  interest. 

From  Rome,  Feb.  2,  1851,  Mr.  Smith 
wrote  David  Vann  at  Grandsalem, 
Ark. : 

"My  apology  for  delaying  to  write 
you  before  this  time  is  hardly  suffi- 
cient excuse.  I  have  been  run  to  death 
of  daylight  and  so  tired  of  nights  that 
I  have  put  it  off  from  time  to  time, 
till  I  have  got  through  with  the  bridge 
and  have  some  leisure. 

"After  you  left  Gunter's  Landing, 
I  went  up  to  where  they  were  to  run 
their  horse  race;  there  I  found  all 
parties  concerned  in  that  lot  we  want- 
ed. I  took  Collins  and  fixed  things 
with  him  to  bring  about  the  trade  with 
D.  A.  Smith.  He  managed  it  as  I  di- 
rected it  and  I  got  the  lot  for  $125 
cash.  .  .  .  Pennington  is  in  high  spirits, 
though  he  had  very  bad  luck  in  the 
matter.  He  took  some  eight  or  ten 
pounds  of  the  best  ore  we  could  get 
and  took  it  to  Washington,  or  I  should 
have  said  started  with  it  at  Wilming- 
ton. He  had  his  trunk  stolen  and  lost 
his  specimens  and  all  his  clothing  and 
has  never  heard  of  them  yet.  He  was 
on  other  business  at  Washington  and 
has  just  returned.  We  will  consult 
as  soon  as  this  awful  cold  weather 
breaks  and  make  a  thorough  examina- 
tion and  write  you  immediately.  There 
is  great  excitement  about  it.  I  give 
them  no  satisfaction.  I  shall  take  a 
good  geologist  with  me,  D.  A.  White, 
of  Savannah;  he  I  have  seen  and  he  is 
anxious  to  accompany  us  over  there. 
I  shall  lie  low;  it  must  count.  I  am 
in  hopes  you  will  be  able  to  get  the 
old  man  Campbell  to  come  out  with 
you  soon.  Don't  count  the  expenses  if 
you  can  prevail  on  liim  to  come.  It 
will  do  more  good  to  have  him  here 
looking  than  anything.  We  must  bare- 
ly let  the  people  know  he  is  here. 

"Well,  I  have  no  news  to  write  you 
more  than  you  have  seen  by  the  pa- 
pers. Georgia  has  killed  the  Disun- 
ionist  in  the  South.  Our  Convention 
was  composed  of  the  best  talent  in 
Georgia;  there  were  but  18  Disunion- 
ists  in  the  convention  out  of  nearly 
300  members.  They  have  broken  up 
all    old    party    lines    and    left   the    Dis- 


unionists  to  themselves,  with  Colquitt 
and  Towns  to  manage;  they  are  dead 
letters  in  Georgia;  you  can't  get  one 
of  them  to  talk  about  it. 

"What  is  to  hinder  Clem  from  com- 
ing? I  think  he  would  like  to  stay  a 
year  or  two  with  us  and  read  law 
with  Judge  Wright  or  Judge  Under- 
wood. 

"You  have  no  idea  how  our  town 
has  grown  in  the  last  three  months. 
They  have  built  all  around  me  clear 
to  the  railroad  and  back  to  the  bridge. 
We  have  but  a  few  lots  left  and  I 
don't  expect  to  keep  them  two  weeks. 
It  is  a  lively  business  at  last,  though 
it  was  a  long  time  coming.  My  wife 
joins  me  in  our  love  to  your  wife  and 
children  and  says  she  remembers  her 
kindness  to  her  in  bygone  days.  Ac- 
cept for  yourself  my  best  wishes. 
"WM.    SMITH." 

DANCE  AT  CHIEFTAIN'S.— Mrs. 
Jno.  S.  Prather  (Susan  Verdery),  of 
Atlanta,  who  once  lived  at  the  old 
home  of  Major  Ridge,  contributes  the 
following: 

"It  was  evening  and  the  night  was 
bright,  with  a  galaxy  of  stars  bending 
their  pale  beams  through  a  wealth  of 
climbing  roses,  clinging  woodbine  and 
white  star  jessamines.  Candle  light 
sent  a  glimmer  through  the  windows 
to  the  front  porch,  and  shadows  from 
the  tall  Colonial  pillars  fell  across  the 
mossy  lawn.  A  swish  of  satin  could 
be  heard  here  and  there  and  the  gleam 
of  white  muslin  and  a  more  somber 
contrast  of  black  broadcloth  and  white 
vests  as  the  couples  lined  up  for  the 
dance. 

"A  scraping  of  the  preliminary 
chords  and  the  popping  of  a  fiddle 
string  made  known  that  the  plantation 
orchestra  was  nearly  ready  to  begin 
its  part  of  the  performance.  The  two 
black  fiddlers  were  the  property  of 
the    owner   of    the    mansion. 

"Ah,  there  went  the  light  footsteps 
in  perfect  unison  with  the  music  of 
the  cotillion!  They  danced  for  half 
an  hour.  Occasionally  a  couple  for- 
sook the  crowd  and  repaired  to  the 
veranda  through  the  leafy  screens  of 
honeysuckle,  there  to  exchange  words 
of  understanding  and  to  pluck  a  nose- 
gay that  carried  its  silent  message 
straight  to  the  heart. 

"Milady  sounded  the  gong;  the  danc- 
ing ceased  and  supper  was  enjoyed  in 
the  dining  room.  What  a  supper!  Of 
quality  and  variety  the  choicest,  and 
prepared  after  Aunt  Lindy's  favorite 
recipes.     Then  Augustus  Nicholas  Ver- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


215 


dery,  son  of  a  French  planter  of  the 
West  Indies  and  master  of  the  planta- 
tion, struck  a  martial  air  on  his  fine 
violin.  The  couples  formed  again,  and 
the  son  of  the  house,  Thos.  Jefferson 
Verdery,  and  a  fair  young  lady  from 
Charleston  led  the  gay  company  out 
into  the  ball  room  again.  The  colored 
fiddlers  played  'Oh  Miss  Nancy,  Don't 
You  Cry!  Your  Sweetheart  Will  Come 
to    You    Bime    By!' 

"A  specialty  was  introduced  by  Mr. 
Chas.  De  I'Aigle,  of  Augusta,  whose 
polkas  and  schottisches  set  the  young 
feet  patting  and  young  hearts  palpi- 
tating; and  Tom  Verdery  and  his  lit- 
tle sister,  Susan,  danced  steps  that  en- 
joyed a  wide  vogue  more  than  50  years 
later. 

"At  11  the  guests  climbed  into  the 
barge  'Mary  Berrien'  and  were  poled 
down  the  Oostanaula  to  Rome — all 
save  the  guests  of  the  house.  A  lone 
figure  drew  into  the  shadow  of  a  giant 
sycamore  as  the  merrymakers  passed. 
It  darted  near  the  mansion,  peered  in 
with  a  vengeful  look  and  was  swallow- 
ed in  the  gloom  of  the  nearby  forest. 
'Twas  an  Indian  woman  left  behind 
when  her  sister  and  brother  redskins 
departed  for  the  west,  an  inhabitant 
of  a  cave  in  the  hills  who  had  stolen 
down  into  the  lowlands  to  gaze  on  the 
Cherokee  retreat  of  the  olden  days 
with  a  prayer  for  the  return  of  the 
tribe  to  its  happy  hunting  grounds." 
*     *     * 

CREEK  CHIEF   IS   CAPTURED.— 

White's  Historical  Collections  of  Geor- 
gia (p.  151)  and  an  old  Rome  news- 
paper clipping  furnish  data  for  an  in- 
teresting story  of  the  capture  in  1835 
of  old  Fosach  Fixico,  the  Creek  Indian 
chief,  by  Georgia  and  Alabama  troop- 
ers, part  of  whom  were  recruited  from 
the  Coosa  Valley  near  Rome.  Historian 
White  records:  "Very  soon  after  the 
ratification  of  the  New  Echota  treaty, 
an  apprehension  was  entertained  by 
many  citizens  in  Georgia  that  the 
party  who  had  opposed  the  treaty 
would  become  hostile,  and  petitions 
for  arms,  troops  and  ammunition  were 
presented  to  the  Executive,  and  grant- 
ed. Orders  were  issued  to  Brig.  Gen. 
James  Hemphill  to  raise  a  battalion 
of  militia  and  place  them  at  Lesley's 
Ferry,  on  the  Coosa  River,  for  the  pur- 
pose not  only  of  keeping  the  Chero- 
kees  in  check,  but  also  of  preventing 
the  Creeks  from  swarming  into  (ieor- 
gia,  which  orders  were  executed,  and 
the  battalion  was  organized  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  James  Hemphill  and 
Maj.  Chas.  H.  Nelson.  A  part  of  the 
Cherokees    were     disarmed,     and     500 


nmskets  and  accouterments  were  or- 
dered and  sent  to  Cherokee  County, 
in  case  of  any  hostile  movements  on 
the  part  of  the  Indians.  These  prep- 
arations on  the  part  of  Georgia,  to- 
gether with  the  appearance  of  the 
Tennessee  troops  under  Brig.  Gen. 
Jno.  E.  Wool,  of  the  United  States 
army,  quieted  the  fears  of  the  citi- 
zens." 

The  clipping  referred  to  states  that 
Capt.  Mitchell  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  expedition  down  the  Coosa,  hav- 
ing heard  that  the  Creeks  were  mov- 
ing down  toward  the  Cherokee  country 
from  the  head  of  Terrapin  Creek,  Ala., 
to  excite  their  tribal  cousins  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Coosa.  A  scout.  Fields, 
was  sent  out,  and  reported  that  the 
Indians  were  concentrated  and  ready 
to  strike  from  the  mountains  at  the 
head  of  Terrapin,  which  empties  into 
the  Coosa  just  below  Centre,  Cherokee 
County,  Ala.  Without  waiting  for  re- 
inforcements, on  scout  duty  or  fur- 
lough, Capt.  Mitchell  left  Rome  with 
20  men  mounted  on  horseback  and 
muleback,  some  with  saddles,  some 
with  blankets  and  others  riding  bare- 
back. They  galloped  down  the  Ala- 
bama road  through  the  Coosa  Valley, 
gaining  recruits  with  squirrel  guns  as 
they  went.  At  dusk  the  command,  now 
120  men,  was  within  six  miles  of  the 
Indian  camp,  and  at  sunrise  the  next 
morning  they  were  on  the  spot,  ready 
for  an  attack.  In  the  meantime,  the 
good  women  of  the  neighborhood  had 
sent  in  breakfast  rations  for  all  of 
the  troopers.  The  expectation  was 
that  there  would  be  a  bloody  fight. 
These  Coosa  farmers  and  Georgiji  Vol- 
unteers were  determined  to  strike  a 
telling  blow  in  defense  of  their  wives 
and  children,  and  this  determination 
was  not  any  less  sharp  from  the  fcict 
of  their  crude  arms  and  scanty  equip- 
ment. 

About  200  warriors,  practically 
naked  and  well  daubed  with  paint, 
swarmed  from  their  wigwams  like 
bees,  until  a  side  of  Craig's  Moun- 
tain was  well  dotted  with  them.  As 
the  Georgia  troops  were  about  to  close 
in,  a  clatter  of  hoofs  was  heard  and 
up  dashed  Capt.  Arnold  with  a  com- 
pany of  fiO  cavalry  from  Jacksonville, 
Ala.  Capt.  Mitchell  cried  out:  "No 
time  for  consultation ;  you  fight  to  the 
right  and  occupy  the  creek  above  the 
camp!" 

Capt.  Arnold's  men  sped  to  the  point 
indicated,  while  Capt.  Mitchell's  swept 
to  the  left,  crossed  Terrapin  Creek, 
dismounted  and  deployed  in  skirmisli 
line  and  ajiproached  to  within  40  yards 


216 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


of  the  camp.  Orders  were  not  to  fire 
until  fired  upon.  Suddenly  a  long 
strip  of  white  canvas  was  hoisted  on 
a  pole  as  a  flag  of  truce,  and  an  in- 
terpreter was  sent  out  to  declare,  "I 
am  directed  by  Chief  Fosach  Fixico  to 
say  that  he  is  not  hostile." 

The  Indian  was  ordered  to  return 
and  direct  that  the  chief  appear  in 
person.  Fosach  quickly  appeared,  the 
finest  diked-out  Indian  ever  seen  be- 
fore or  since;  he  wore  a  red  and  blue 
turban,  with  crimson  and  white  war 
gown  of  velvet  that  extended  to  his 
knees,  and  hung  profusely  with  beads 
and  tassels  of  all  kinds;  his  face  and 
neck  were  ablaze  with  war  paint.  He 
came  forward  with  an  elastic  and 
somewhat  defiant  step.  As  Capt. 
Mitchell  met  him  a  few  paces  in  ad- 
vance of  the  line,  he  repeated  through 
his  interpreter:  "I  am  not  hostile." 
Capt.  Mitchell  asked  him  if  he  surrend- 
ered, to  which  he  replied:  "I  am  not 
hostile,    but    if    you    require    it,    I   do." 

At  this  juncture  Capt.  Luckie  dash- 
ed up  with  a  troop  of  farmers  from 
near  the  mouth  of  Terrapin  Creek,  ar- 
riving on  the  west  side.  He  and  Capt. 
Arnold  were  consulted  and  the  terms 
of  capitulation  agreed  upon.  Fosach 
was  to  deliver  all  his  arms  to  Capt. 
Luckie.  who  was  to  march  the  In- 
dians forth  to  Mardisville,  whence  they 
were  to  proceed  under  additional  guard 
to  Arkansas.  Twenty-four  hours  was 
given  for  the  red-skins  to  gather  up 
their  ponies,  women  and  children.  Such 
of  the  Coosa  River  Volunteers  as  wish- 
ed to  remain  with  Capt.  Luckie  could 
do  so,  and  the  others  were  free  to  re- 
turn to  their  homes.  Five  hundred 
muskets  and  accouterments  surrender- 
ed by  the  Indians  were  sent  to  Chero- 
kee County. 

Shortly  afterward,  three  cavalary 
companies  from  Floyd  and  one  from 
Cherokee  were  organized  into  a  bat- 
talion at  Rome  and  were  put  in  camp 
at  Lashley's  Ferry,  eighteen  miles  be- 
low Rome,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Coosa.  These  were  under  direction  of 
Gen.  Hemphill  and  under  direct  charge 
of  Maj.  Nelson  and  Capt.  Mitchell. 
The  command  was  known  as  the  High- 
land Battalion,  and  was  sworn  into 
the  United  States  service  by  Capt. 
Paine,  U.  S.  A.,  and  served  until  after 
most  of  the  Indians  had  been  removed 
to  the  west.  On  the  resignation  of 
Lieut.  Carter,  Joseph  Watters  was 
elected  to  the  vacancy,  and  when  Capt. 
Mitchell  resigned,  Watters  was  named 
in  his  place.  This  was  undoubtedly 
the    same    Joseph    Watters    for    whom 


the   Watters   district  of   Floyd   County 

was  named. 

*     *     * 

RIDGE'S  LUCKY  SHOT.— The  fol- 
lowing anecdote,  summarized  from  the 
Cartersville  Courant  of  Apr.  2,  1885, 
(by  Judge  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood) 
will  show  how  a  red-man  would  now 
and  then  befriend  a  pale-face: 

"In  old  Pendleton  District,  South 
Carolina,  lived  Col.  James  Blair,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  last  commander 
of  Oconee  Station  and  one  of  the  con- 
stables of  Col.  Benj.  Cleveland,  a  hei'O 
of  the  Revolution,  colloquially  known 
as  'Old  Roundabout.'  For  20  years 
Col.  Blair  had  rounded  up  Tories  and 
thieves  and  had  swung  many  a  'bad 
man'  to  the  gate  gallows  in  front  of 
Col.  Cleveland's  plantation  home. 

"On  this  occasion.  Col.  Blair  was 
following  Wiley  Hyde  and  Tom  Phil- 
lips, half  breed  Indians  who  had  stolen 
two  fine  horses  from  Benj.  Mosely, 
who  lived  near  Oconee  Station.  He 
was  equipped  with  a  horse  in  leash  as 
well  as  his  saddle  animal,  and  two 
large  horse  pistols.  At  Reece's  Spring, 
a  mile  east  of  the  home  of  Major 
Ridge,  the  Cherokee  chief,  and  two 
whoops  and  a  holler  from  Ft.  Jack- 
son, Col.  Blair  came  upon  the  Indians, 
drinking  at  the  spring.  They  were 
also  fairly  full  of  fire-water,  and  as 
he  approached  (having  tethered  his 
horses  nearby),  they  covered  him  with 
their    rifles. 

"Col.  Blair  threw  up  his  hands,  but 
quickly  said,  'Don't  shoot!  I  am  a 
friend  with  some  good  whiskey!  Don't 
shoot  a  friend  with  some  whiskey  on 
his  hip!' 

"The  Indians  relented  and  began  to 
question  him  in  their  maudlin  way. 
He  told  them  he  wanted  to  join  a 
crowd  and  go  over  into  Vann's  Valley 
and  steal  some  horses.  The  suspicions 
of  Wiley  Hyde  were  aroused,  and  he 
said,  'Tom  Phillips,  you  are  a  fool. 
He's  from  over  the  line,  and  he'll  be 
shooting  us  full  of  holes  in  a  minute. 
Let's  kill  him  and  throw  him  in  the 
river.' 

"Hyde  raised  his  gun,  cocked  it  and 
was  about  to  crack  down  on  CoL 
Blair's  chest  when  'Bang!'  came  from 
the  nearby  forest.  Hyde  fell  face 
forward  into  the  branch,  and  as  he 
went  down.  Col.  Blair  seized  his  gun 
and  covered  Wiley  Hyde,  who  threw 
up   his  hands. 

"Major  Ridge  rushed  forward  from 
a  clump  of  underbrush  and  explained 
that  he  had  been  out  hunting  wild  tur- 
keys    when     the     pantomine     was     re- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


217 


hearsed  before  his  eyes.  He  knew  the 
two  men  to  be  worthless  scoundrels, 
and  was  glad  to  do  Col.  Blair  and  the 
state  the  service  of  dispatching  one  of 
them.  John  Ridge,  the  Major's  son, 
Stand  Watie,  John's  cousin,  and  Sally 
Ridge,  the  Major's  pretty  young 
daughter,  came  running  up,  and  with 
a  courtly  bow.  Col.  Blair  presented 
his  handsome  gold  watch  to  the  little 
girl.  John  and  Stand  Watie  got  the 
stolen  horses  together  for  Col.  Blair; 
Tom  Phillips  was  tied  securely  and  put 
on  one  of  them,  and  Col.  Blair  went 
back  to  the  Pendleton  district  of 
South  Carolina.  The  dead  Indian  was 
buried  150  yards  below  the  spring, 
without  even  a  tear  from  Miss  Sally 
to  damped  the  sod. 

"This  act  gained  for  Major  Ridge 
an  honorable  name  among  the  pale- 
faces, who  ever  after  looked  to  him 
to  redress  wrongs  committed  by  mem- 
bers of  his  clan;  and  when  he  fought 
so  bravely  at  the  Battle  of  the  Horse- 
shoe, Ala.,  several  years  later,  under 
Gen.  Jackson,  all  felt  that  his  laurels 
were  lightly  worn." 


TROUBLES  OF  THE  CHIEFS.— 
That  life  was  not  a  bed  of  Cherokee 
roses  for  the  Ridges  and  their  kins- 
man, Elias  Boudinot,  is  evident  from 
the  following  letters : 

*Washington   City,   Mar.   13,   1835. 

To  Hon.  Lewis  Cass, 
Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,  D.   C. 

Sir:  I  read  this  letter  this  morn- 
ing, advising  me  of  the  progress  of 
intrusion  upon  my  plantation  and 
ferry  within  the  chartered  limits  of 
Alabama.  The  damage  done  to  me 
v/ill  be  considerable  if  this  is  suffered 
to  proceed.  Deplorable  will  be  the  fate 
of  the  Indians  if  lawless  men,  without 
the  authorities  of  the  States,  are  suf- 
fered to  throw  free  people  out  of  their 
houses  while  they  are  preparing  to 
leave  the  land  of  their  forefathers. 
This  is  not  a  solitary  case,  but  these 
aggravating  cases  are  transpiring  al- 
most every  day.  The  Government 
should  give  instructions  to  its  agents 
upon  this  subject  without  delay. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully  your  friend, 
JOHN   RIDGE. 


(Enclosure.) 
**Childersville,  Ala.,  Dec.  23,  1835. 
Mr.   John    Ridge, 
(Washington,  D.  C.) 

Dear  Friend:  It  has  been  some 
weeks  since  I  wrote  to  you.  I  have 
been  expecting  to  receive  a  letter  from 
you,  but  have  not  received  any  yet.  I 
now  write  to  give  you  the  times  here. 
We  are  all  well.  I  have  commenced 
clearing  up  my  ground  for  a  crop.  I 
shall  start  my  ploughs  in  a  few  days. 
Jno.  W.  Garrot'-'*"'  is  here  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river;  has  got  large  dou- 
ble houses  built,  and  has  taken  those 
old  houses  that  Pathkiller  used  to  live 
in,  and  made  kitchens  of  them.  He  has 
moved  part  of  the  fencing  there  and 
says  he  intends  to  hold  all  the  pos- 
sessions, and  that  he  will  take  the 
ferry  as  soon  as  you  return.  I  for- 
bid him  to  build  there,  before  wit- 
nesses. He  threatens  to  shoot  any 
man  that  would  interrupt  him.  He 
says  he  can  raise  a  militia  force  any 
time  to  protect  himself.  Major  B.  F. 
Currey  was  here  shortly  after  Garrot 
first  came,  and  ordered  him  off.  Gar- 
rot  now  says  they  had  a  private  con- 
versation, and  Currey  had  told  him 
that  he  should  not  be  interrupted,  and 


♦Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty     (183.5),    p.    357. 

**Ibid.  Uncioubtedly  the  present  Childersburp. 
Talladega  County,  on  the  Coosa  River,  125 
miles     below     Rome. 

***A  man  named  Garrett  is  supposed  to  have 
molested    Major   Ridge's    ferry    at    Rome. 


DR.  GAMALIEL  W.  HOLMES,  who  estab- 
lished a  reputation  as  a  family  physician 
after    the   Civil   War. 


218 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


that  they  (Currey  and  himself)  had 
made  a  compromise  of  the  business. 
I  hope  you  will  be  able  while  you  are 
there  to  make  arrangements  from  Gov- 
ernment to  have  him  put  off  from  this 
place.  If  you  can  not  do  that,  it  will 
injure  you  more  than  one  thousand 
dollars.  If  he  was  away  from  here 
I  could  get  $2,500  for  the  place  at  any 
time,  but  it  will  not  sell  for  half  that 
amount  under  the  present  circum- 
stances. 

I  have  bad  news  to  tell  you  about 
the  money  business  here.  My  share 
this  winter  is  but  little.  The  small- 
pox turned  the  people  away  in  the 
fore  part  of  the  winter,  and  now  and 
for  some  time  back  the  people  are 
afraid  to  travel  on  account  of  the 
highway  robbers.  The  travellers  are 
getting  killed  and  robbed  in  all  parts 
of  the  country.  Between  Mr.  West's 
and  Spanish  John's  old  place  there 
have  been  found  a  man  and  two  horses 
killed.  On  the  mountain  between  here 
and  Mr.  Bell's  a  man  has  been  robbed 
of  a  horse.  Down  at  Mill  creek,  on 
this  road,  a  man  was  robbed  of  $192. 
On  the  mountain  near  Cox's,  a  man 
was  killed  and  robbed  of  his  horse  and 
money.  In  Chattooga  Valley  there 
were  two  men  shot,  but  neither  of 
them  killed.  Near  Montgomery,  a  few 
days  ago,  a  man  was  killed  and  rob- 
bed of  several   hundred  dollars. 

I  heard  from  Mrs.  Ridge  a  few  days 
ago.  They  were  all  well.  Today  I 
shall  send  Mrs.  Ridge  $45  of  cash.  I 
must  conclude  by  saying  to  you  that 
I  still   remain, 

Your  sincere  friend, 

WM.    CHILDERS. 
"'Headquarters,     Army     Cherokee     Na- 
tion,  Valley   Town,   N.    C,   Aug.   12, 
1836. 
Brig.  Gen.  Dunlap,** 
Of  the   Brigade  of 
Tennessee  Volunteers. 

Sir:  Captain  Vernon,  stationed  at 
New  Echota,  informs  me  that  John 
Ridge  has  complained  to  him  that  some 
white  man  is  about  to  take  forcible 
possession  of  his  ferry  on  Coosa  River. 
You  will  without  delay  inquire  into  the 
case,  and  if  you  should  find  the  com- 
plaint to  be  just,  you  will,  until  fur- 
ther orders,  protect  Ridge  in  his  rights 
and  property.  This  order  will  apply  to 
all  cases  of  similar  character  in  the 
Cherokee  country. 

You  are  further  directed  that  in 
case  you  should  find  any  troops  with- 
in the  limits  of  the  Cherokee  nation, 
whether  in  Georgia,  Alabama,  Tennes- 
see or   North   Carolina,   not  belonging 


to  the  East  Tennessee  brigade,  to  no- 
tify them  that  they  are  exclusively 
subject  to  my  authority,  and  unless 
they  report  to  me  without  delay,  and 
become  subject  to  my  orders,  will 
either  leave  the  nation  or  be  disband- 
ed. In  your  proceedings,  you  will  be 
governed  by  your  instructions  of  the 
4th  instant. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obe- 
dient servant, 

JOHN    E.    WOOL, 
Brigadier    General    Commanding. 

In  September,  1836,  Gov.  Lumpkin 
wrote  as  follows  of  the  Ridge  ferry 
seizure    at    Rome    to     Gen.     John     E. 

Wool:*** 

"I  herewith  enclose  you  sundry  pa- 
pers placed  in  my  hands  by  Mr.  Gar- 
rett, on  the  subject  of  Ridge's  ferry. 
From  these  papers  it  would  seem  that 
Garrett  is  willing  to  yield  his  claims 
to  the  civil  authority,  and  yet  to  obey 
and  respect  any  military  orders  to  him 
directed    by   you. 

"Garrett  alleges  that  he  will  cease 
to  run  his  ferry  boat  provided  Ridge 
will  keep  up  the  ferry  and  not  disap- 
point travelers,  but  further  states  that 
Ridge  is  like  the  dog  in  the  manger — 
that  he  will  neither  run  his  own  boat 
nor  suffer  him  to  run  one.  The  pa- 
pers, however,  will  place  you  in  pos- 
session of  the  facts  and  relieve  you 
from  further   trouble  in  the   case. 

"With  gi-eat  respect,  your  obedient 
servant, 

"WILSON  LUMPKIN." 

****New  Echota,  June  15,  1836. 
Hon.    Elbert   Herring, 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs. 

Sir:  By  the  last  mail  I  addressed 
a  letter  to  Mr.  Schermerhorn,  to  your 
care,  which  you  have  probably  perused. 
What  I  there  stated  in  regard  to  the 
state  of  feeling  among  the  Cherokees 
has  only  been  confirmed  to  my  satis- 
faction. Indeed,  I  will  venture  to  say 
there  has  never  been  a  time  for  the 
last  five  years  when  appearances  were 
so  favorable  as  at  present.  I  know 
of  no  hostility  to  the  treaty.  I  hear 
now,  on  the  contrary,  the  Cherokees  in 
this  region  will  receive  it  with  cheer- 
fulness. They  say  the  matter  is  now 
settled  and  they  are  glad  of  it.  I 
speak   of   the   mass   of   the   Cherokees. 

*Secretary  of  War's  Report  on  Cherokee 
Treaty     (1835),    p.    640. 

**W.    C.   Dunlap. 

***Removal  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  from 
Georgia,     (Lumpkin),    Vol.    II,    p.    43. 

****Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  CheroTcee 
Treaty     (1835),    ps.    600-1. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


219 


There  is  a  portion  who,  no  doubt,  feel 
far  otherwise;  but  they  are  those 
whose  ambition  has  been  disappointed. 
Without  their  interference  there  will 
be  no  excitement.  I  trust  they  will  not 
endeavor   to   excite  the   people. 

The  white  inhabitants  of  this  coun- 
try are  in  a  state  of  great  alarm, 
founded  upon  some  unfounded  appre- 
hensions. I  believe  it  is  owing  a  great 
deal  to  what  is  transpiring  in  the 
Creek  nation.  Our  people  are  not  even 
aware  of  the  state  of  feeling  among 
the  whites,  much  less  are  they  think- 
ing of  making  war.  I  trust,  sir,  that 
no  exaggerated  rumors,  which,  no 
doubt,  will  go  out  of  this  country,  will 
induce  the  Government  to  believe  the 
Cherokees  are  in  a  hostile  attitude. 
They  are  not,  nor  do  I  believe,  even 
with  Ross's  influence,  will  a  portion 
of  them  ever  assume  such  an  attitude. 

Our  people  are  greatly  suffering 
for  food.  It  is  very  important  that  the 
necessary  appropriations  should  be 
made  soon  for  their  relief.  If  I  had 
authority  to  do  so,  I  would  begin  to 
supply  them  in  this  neighborhood. 

In  my  letters  to  Mr.  Schermerhorn 
I  have  referred  to  the  speculations  that 
are  going  on  upon  the  Indians  by 
whites  and  half  breeds.  Strong  meas- 
ures are  necessary  to  prevent  it.  The 
president  ought  to  have  the  right  of 
deciding  what  are  the  just  debts  of 
the  Indians,  for  the  protection  of  that 
class.  If  not,  they  will  go  to  the  west 
deprived  of  every  cent  of  their  prop- 
erty, and  the  money  will  go  into  the 
hands  of  the  whites  and  such  Indians 
as  have  opposed  the  very  treaty  by 
which  they  are  now  trying  to  amass 
wealth.  I  say  again,  strong  measures 
are  necessary. 

I  trust  the  President  will  think  it 
best  to  send  Mr.  Schermerhorn  again. 
I  think  he  is  a  suitable  person  be- 
cause he  is  a  terror  to  speculators,  and 
understands  the  situation  of  these  peo- 
ple and  their  affairs. 

With  sentiments  of  high  esteem,  I 
remain  yours, 

ELIAS    BOUDINOT. 

*New  Echota,  Ga.,  June  16,  1836. 
Hon.  Elbert  Herring, 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs. 

Sir:  I  addressed  a  letter  to  you  yes- 
terday, giving  you  a  favorable  account 
of  the  state  of  feeling  among  the 
Cherokees.  I  have  since  then  i-eceived 
the  enclosed  letter,  which  would  seem 
to    contradict   what    I    have    stated.      I 

*Report  of  Secretary  of  War  on  Cherokee 
Treaty    (1835),    ps.    602-3-4. 


wish  to  be  understood  as  speaking  of 
the  Cherokees  in  this  region,  and  from 
which  I  have  direct  information.  There 
are  neighborhoods  where  I  have  every 
reason  to  presume  there  is  hostility 
towards  us  as  a  treaty  party,  and  there 
are  individuals  who  would  willingly 
take  our  lives  if  they  could.  I  have 
no  idea  that  the  danger  is  as  great 
as  is  apprehended  by  the  writers  of 
the   two   letters   enclosed. 

I  came  through  the  neighborhood 
where  hostility  is  said  to  exist,  and 
the  frolic  or  dance  spoken  of  was  held 
before  I  came  along.  I  saw  Thos. 
Taylor  there,  and  he  told  me  that  he 
found  the  people  better  satisfied  than 
he  expected. 

I  yet  think  there  may  be  some  mis- 
take about  Welch  being  waylaid.  Fos- 
ter, one  of  our  delegation,  was  here 
the  other  day,  and  he  told  me  every- 
thing was  going  right  for  the  treaty. 
But  as  I  have  before  stated,  inflam- 
matory statements  from  the  other  side 
may  change  the  state  of  feeling.  I 
shall  not  be  excited,  and  shall  take 
the  matter  coolly  and  deliberately,  and 
shall  endeavor  to  keep  you  apprized  of 
what  is  happening.  I  shall  repeat 
again  what  I  have  said,  that  matters 
have  never  appeared  so  favorable 
within  the  compass  of  my  observations 
within  the  last  five  years,  as  at  pres- 
ent, and  if  Ross  would  only  keep  away, 
the  nation  would  almost  be  unanimous 
for  the  treaty. 

To  give  you  an  instance  how  these 
poor  people  are  deluded  and  misled,  it 
is  said  that  one  of  Ross's  delegation  on 
his  return  reported  that  the  Cherokee 
countries  here  and  in  Arkansas  have- 
been  sold,  and  that  the  Cherokees  will' 
have  to  go  to  a  far  country,  infested 
by  man-eaters.  The  people  protested' 
going  there,  but  are  willing  to  go  tO' 
Arkansas. 

I  should  have  addressed  these  let- 
ters to  Mr.  Schermerhorn,  if  I  thought 
he  was  still  there.  Please  give  my 
respects  to  him,  and  let  him  see  these 
letters. 

Very  respectfully, 

ELIAS    BOUDINOT. 

(Two  Enclosures.) 
Coal    Mountain,    June    8,    1836. 
Mr.  Elias   Boudinot, 

Sir:  There  was  an  Indian  frolic  or 
dance  on  Saturday  night  last,  and 
there  was  some  white  men  went  to 
the  same.  They  have  rei)<)rted  that 
the  Indians  said  that  they  had  no 
malice   towards    the   white   people,   but 


220 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


that  they  intended  killing  Ridge  and 
yourself.'  I  have  written  you  that  you 
"might  be  on  your  guard,  which  no 
doubt  you  are.  The  citizens  of  this 
county  had  a  meeting  yesterday;  they 
are  resolved  to  punish  all  offenses,  if 
any.  I  would  recommend  for  your 
safety  for  you  and  family  to  leave  the 
country  until  the  excitement  is  over  a 
little.  '  Please  to  accept  for  yourself 
and  family  my  best  wishes. 
Truly  yours, 

GEORGE  KELLOG. 

Chattahoochee,  June  8,  1836. 

My  dear  Boudinot:  I  have  just  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Welch,  informing 
me  that  his  house  has  been  waylaid 
by  the  Indians,  who  are  seeking  an 
opportunity  to  kill  him.  Our  friend 
Tom  Taylor  is  scattering  the  fire- 
brands. All  my  friends  are  well 
pleased  that  our  treaty  has  been  rati- 
fied and  are  ready  to  pledge  their  lives 
in  defense  of  the  treaty  party.  We 
have  thousands  of  friends  amongst  the 
Georgians,  ready  to  do  the  same. 

If  you  are  at  all  apprehensive  of 
danger,  let  me  advise  you  to  collect 
all  your  friends  and  form  an  encamp- 
ment at  Ridge's;  arm  but  act  on  the 
defensive;  make  any  contracts  neces- 
sary to  your  support.  The  treaty  must 
meet  them.  I  have  just  written  to 
Schermerhorn,  informing  him  of  Tay- 
lor's conduct.  Write  to  me  often.  I 
am  much  concerned  for  your  safety. 
Sincerely  your   friend, 

WILLIAM    RODGERS." 

ROSS  DRIVEN  FROM  HOME. 
—In  April,  1835,  it  would  appear, 
Ross  returned  from  Washington  to  his 
home  at  "Head  of  Coosa,"  Rome.  On 
Mar.  14,  the  Ridge  party  had  signed 
with  the  Government  the  preliminar- 
ies of  the  New  Echota  treaty,  giving 
the  Indians  $5,000,000  for  Cherokee 
Georgia.  In  order  to  reach  Washing- 
ton in  those  days  it  was  necessary  to 
travel  by  stage  or  horse  to  Charles- 
ton, and'  there  take  the  steamer  north 
or  go  the  entire  way  on  horseback. 
He  had  come  in  on  his  trusty  charger, 
tired  and  hopeful  of  a  kiss  from  his 
wife  and  children.  Instead,  he  found 
his  family  gone — thrown  out  with  a 
few  scant  things  they  could  carry 
with  them,  and  making  for  Tennessee 
ever  the  dusty  road. 

The  following  statement  was  signed 
by  eight  leading  Cherokees,**  including 
Ross,  and  it  was  undoubtedly  written 
or  dictated  by  Ross  himself.  Although 
the    ejectment    seems    to     have     taken 


place  in  April,  complaint  was  not  made 
to  Washington  until  June  21,  1836, 
more  than  a  year  later.  Here  is  the 
summary  of  grievances,  including  the 
tale  of  the  ejectment;  it  states  that 
Ross's  father,  Daniel  Ross,  was  buried 
at  Rome,  whereas  members  of  the 
family  in  Oklahoma  have  always 
thought  the  parent  and  certain  others 
were  buried  at  Lookout  Mountain, 
Tenn. 

"The  Cherokees  were  then  left  to  the 
mercy  of  an  interested  agent.  This 
agent,  under  the  act  of  1834,  was  the 
notorious  Wm.  N.  Bishop,  the  captain 
of  the  Georgia  Guard,  aid  to  the  Gov- 
ernor, clerk  of  court,  postmaster,  etc., 
and  his  mode  of  trying  Indian  rights 
is  here  submitted: 

"  'Murray    County,    Ga., 
Jan.  20,  1835. 
"  'Mr.  John  Martin: 

"  'Sir — The  legal  representative  of 
lots  of  land  No.  95,  25th  district,  2nd 
section,  No.  86,  25th  district,  2nd  sec- 
tion, No.  93,  25th  district,  2nd  section, 
No.  89,  25th  district,  2nd  section.  No. 
57.  25th  district,  2nd  section,  has 
called  on  me,  as  State's  agent,  to  give 
possession  of  the  above  described  lots 
of  land,  and  informs  me  that  you  are 
the  occupant  upon  them.  Under  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  passed 
in  1833  and  1834.  it  is  made  my  duty 
to  comply  with  his  request,  therefore, 
prepare  yourself  to  give  entire  pos- 
session of  said  premises  on  or  before 
the  20th  day  of  February  next;  fail 
not  under  the  penalty  of  the  law. 
"'WM.   N.  BISHOP, 

"  'State's  Agent.' 

"Mr.  Martin,='^='-*  a  Cherokee,  was  a 
man  of  wealth,  had  an  extensive  farm, 
large  fields  of  wheat  growing;  and 
was  turned  out  of  house  and  home, 
and  compelled,  in  the  month  of  Feb- 
ruary, to  seek  a  new  residence  within 
the    limits   of    Tennessee. 

*Usually    spelled    Rogers. 

**John  Ross,  John  Martin,  James  Brown, 
Joseph  Vann,  John  Benpce,  Lewis  Ross,  Elijah 
Hicks  and  Richard  Fields.  Authority:  Cher- 
okee Indians,  Congressional  Documents 
(1S35-6),  Doc.  No.  286,  ps.  5-6-7.  After  Ross 
was  dispossessed,  he  went  to  live  in  Bradley 
County,  Tenn.,  where  he  and  John  Howard 
Payne    were    arrested    a    few    months    later. 

***Martin  had  been  a  judge  of  one  of  the 
Cherokee  districts  (Amoah).  On  Aug.  10, 
1835,  he  was  arrested  by  I-ieut.  Jno.  L.  Hooper, 
commander  of  Co.  F,  4th  Inf.,  U.  S.  A.,  at  Ft. 
Cass,  Calhoun,  Tenn.,  and  confined  at  the  home 
of  Lewis  Ross  at  that  place,  whence  he  soon 
made  his  escape.  A  spirited  tilt  then  took 
place  between  Hooper  and  Major  Currey.  Mar- 
tin was  charged  with  having  threatened  the 
life  of  John  Ridge  for  negotiating  with  the 
Government. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


221 


"Mr.  Richard  Taylor  was  also  at 
Washington,  and  in  his  absence  his 
family  was  threatened  with  expulsion, 
and  compelled  to  give  $200  for  leave 
to  remain  at  home  for  a  few  months 
only. 

"This  is  the  'real  humanity'  the 
Cherokees  were  shown  by  the  real  or 
pretended  authorities  of  Georgia,  dis- 
avowing any  selfish  or  sinister  motives 
towards   them. 

"Mr.  Jos.  Vann,  also  a  native  Chero- 
kee, was  a  man  of  great  wealth ;  had 
about  800  acres  of  land  in  cultivation; 
had  made  extensive  improvements, 
consisting,  in  part,  of  a  brick  house, 
costing  about  $10,000,  mills,  kitchens, 
negro  houses,  and  other  buildings.  He 
had  fine  gardens,  and  extensive  apple 
and  peach  orchards.  His  business  was 
so  extensive  he  was  compelled  to  em- 
ploy an  overseer  and  other  agents.  In 
the  fall  of  1833  he  was  called  from 
home,  but  before  leaving  made  a  con- 
ditional contract  with  a  Mr.  Howell, 
a  white  man,  to  oversee  for  him  in  the 
year  1834,  to  commence  on  the  first 
of  January  of  that  year.  He  returned 
about  the  28th  or  "29th  of  December, 
1833,  and  learning  that  Georgia  had 
prohibited  any  Cherokee  from  hiring  a 
white  man,  told  Mr.  Howell  he  did 
not   want   his    services. 

"Yet  Mr.  Bishop,  the  State's  agent, 
represented  to  the  authorities  of  Geor- 
gia that  Mr.  Vann  had  violated  the 
laws  of  that  State  by  hiring  a  white 
man,  had  forfeited  his  right  of  oc- 
cupancy, and  that  a  grant  ought  to 
issue  for  his  lands. 

"There  were  conflicting  claims  un- 
der Georgia  laws  for  his  possessions. 
A  Mr.  Riley*  pretended  a  claim,  and 
took  possession  of  the  upper  part  of 
the  dwelling  house,  armed  for  battle. 
Mr.  Bishop,  the  State's  agent,  and  his 
party  came  to  take  possession,  and  be- 
tween them  and  R*ley  a  fight  com- 
menced, and  from  20  to  50  guns  were 
fired  in  the  house.  While  this  was 
going  on,  Mr.  Vann  gathered  his  trem- 
bling wife  and  children  into  a  room 
for  safety.  Riley  could  not  be  dis- 
lodged from  his  position  upstairs,  even 
after  being  wounded,  and  Bishop's  par- 
ty finally  set  fire  to  the  house.  Riley 
surrendered  and  the  fire  was  extin- 
guished. 

Mr.  Vann  and  his  family  were  then 

♦Spencer  Riley,  of  Cass  County,  formerly  or 
Bibb.  The  fipht  took  place  Mar.  2,  1835  ;  au- 
thority :  Georgia  Journal,  Milledgeville,  Apr.  7, 
1835. 

**Tallapoosa  River,  with  Andrew  Jackson 
and    Major    Ridne. 

***Reference  to  the  Ridges,  Boudinot  and 
others    of    the    Treaty    party. 


driven  out,  unprepared,  in  the  dead  of 
winter,  and  snow  on  the  ground, 
through  which  they  were  compelled 
to  wade  and  to  take  shelter  within 
the  limits  of  Tennessee,  in  an  open 
log  cabin,  upon  a  dirt  floor,  and  Bishop 
put  his  brother,  Absalom  Bishop,  in 
posession  of  Mr.  Vann's  house.  This 
Mr.  Vann  is  the  same  who,  when  a 
boy,  volunteered  as  a  private  soldier 
in  the  Cherokee  regiment  in  the  serv- 
ice of  the  United  States,  in  the  Creek 
war,  periled  his  life  in  crossing  the 
river  at  the  Battle  of  the  Horse 
Shoe.**      What   has  been   his   reward? 

"Hundreds  of  other  cases  might  be 
added.  In.  fact,  nearly  all  the  Chero- 
kees in  Georgia  who  had  improve- 
ments of  any  value,  except  the  favor- 
ites of  the  United  States  agent,*** 
under  one  pretext  or  another  have 
been  driven  from  their  homes.  Amid 
the  process  of  expulsion,  the  Rev.  John 
F.  Schermerhorn,  the  United  States 
commissioner,  visited  the  legislatures 
of  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  and  im- 
portuned those  bodies  to  pass  laws 
prohibiting  the  Cherokees  who  might 
be  turned  out  of  their  possessions  from 
within  the  Georgia  limits,  taking  up 
a  residence  in  the  limits  of  those 
states. 


WADE  SAMUEL  COTHRAN,  Icadinj?  spirit  in 
the  First  Presbyterian  church,  who  removed 
from    Rome    to    Anniston. 


222 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"The  same  summary  process  was 
used  toward  Mr.  John  Ross,  the  prin- 
cipal chief  of  the  Cherokee  Nation.  He 
was  at  Washington  City,  on  the  busi- 
ness of  his  nation.  When  he  returned, 
he  traveled  until  about  10  o'clock  at 
night  to  reach  his  family;  rode  up  to 
the  gate;  saw  a  servant  believed  to  be 
his  own;  dismounted,  ordered  his  horse 
taken;  went  in,  and  to  his  utter  as- 
tonishment found  himself  a  stranger 
in  his  own  home,  his  family  having 
been  some  days  before  driven  out  to 
seek  a  new  home. 

"A  thought  then  flitted  across  his 
mind — that  he  could  not,  under  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  situation,  recon- 
cile it  to  himself  to  tarry  all  night 
under  the  roof  of  his  own  house  as  a 
stranger,  the  new  host  of  that  house 
being  the  tenant  of  that  mercenary 
band  of  Georgia  speculators  at  whose 
instance  his  helpless  family  had  been 
turned  out   and   made  homeless. 

"Upon  reflecting,  however,  that  'man 
is  born  unto  trouble,'  Mr.  Ross  at  once 
concluded  to  take  up  his  lodgings 
there  for  the  night,  and  to  console 
himself  under  the  conviction  of  having 
met  his  afflictions  and  trials  in  a  man- 
ner consistent  with  every  principle  of 
moral  obligation  towards  himself  and 
family,   his   country  and  his    God. 

"On  the  next  morning  he  arose  early, 
and  went  out  into  the  yard,  and  saw 
some  straggling  herds  of  his  cattle  and 
sheep  browsing  about  the  place — his 
crop  of  corn  undisposed  of.  In  cast- 
ing a  look  up  into  the  widespread 
branches  of  a  majestic  oak,  standing 
within  the  enclosure  of  the  garden, 
and  which  overshadows  the  spot  where 
lie  the  remains  of  his  dear  babe  and 
most  beloved  and  affectionate  father, 
he  there  saw,  perched  upon  its  boughs, 
that  flock  of  beautiful  pea-fowls,  once 
the  matron's  care  and  delight,  but  now 
left  to  destruction  and  never  more  to 
be  seen. 

"He  ordered  his  horse,  paid  his  bill, 
and  departed  in  search  of  his  family. 
After  traveling  amid  heavy  rains  he 
had  the  happiness  of  overtaking  them 
on  the  road,  bound  for  some  place  of 
refuge  within  the  limits  of  Tennessee. 
Thus  have  his  houses,  farm,  public 
ferries,  and  other  property  been  wrest- 
ed   from    him." 

*     *     * 

JOHN  RIDGE  IN  NEW  YORK.— 
Martin  Grahame,  of  Briarlea,  Sas- 
katchewan, Canada,  who  for  some 
years  lived  on  the  East  Rome  place 
owned  by  J.  Paul  Cooper,  sent  the  fol- 
lowing   in    1921    to    Linton    A.    Dean 


from    the    diary   of  his   father,    W.    R. 
Grahame : 

"New  York,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  2,  1832.— 
Was  also  with  Testes  Dwight  to  the 
City  Hotel  and  was  introduced  to  and 
had  conversation  with  two  Indian 
chiefs,  the  first  and  only  I  have  seen — 
Mr.  John  Ridge  and  another  chief 
whose  name  I  do  not  remember.  They 
were  well-dressed  men  in  surtouts, 
(wide-skirted  coats  reaching  below  the 
knees. — Webster's  New  Standard  Dic- 
tionary) ,  spoke  good  English  and  be- 
haved themselves  like  gentlemen.  Ridge 
is  the  son  of  an  orator,  the  greatest, 
Mr.  Dwight  said,  among  the  Cherokees, 
a  chief  of  the  Deer  Tribe.  The  other 
Indian  was  of  the  Wolf  Tribe,  of  the 
Cherokee  Nation,  both  of  them.  They 
had  beautiful,  small  hands  and  feet, 
especially  Ridge,  who  is  married  to  a 
New  England  lady.  They  have  come 
to  New  York  to  raise  the  sympathy  of 
the  public  in  behalf  of  their  country- 
men who  have  deputized  them  with 
that  design,  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
them  allowed  to  remain  in  their  lands 
guaranteed  them  in  Georgia,  Tennes- 
see and  North  Carolina  in  their  treaty 
with  the  United  States. 

"The  Cherokees  consist  of  16,000  to 
20,000  people,  the  women  more  numer- 
ous than  the  men.  The  Sequoyan  al- 
phabet, according  to  Ridge,  can  be 
learned  in  three  days  by  a  quick  schol- 
ar, and  in  six  days  by  a  slow  one. 
They  have  left  ofl;  the  chase  largely  of 
late  and  devote  themselves  to  agri- 
culture. Mr.  Ridge  said  superstition 
kept  the  Indian  from  gaining  more 
information.  He  stated  that  legend 
had  it  that  God  first  made  the 
Indian  and  then  the  white  man.  The 
Indian  was  offered  the  choice  of  a 
book  or  a  bow  and  arrow,  and  while 
he  hesitated,  the  white  man  stole  the 
book;  thus  the  bow  and  arrow  was  left 
to  the  Indian,  and*,  he  has  made  good 
use  of  them  ever  since.  Mr.  Ridge's 
father's  home  is  a  two-story  one,  52 
by  28  feet,  and  there  are  many  others 
of  handsome  design  which  show  the 
wealth  and  civilization  of  the  owners. 

"Tonight  at  a  public  meeting  in 
Clinton  Hall,  Mr.  Ridge  mentioned 
that  the  chiefs  of  the  Cherokees  had 
voluntarily  resigned  their  ancient  pow- 
ers and  modeled  their  state  into  a  Re- 
public on  the  general  plan  of  the  Unit- 
ed States,  with  frequent  elections  (uni- 
versal suffrage  there  is  also,  but  he 
did  not  mention  that) . 

"In  the  morning  he  mentioned  that 
among  the  Creek  Nation  women  are 
monthly  put  out  of  the  house  to  purify, 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


223 


and  at  these  seasons  men  do  not  ap- 
proach them,  even  to  speak,  except 
from  a  distance.  Adultery  in  high  or 
low  deg'ree  is  punished  with  beating 
until  the  criminals  faint,  and  then  cut- 
ting the  ears  off.  Formerly,  passing 
between  a  woman  and  the  wind  or 
bathing  higher  up  a  stream  at  the  same 
time  with  her  was  held  adultery,  com- 
municated of  the  water  or  the  wind. 
After  punishment  is  inflicted,  how- 
ever, the  off"ender  resumes  his  rank, 
and  if  he  can  escape  until  after  an  an- 
nual jubilee,  he  may  save  himself  en- 
tirely from  punishment. 

"A  married  man  may  have  as  many 
wives  as  he  pleases,  if  they  are  not 
the  wives  of  others.  The  ladies  have 
not  that  privilege." 


WHEN  THE  RED  MAN  LEFT.— 
(By  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood,  in  The 
Cartersville  Courant,  1883).  — The 
County  of  Floyd  is  perhaps  the  most 
interesting  locality  of  this  section  of 
the  state.  Situated  on  the  confluence 
of  the  Oostanaula  and  Etowah  rivers, 
it  has  attracted  the  attention  of  many 
people.  It  was  the  favorite  resort  of 
the  Red  Man,  and  when  the  treaty  of 
Dec.  29,  1835,  was  made,  the  influx 
of    population    was    greatly    increased. 

The  Cherokee  country  was  surveyed 
by  the  authorities  of  the  State  of 
Georgia  in  1830  and  1831.  The  lots 
were  160  acres  and  40  acres  in  size. 
That  supposed  to  be  the  gold  region 
was  laid  off  in  40-acre  lots,  and  that 
where  there  was  supposed  to  be  no 
gold  was  laid  off  in  160-acre  lots.  The 
whole  of  the  Cherokee  country  com- 
prised in  the  chartered  limits  of  Geor- 
gia was  made  into  one  county,  called 
Cherokee  County.  The  extent  of  the 
territory  embraced  was  very  consider- 
able, beginning  at  the  point  where  the 
35th  parallel  of  N.  Latitude  comes  in 
contact  with  a  point  on  the  Blue  Ridge 
fixed  by  James  Blair  and  Wilson  Lump- 
kin that  now  divides  Towns  and  Ra- 
bun counties,  running  thence  west  to 
Nickajack  Cave,  the  northwest  corner 
of  Georgia,  thence  due  south,  nearly 
in  the  direction  of  Miller's  bend,  on  the 
Chattahoochee  River,  two  miles  south 
of  West  Point,  Ga.,  until  it  strikes 
the  north  of  Carroll  County,  thence 
east  until  it  reaches  the  Chattahoochee 
River,  thence  along  said  river  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Chestatee,  thence  up  the 
Chestatee  River  to  the  head  and  then 


*Not  at  Princeton  University.  It  is  generally 
accepted  that  he  attended  the  mission  schools 
at  Spring  Place,  Murray  County,  and  at  Corn- 
wall,  Conn. 


due  north  to  the  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
then  in  an  easterly  direction  to  Hick- 
ory Gap,  then  with  the  meanders  of 
the   Blue   Ridge   to   the  beginning. 

Cherokee  County  was  organized  early 
in  1832.  The  courthouse  was  located 
where  the  town  of  Canton  now  is.  A 
judge  and  solicitor  general  were  elect- 
ed. The  Hon.  Jno.  W.  Hooper  was  the 
first  judge  of  the  Superior  Court.  He 
was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Thos.  W.  Alex- 
ander and  John  W.  Hooper,  long  a 
resident  of  Rome.  Hon.  Wm.  Ezzard 
was  elected  the  first  solicitor  general. 
He  now  resides  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  a  hale 
and  hearty,  well-preserved  man  be- 
tween 80  and  90  years  of  age,  an  orna- 
ment to  mankind,  an  honor  to  his  race, 
a  connecting  link  between  the  past  and 
present.  Jacob  M.  Scudder,  who  had 
long  resided  among  the  Indians  as  a 
licensed  trader,  under  the  new  inter- 
course laws  of  the  United  States,  res- 
ident in  the  nation,  was  elected  sena- 
tor, and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Wil- 
liams representative.  Scudder  was  a 
highly  intelligent  and  able  man,  and 
very  soon  made  a  favorable  impres- 
sion upon  the  legislature.  Early  in 
the  session  he  introduced  a  bill  to  lay 
off  the  country  into  ten  counties,  as 
follows:  Forsyth,  Cobb,  Lumpkin, 
Union,  Gilmer,  Cherokee,  Murray, 
Cass,  Floyd  and  Paulding.  Murray 
County  embraced  the  territory  that  is 
now  in  Whitfield,  Catoosa,  Walker,  and 
one-half  of  Chattooga.  It  would  per- 
haps have  been  best  if  the  original 
counties  had  remained  as  they  were, 
with  slight  exceptions.  Mr.  Scudder 
laid  off  Floyd  County  with  the  view 
of  the  existence  of  a  city  where  Rome 
now  is.  John  Ross,  the  principal  chief 
of  the  Cherokees,  resided  immediately 
north  and  opposite  the  junction  of  the 
rivers,  and  called  his  place  "Head  of 
Coosa."  I  have  seen  his  letters  to  my 
father  often. 

Major  Ridge,  who  was  made  a  major 
by  Gen.  Jackson  at  the  Battle  of  the 
Horseshoe  on  the  Tallapoosa  River,  in 
TMabama.  for  gallant  conduct,  resided 
up  the  Oostanaula  River  nearly  two 
miles  north  of  the  courthouse,  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  river.  Major  Ridge's 
son,  John,  was  educated  at  Princeton, 
N.  J.,*  and  John's  sister,  Sallie.  at  Mrs. 
Elsworth's  School.  John  Ridge  was 
flic  great  rival  of  John  Ross,  and  Sal- 
lie  Ridge  was  the  first  wife  of  George 
W.  Paschal,  deceased,  who  was  once 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  Sui)reme  Court 
of  Texas.  Ridge  Paschal,  their  son,  is 
a  distinguished  lawyer  in  Texas. 

There  exists  no  record  of  the  first 
settlers    of    Floyd    County.      The    site 


224 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


was  at  first  located  down  the  Coosa 
River,  ten  miles  from  Rome  and  called 
Livingston.  In  1834,  however,  there 
was  a  very  heated  contest,  and  the  seat 
of  justice,  the  courthouse,  was  moved 
to  the  junction  of  the  rivers  and  the 
place  named  Rome.  Among  the  early 
settlers  were  the  two  Hemphills — 
James  and  Philip  W.  Hemphill.  One 
of  them  resided  at  the  Mobley  place, 
now  owned  by  Col.  Yancey,  and  the 
other  in  Vann's  Valley,  at  what  has 
been  for  many  years  known  as  the 
Montgomery   farm. 

Walton  H.  Jones  was  the  brother- 
in-law  of  Hemphill  and  was  an  early 
settler.  So  was  Edward  Ware,  who 
resided  eight  miles  south  of  Rome, 
where  Mr,  Alexander  White  now  lives. 
Joseph  Ford,  the  father  of  I.  D.  Ford 
and  Arthur  Ford,  was  another,  and 
resided  in  Vann's  Valley  where  Mr. 
W.  S.  Gibbons  now  lives.  He  built  the 
brick  residence  there.  John  Rush  was 
another  early  settler,  and  resided  on 
the  Calhoun  Road,  seven  miles  north- 
cast  of  Rome.  Joseph  Watters  was  an 
early  settler,  settling  eight  miles  north- 
east of  Rome  at  the  "Hermitage."  Wal- 
lace Warren  was  here  early,  and  re- 
sided on  the  west  side  of  the  Oosta- 
naula  six  miles  from  Rome.  Dr.  Alvin 
Dean,  the  grandfather  of  Linton  Dean, 
was  another  one  of  them.  He  resided 
about  nine  miles  down  the  Coosa  at 
the  residence  of  John  W.  Turner,  who 
married  his  daughter.  Thos.  S.  Price 
was  another  striking  man,  for  sixteen 
years  sheriff  and  deputy  sheriff  with 
Thos.  G.  Watters,  now  of  Rome.  The 
Loyds  were  heard  of  at  an  early  date, 
and  so  were  Thomas  and  Elijah  Lump- 
kin. John  H.  Lumpkin  was  here  in 
1834.  Joseph  Watters  was  many  times 
a  senator  from  Floyd.  John  H.  Lump- 
kin was  for  three  terms  a  member  of 
the  Superior  Court.  Among  the  men 
of  mark  who  were  here  at  an  early 
day  may  be  mentioned  Daniel  R. 
Mitchell,  Wallace  Mitchell,  A.  T.  Har- 
din, Elkanah  Everett,  and  Thos.  Sel- 
man,  the  father  of  the  numerous  and 
highly    respected    Selmans. 

Perhaps  the  most  far-seeing  man 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  Rome  that 
ever  lived  in  our  midst  was  William 
Smith.  He  was  of  great  energy  and 
very  full  capacity,  with  the  will 
and  courage  of  Andrew  Jackson — 
warm  in  his  friendships  and  attach- 
ments. He  saw  at  an  early  day  the 
prospective  commercial  importance  of 
Rome.  He  was  very  far  in  advance  of 
the  place  and  the  people.  He  caused 
to    be    projected    and    built    the    first 


steamboat.  He  was  born  to  command 
and  generally  had  at  least  one-half  of 
the  voters  of  the  county  under  his 
control.  He  was  often  honored  with 
positions  of  trust  by  the  people  of  the 
county,  and  was  once  state  senator. 
He  died  at  comparatively  an  early  age. 
He  was  a  close  and  intimate  friend  of 
Col.  Alfred  Shorter. 

Of  the  earliest  settlers,  few  if  any 
remain — alas,  alas!  they  have  gone 
to  that  bourne  whence  no  traveler  re- 
turns! Melancholy  reflection!  The 
writer  knew  them  all — they  were  his 
friends  and  are  now  in  the  grave. 

Among  the  later  settlers  were  Wm. 
H.  Underwood.  Dr.  H.  V.  M.  Miller, 
A.  D.  Shackelford,  Wm.  T.  Price,  R. 
S.  Norton,  Wm.  E.  Alexander,  Pente- 
cost and  Ihly,  the  Alexanders,  the 
Smith  family.  Col.  Alfred  Shorter  and 
Wade  S.  Cothran,  active-minded  and 
public-spirited   men. 

A.  B.  Ross,  clerk  of  the  Superior 
Court,  the  father  of  our  present  clerk, 
was  here  at  an  early  day.  He  held 
the  office  of  clerk  until  his  death,  and 
was  as  good  a  man  as  ever  lived  in 
the  county. 

Jobe  Rogers,  John  DeJournett, 
Ewell  Meredith  and  the  Berryhills 
were  sterling  men.  The  Rev.  Geo, 
White,  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  published  two 
books,  history  and  statistics  of  Geor- 
gia, and  there  is  very  little  said  of 
Floyd  County.  Floyd  is  now  the  fifth 
or  sixth  county  in  point  of  population, 
and  Rome  is  the  sixth  city  in  the  state. 
The  future  of  Rome  is  very  promis- 
ing. The  growth  has  been  gradual  and 
it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  Rome  has 
built  up  by  money  made  in  the  place 
principally.  Very  little  capital  from 
abroad  has  been  used. 

Rome  ought  to  be  the  great  manu- 
facturing, commercial  and  financial 
center  of  this  northwest  Georgia.  We 
have  considerable  manufacturing  in- 
terests here  now,  and  with  the  ore, 
slate,  marble,  and  other  precious  and 
valuable  stones  near  enough  to  us,  the 
future  of  Rome  must  be  upward  and 
onward. 

There  is  no  collision  of  interests  be- 
tween Rome,  Dalton,  Rockmart  and 
Cartersville.  The  interest  of  one  is 
the  interest  of  the  whole.  Let  there 
be  no  jealousy  and  no  rivalry.  Let 
each  and  all  push  forward  the  wheel 
of  our  progress,  and  make  this  section 
in  point  of  fact  and  development  what 
the  god  of  nature  intended,  the  most 
prosperous  and  lovely  section  of  this 
great  country. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


225 


AN  OLD  RAMBLER.— The  follow- 
ing Floyd  County  humor  is  from  Bill 
Arp's  Scrap  Book,  Chapt.  1,  The  Orig- 
inal Bill  Arp,  by  Chas.  H.  Smith,  At- 
lanta, Jas.  P.  Harrison  &  Co.,  1884: 

"Some  time  in  the  spring  of  1861, 
when  the  boys  were  hunting  for  a  fight 
and  felt  like  they  could  whip  all  crea- 
tion, Mr.  Lincoln  issued  a  proclama- 
tion ordering  us  all  to  disperse  and 
retire  within  30  days,  and  to  quit  ca- 
vorting around  in  a  hostile  and  bellig- 
erent manner.  I  remember  writing  an 
answer  to  it,  though  I  was  a  good  Un- 
ion man  and  a  law-abiding  citizen,  and 
was  willing  to  disperse,  if  I  could,  but 
it  was  almost  impossible,  for  the  boys 
were  mighty  hot,  and  the  way  we  made 
up  our  military  companies  was  to  send 
a  man  down  the  lines  with  a  bucket  of 
water  to  sprinkle  'em  as  he  came  to 
'em,  and  if  a  fellow  sizzed  like  hot  iron 
in  a  slack-trough,  we  took  him,  and  if 
he  didn't  sizz,  we  dident  take  him;  but 
still,  nevertheless,  notwithstanding, 
and  so  forth,  if  we  could  possibly  dis- 
perse in  30  days  we  would  do  so,  but 
I  thought  he  had  better  give  us  a  little 
more  time,  for  I  had  been  out  in  an 
old  field  and  tried  to  disperse  myself 
and  couldent  quite  do  it. 

"I  thought  the  letter  was  pretty 
smart,  and  read  it  to  Dr.  Miller  and 
Judge  Underwood,  and  they  seemed  to 
think  it  was  right  smart  too.  About 
that  time  I  looked  around  and  saw  Bill 
Arp  standing  at  the  door  with  his 
mouth  open  and  a  merry  glisten  in  his 
eye.  As  he  came  forward,  says  he  to 
me,  'Squire,  are  ye  gwine  to  print 
that?' 

"  'I  reckon  I  will.  Bill,'  said  I. 
'What  name  are  ye  gwine  to  put  to 
it?'  said  he.  'I  havent  thought  about 
a  name.'  Then  he  brightened  up  and 
said,  'Well,  Squire,  I  wish  you  would 
put  mine,  for  them's  my  sentiments!' 
And  I  promised  him  that  I  would. 

"So  I  did  not  rob  Bill  Arp  of  his 
good  name,  but  took  it  on  request,  and 
now  at  this  late  day,  when  the  moss 
has  covered  his  grave,  I  will  record 
.some  pleasant  memories  of  a  man 
whose  notoriety  was  not  extensive,  but 
who  filled  up  a  gap  that  was  open,  and 
who  brightened  up  the  flight  of  many 
an  hour  in  the  good  old  time,  say  from 
20  to  30  years  ago. 

"Bill  Arp  was  a  small,  sinewy  man, 
weighing  about  130  pounds,  as  active 
as  a  cat,  as  quick  in  movement  as  he 
was  active,  and  always  presenting  a 
bright,  cheerful  face.  He  had  an 
amiable  disposition,  a  generous  heart 
and    was    as    brave    a    man    as    nature 


makes.  He  was  an  humble  man  and 
unlettered  in  books;  never  went  to 
school  but  a  month  or  two  in  his  life, 
and  could  neither  read  nor  write;  but 
.;till,  he  had  more  than  his  share  of 
common  sense,  more  than  his  share  of 
ingenuity,  and  plan  and  contrivance, 
more  than  his  share  of  good  mother- 
wit  and  humor,  and  was  always  wel- 
come when  he  came  about. 

"Lawyers  and  doctors  and  editors, 
and  such  gentlemen  of  leisure  as  who 
used  to,  in  the  good  old  times,  sit 
around  and  chat  and  have  a  good  time, 
always  said,  'Come  in.  Bill,  and  take 
a  seat.'  And  Bill  seemed  grateful  for 
the  compliment,  and  with  a  conscious 
humility  squatted  on  about  half  the 
chair  and  waited  for  questions.  The 
bearing  of  the  man  was  one  of  rever- 
ence for  his  superiors  and  thankful- 
ness for  their  notice. 

"Bill  Arp  was  a  contented  man — 
contented  with  his  humble  lot.  He 
never  grumbled  or  complained  at  any- 
thing; he  had  desires  and  ambitions, 
but  they  did  not  trouble  him.  He  kept 
a  ferry  for  a  wealthy  gentleman  who 
lived  a  few  miles  above  Rome,  on  the 
Etowah  River,  and  he  cultivated  a 
small  portion  of  his  land;  but  the 
ferry  was  not  of  much  consequence, 
and  when  Bill  could  step  off  to  Rome 
and  hear  the  lawyers  talk,  he  would 
turn  over  the  boat  and  poles  to  his 
wife  or  children,  and  go.  I  have  known 
him  to  take  a  back  seat  in  the  court- 
house for  a  day  at  a  time  and  with  a 
face  all  greedy  for  entertainment, 
listen  to  the  learned  speeches  of  the 
lawyers  and  charge  of  the  court,  and 


^\^     . 


THE   ORIGINAL   BILL  ARP. 


226 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


TESTING  THE  ROME  BOYS  FOR  WAR  DUTY. 

"Bill  Arp's"  book,  "Peace  Papers,"  tells  how  the  recruiting  officers  at  Rome 
poured  water  on  candidates  who  were  hot  over  Mr.  Lincoln's  "disarmament  proc- 
lamation." If  "sizzling"  resulted,  they  were  sworn  in.  The  author's  several  books 
reflect    vividly    the    humorous    incidents    and    philosophy    of    the    times. 


go  home  happy,  and  be  able  to  tell  to 
his  admiring  family  what  Judge  Un- 
derwood said  and  what  Judge  Wright 
said,  and  what  Col.  Alexander  said, 
and  what  the  judge  on  the  bench 
said;  and  if  there  was  any  fun 
in  anything  that  was  said,  Bill  always 
got  it,  and  never  forgot  it.  When 
court  was  not  in  session,  he  still  slip- 
ped off  to  town  and  would  frequent 
the  lawyers'  offices  and  listen  to  'em 
talk,    and    the    brighter    the    talk,    the 


faster  Bill  would  chew  his  tobacco,  and 
the  brighter  his  little,  merry  eyes 
would  sparkle. 

"He  had  the  greatest  reverence  for 
Col.  Johnston,  his  landlord,  and  always 
said  he  would  rather  belong  to  him 
than  to  be  free;  'for,'  said  he,  'Mrs. 
Johnston  throws  away  enough  old 
clothes  and  vittles  to  support  my  chil- 
dren, and  they  are  always  nigh  enough 
to  pick  'em  up.' 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


227 


"Bill  Arp  lived  in  Chulio  district.* 
We  had  eleven  districts  in  the  county, 
and  they  had  all  such  names  as  Pop- 
Skull,  and  Blue  Gizzard,  and  Wolf- 
Skin,  and  Shake-Rag,  and  Wild-Cat, 
but  Bill  lived  and  reigned  in  Chulio. 
Every  district  had  its  best  man  in 
those  days,  and  Bill  was  the 
best  man  in  Chulio.  He  could 
out-run,  out-jump,  out-swim,  out- 
rastle,  out-ride,  out-shoot  anybody  in 
Chulio,  and  was  so  far  ahead  that 
everybody  else  had  given  it  up,  and 
Bill  reigned  supreme.  He  put  on  no 
airs  about  this,  and  his  neighbors  were 
all  his  friends. 

"But  there  was  another  district  ad- 
joining, and  it  had  its  best  man,  too. 
One  Ben  McGinnis  ruled  the  boys  of 
that  beat,  and  after  a  while  it  began 
to  be  whispered  around  that  Ben 
wasn't  satisfied  with  his  limited  terri- 
tory, but  would  like  to  have  a  small 
tackle  with  Bill  Arp.  Ben  was  a  pre- 
tentious man.  He  weighed  about  165 
pounds,  and  was  considered  a  regular 
bruiser;  and  he,  too,  like  Bill  Arp,  had 
never  been  whipped.  When  Ben  hit  a 
man,  it  was  generally  understood  that 
he  meant  business,  and  his  adversary 
was  hurt,  badly  hurt,  and  Ben  was 
glad  of  it,  and  vain  of  it.  But  when 
Bill  Arp  hit  a  man  he  was  sorry  for 
him,  and  if  he  knocked  him  down,  he 
would  rather  help  him  up  and  brush 
the  dirt  off  his  clothes  than  swell 
around  in  triumph.  Fighting  was  not 
very  common  with  either.  The  quicker 
a  man  whips  a  fight,  the  less  often  he 
has  to  do  it,  and  both  Ben  and  Bill 
had  settled  their  standing  most  effec- 
tually. Bill  was  satisfied  with  his 
honors,  but  Ben  was  not,  for  there  was 
many  a  Ransy  Sniffle**  who  lived  along 
the  line  between  the  districts  and  car- 
ried news  from  the  one  to  the  other, 
and  made  up  the  coloring,  and  soon 
it  was  norated  around  that  Ben  and 
Bill  had  to  meet  and  settle  it. 

"The  court  grounds  of  that  day  con- 
sisted of  a  little  shanty  and  a  shelf. 
The  shanty  had  a  dirt  floor  and  a  pun- 
cheon seat  and  a  slab  for  the  Squire's 
docket,  and  the  shelf  was  outside  for 
the  whisky.  The  whisky  was  kept  in 
a  jug — a  gallon  jug — and  that  held 
just  about  enough  for  the  day's  busi- 
ness. Most  everybody  took  a  dram  in 
those  days,  but  very  few  took  too 
much,  unless,  indeed,  a  dram  was  too 

♦According  to  Miss  Virginia  C.  Hardin,  of 
Atlanta,  Chulio  was  called  after  an  Indian  sub- 
chief  who  lies  buried  on  the  Stubbs  place,  ad- 
joining   the    Hardin    plantation,    near    Kingston. 

**A  busy-body  character  in  Longstreet's 
"Georgia    Scenes." 

***W.    Frank   Ayer,  once   Mayor   of   Rome. 


much.  It  was  very  uncommon  to  see 
a  man  drunk  at  a  county  court  ground. 
Pistols  were  unknown,  bowie-knives 
were  unknown,  brass  knuckles  and 
slingshots  were  unknown,  and  all 
other  devices  that  gave  one  man  an 
artful  advantage  over  another.  The 
boys  came  there  in  their  shirt  sleeves 
and  galluses,  and  if  they  got  to  quar- 
reling, they  settled  it  according  to  na- 
ture. 

"When  Col.  Johnston,  who  was  Bill 
Arp's  landlord,  and  Maj.  Ayer***  and 
myself  got  to  Chulio,  Bill  Arp  was 
there,  and  was  pleasantly  howdying 
with  his  neighbors,  when  suddenly  we 
discovered  Ben  McGinnis  trapoosing 
around,  and  every  little  crowd  he  got 
to,  he  would  lean  forward  in  an  in- 
solent manner  and  say,  'Anybody  here 
got  anything  agin  Ben  McGinnis?  Ef 
they  have,  I  golly,  I'll  give  'em  five 
dollars  to  hit  that;  I  golly,  I  dare  any- 
body to  hit  that,'  and  he  would  point 
to  his  forehead  with  an  air  of  defiance. 

"Bill  Arp  was  standing  by  us,  and 
I  thought  he  looked  a  little  more  se- 
rious than  I  had  ever  seen  him.  Frank 
Ayer  says  to  him,  'Bill,  I  see  that 
Ben  is  coming  around  here  to  pick  a 
fight  with  you,  and  I  want  to  say 
that  you  have  got  no  cause  to  quarrel 
with  him,  and  if  he  comes,  do  you  just 
let  him  come  and  go,  that's  all.'  Col. 
Johnston  says,  'Bill,  he  is  too  big  for 
you,  and  your  own  beat  knows  you, 
and  you  haven't  done  anything  against 
Ben,  and  so  I  advise  you  to  let  him 
pass — do  you  hear  me?' 

"By  this  time.  Bill's  nervous  system 
was  all  in  a  quiver.  His  face  had  an 
air  of  rigid  determination,  and  ho  re- 
plied   humbly,    but   firmly,    'Col.    John- 


BEN  McGINNIS. 


228 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


BILL   ARP,   OF    CHULIO,   TRIUMPHS    OVER   BEN    M'GINNIS. 


stone,  I  love  you,  and  I  respect  you, 
too;  but  if  Ben  McGinnis  comes  up 
here  outen  his  beat,  and  into  my  beat, 
and  me  not  havin'  done  nothin'  agin 
him,  and  he  dares  me  to  hit  him,  I'm 
gwine  to  hit  him,  if  it  is  the  last 
lick  I  ever  strike.  I'm  no  phist  puppy 
dog,  sir,  that  he  should  come  outen  his 
deestrict  to  bully  me.' 

"I've  seen  Bill  Arp  in  battle,  and  he 
was  a  hero.  I've  seen  him  when  shot 
and  shell  rained  around  him,  and  he 
was  cool  and  calm,  and  the  same  old 
smile  was  on  his  features.  I've  seen 
him  when  his  first-born  was  stricken 
down  at  Manassas,  and  he  was  near 
enough  to  see  him  fall  headforemost 
to  the  foe,  but  I  never  have  seen  him 
as  intensely  excited  as  he  was  that 
moment  when  Ben  McGinnis  approach- 
ed us,  and  addressing  himself  to  Bill 
Arp,  said,  'I  golly,  I  dare  anybody  to 
hit   that!' 

"As  Ben  straightened  himself  up, 
Bill  let  fly  with  his  hard,  bony  fist 
right  in  his  left  eye,  and  followed  it 
up  with  another.  I  don't  know  how  it 
was,  and  never  will  know;  but  I  do 
know  this,  that  in  less  than  a  second. 
Bill  had  him  down  and  was  on  him, 
and  his  fists  and  his  elbows  and  his 
knees  seemed  all  at  work.  He  after- 
ward   said    that   his    knees    worked   on 


Ben's  bread  basket,  which  he  knew 
was  his  weakest  part.  Ben  hollered 
enough  in  due  time,  which  was  con- 
sidered honorable  to  do,  and  all  right, 
and  Bill  helped  him  up  and  brushed 
the  dirt  off  his  clothes,  and  said,  'Now, 
Ben,  is  it  all  over  'twixt  you  and  me; 
is  you  and  me  all  right?'  And  Ben 
said,  'It's  all  right  'twixt  you  and 
me,  Bill;  I  give  it  up,  and  you  are 
a  gentleman.'  Bill  invited  all  hands 
up  to  the  shelf,  and  they  took  a  drink, 
and  Bill  paid  for  the  treat  as  a  gen- 
erous victor,  and  he  and  Ben  were 
friends. 

"I  was  not  at  the  big  wrestle  be- 
tween Bill  Arp  and  Ike  McCoy,  and 
had  heard  so  many  versions  of  it  that 
one  night,  while  we  were  sitting 
around  the  camp  fire  in  Virginia,  I 
insisted  on  hearing  it  from  Bill's  own 
lips.  Said  he,  'Well,  gentlemen  (he 
always  accented  the  men),  my  motto 
has  been  to  never  say  die,  as  Ginrul 
Jackson  said  at  the  Battle  of  New  Or- 
leans, and  all  things  considered,  I  have 
had  a  power  of  good  luck  in  my  life. 
I  don't  mean  money  luck  by  no  means, 
for  most  of  my  life  I've  been  so  ded 
pore  that  Lazarus  would  have  resign- 
ed in  my  favor,  but  I've  been  in  a 
heap  of  close  places,  and  somehow  al- 
ways come  out  right-side-up  with  care. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


229 


"  'You  see,  Ike  McCoy  was  perhaps 
the  best  rasler  in  all  Cherokee,  and 
he  just  hankered  after  a  chance  to 
break  a  bone  or  two  in  my  body.  Now, 
you  know  I  never  hunted  for  a  fight 
nor  a  fuss  in  my  life,  but  I  never 
dodged  one.  I  didn't  want  a  tilt  with 
Ike,  for  my  opinion  was  that  he  was 
the  best  man  of  the  two,  but  I  never 
said  anything,  but  just  trusted  to  luck. 

"  'We  was  both  at  the  barbycu,  and 
he  put  on  a  heap  of  airs,  and  strutted 
around  with  his  shirt  collar  open  clean 
down  to  his  waist,  and  his  hat  cocked 
on  one  side  of  his  head,  as  sassy  as 
a  Confederate  quartermaster.  He  took 
a  dram,  and  then  stuffed  himself  full 
of  fresh  meat  at  dinner.  Along  in 
the  evening  it  was  norated  around  that 
Ike  was  going  to  banter  me  for  a  ras- 
sle,  and  shore  enuf,  he  did.  The  boys 
were  all  up  for  some  fun,  and  Ike 
got  on  a  stump  and  hollered  out,  'I'll 
bet  ten  dollars  I  can  plaster  the  length 
of  any  man  on  the  ground,  and  I'll 
give  Bill  Arp  five  dollars  to  take  the 
bet!' 

"  'Of  course,  there  was  no  gettin' 
around  the  like  of  that.  The  banter 
got  my  blood  up,  and  so,  without  wait- 
in'  for  ceremony,  I  shucked  myself  and 
went  in.  The  boys  was  all  powerfully 
excited,  and  was  a  bettin'  every  dollar 
they  could  raise,  and  Bob  Moore,  the 
feller  I  had  licked  about  a  year  before, 
said  he'd  bet  twenty  dollars  to  ten 
that  Ike  would  knock  the  breath  outen 
me  the  first  fall.  I  borrowed  the  money 
from  Col.  Johnston,  and  walked  over 
to  him  and  said,  'I'll  take  that  bet!'" 

"  'The  river*  was  right  close  to  the 
spring,  and  the  bank  was  purty  steep. 
I  had  on  an  old  pair  of  copprass 
britches  that  had  been  seined  in  and 
dried  so  often  they  was  about  half 
rotten.  When  we  hitched,  Ike  took 
good  britches-holt  and  lifted  me  up  and 
down  a  few  times  like  I  was  a  child. 
He  was  the  heaviest,  but  I  had  the 
most  spring  in  me,  and  so  I  jest  let 
him  play  around  for  some  time,  lim- 
ber like,  until  suddenly  he  took  a  no- 
tion to  make  short  work  of  it  with  one 
of  his  back-leg  trip  movements.  He 
drawed  me  up  to  his  body  and  lifted 
me  into  the  air  with  a  powerful  twist. 
Jest  at  that  minit  his  back  was  close 
to  the  river  bank,  and  as  my  feet 
teched  the  ground,  I  give  a  tremendous 
jerk  backwards  and  a  shove  forwards, 
and  my  britches  split  plum  open  in 
the  back  and  tore  clean  offen  my 
bread    basket,    and    Ike    fell    from    me 

*  Etowah. 


backwards  and  tumbled  down  the  bank 
into  the  river — kerchug! 

"  'Sich  hollerin'  as  them  boys  done 
I  reckon  never  was  hearn  before  in 
all  them  woods.  I  jumped  in  and 
helped  Ike  out  as  he  riz  to  the  top. 
He  had  took  in  a  quart  or  so  of  water 
right  on  top  of  his  whisky  and  bar- 
bycu, and  as  he  set  upon  the  bank, 
it  all  come  forth  like  a  dost  of  ippe- 
cack.  When  he  gotten  over  it  he 
laughed  sorter  weakly  and  said  Sally 
Ann  told  him  afore  he  left  home  he 
had  better  let  Bill  Arp  alone,  for  no- 
body could  run  against  his  luck.  Ike 
always  believed  he  would  have  thrown 
me  if  britches  holt  hadent  bx'oke,  and 
I  reckon  he  would.  One  thing  is  cer- 
tain; it  cured  Ike  of  braggin',  and  it 
cured  Bob  Moore  of  bettin',  and  that 
was  a  good  thing.' 

"Bill  was  full  of  mischief  and  his 
indulgence  in  practical  jokes  some- 
times led  him  into  trouble,  but  he  al- 
ways managed  to  get  out.  Col.  John- 
ston says  that  one  time  a  young  man 
stayed  over  night  at  his  house,  and 
had  occasion  to  cross  the  ferry  next 
morning.      He    was    from    Charleston, 


BILL  ARP  "LOW  RATES"  M'COY. 


230 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE    YOUNG    MAN    FROM    CHARLESTON. 


and  had  on  a  pair  of  fine  boots  and 
a  fashionable  hat  and  a  white  vest 
and  kid  gloves,  and  was  altogether 
quite  dandy-like  in  his  appearance.  Bill 
came  over  with  the  ferry  boat  and 
eyed  the  man  with  a  look  of  surprise 
and  contempt.  The  young  man  asked 
him  if  his  boat  was  entirely  safe,  and 
insisted  on  having  every  drop  of  water 
bailed  out  for  fear  of  muddying  his 
boots.  Bill  showed  great  alacrity  in 
complying,  and  when  the  boat  was 
nearly  across,  and  the  young  man  was 
standing  near  the  gunnel,  looking 
down  into  the  water,  the  long  pole 
that  Bill  was  managing  came  sudden- 
ly against  his  shoulders  and  keeled 
him  overboard.  Bill  did  not  hesitate 
a  moment,  but  jumped  in  after  him, 
and  quickly  pulled  him  up  into  the 
boat  again.  The  youth  was  dread- 
fully alarmed  and  grateful  for  his 
safe  deliverance.  He  went  back  again 
to  the  Colonel's  house  for  some  dry 
clothes,  but  before  he  left  he  insisted 
on  rewarding  Bill  for  saving  his  life, 
but  Bill  modestly  refused  to  receive 
anything. 

"When  we  went  into  camp  near  Ma- 
nassas, while  Gen.  Wm.  M.  Gardner, 
later  of  Rome,  was  in  command.  Bill 
took  the  general  a  lot  of  beautiful 
honey,  which  was  highly  appreciated, 
and  while  he  was  enjoying  it  at  the 
breakfast   table   an   old   man   came   up 


and  in  pitiful  language  informed  him 
how  some  soldiers  came  to  his  house 
last  night  and  robbed  him  of  all  his 
honey,  twelve  hives  in  all,  and  they 
worth  five  dollars  apiece,  and  now  he 
was  a  ruint  man,  and  the  girls  couldn't 
git  no  clothes,  and  the  cofee  was  out, 
and  the  old  'oman  was  sick,  and  so 
forth. 

"The  general  was  a  West  Pointer 
and  a  strict  constructionist,  and  he 
was  proud  of  his  regiment;  so  that 
evening  at  dress  parade  he  made  them 
a  nice  little  speech  about  a  soldier's 
honor,  and  about  this  honey  business, 
and  wound  up  by  saying  that  he  didn't 
know  who  stole  the  honey,  and  didn't 
vv^ant  to  know,  and  he  wasn't  going  to 
try  to  find  out,  but  he  wanted  every 
man  who  was  willing  to  help  pay  the 
old  man  for  his  loss  to  step  five  paces 
to   the   front. 

"Bill  Arp  was  the  first  man  to  step 
out;  he  threw  up  his  hat  and  hollered 
'Hurrah  for  Ginrul  Gardner!'  The 
whole  regiment  stepped  forward  and 
joined  in  cheers  for  their  noble  gen- 
eral, while  Bill,  without  waiting  for 
orders,  went  down  the  line  with  his 
hat,  saying,  'Put  in,  boys,  put  in;  the 
general  is  right;  let's  pay  the  old  man 
and  git  the  gals  some  clothes.  I  golly, 
the  gals  must  have  some  clothes!' 

"They  made  up  about  ninety  dollars 
and   the  old    man  was    paid   and   went 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


231 


his  way  rejoicing,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  fund  was  turned  over  to  the 
hospital. 

"While  in  camp  at  Centerville  dur- 
ing the  bitter  winter  of  1861-2,  the  or- 
ders against  contraband  whisky  were 
very  strict,  but  still,  the  soldiers  man- 
aged somehow  to  keep  in  pretty  good 
spirits.  One  day  a  six-horse  team  from 
Page  County  drove  into  camp,  loaded 
down  with  sixteen  barrels  of  very  fine 
apples.  The  hind  gate  was  taken  off 
and  a  barrel  set  down  and  the  head 
knocked  in,  and  the  boys  bought  them 
quite  freely.  After  a  while  another 
barrel  was  set  down,  and  in  course  of 
time  Col.  Jno.  R.  Towers,  another  no- 
ble Roman,  of  the  Miller  Rifles,  ob- 
served that  Bill  and  some  others  were 
quite  hilarious,  and  he  suspected  there 
was  something  wrong  about  that 
wagon,  and  procured  an  order  from 
Gen.  Sam  Jones  to  examine  it.  On 
inspection  he  found  there  was  a  five 
gallon  keg  of  apple  brandy  in  each  of 
six  of  the  barrels,  and  the  kegs  were 
packed  around  with  apples.  The  gen- 
eral ordered  a  confiscation.  He  sent  a 
keg  to  each  of  the  five  regimental  hos- 
pitals, and  had  the  sixth  keg  sent  to 
his    tent    and    put   under    his    cot. 

"Bill  Arp  did  not  seem  to  be  pleased 
with  the  distribution,  and  wagged  his 
head  ominously.  He  was  on  the  de- 
tail that  was  to  guard  the  general's 
headquarters  that  night;  and  so,  the 
next  morning,  when  the  general  con- 
cluded to  sample  the  brandy,  and  sent 
down  for  a  few  of  us  to  come  up  and 
join  him  in  a  morning  cocktail,  he 
discovered  that  the  keg  was  gone.  Col. 
Towers  was  there,  and  sent  for  a  list 
of  the  guard,  and  when  he  saw  Bill 
Arp's  name,  he  quietly  remarked,  'I  un- 
derstand it  now.'  All  doubts  were  re- 
moved; no  search  was  made,  for  the 
general  enjoyed  the  joke;  but  that 
night  the  keg  was  replaced  under  his 
cot  with  about  half  its  original  con- 
tents. Bill  said  he  was  always  will- 
ing to  'tote  fair  and  divide  with  his 
friends.' 

"This  is  enough  of  Bill  Arp — the 
original  simon  pure.  He  was  a  good 
soldier  in  war,  the  wit  and  wag  of 
the  camp-fires,  and  made  many  a 
home-sick  youth  laugh  away  his  mel- 
ancholy. He  was  a  good  citizen  in 
peace.  When  told  that  his  son  was 
dead,  he  showed  no  surjirise,  but  sim- 
ply said,  'Major,  did  he  die  all  right?' 
When  assured  that  he  did,  Bill  wiped 
away  a  falling  tear  and  said,  'I  only 
wanted  to  tell  his  mother.' 

"You    may    talk    about    heroes    and 


heroines.  I  have  seen  all  sorts,  and 
so  has  most  everybody  who  was  in 
the  war,  but  I  never  saw  a  more  de- 
voted heroine  than  Bill  Arp's  wife. 
She  was  a  very  humble  woman,  very, 
but  she  loved  her  husband  with  a  love 
that  was  passing  strange.  I  don't 
mean  to  say  that  any  woman's  love 
is  passing  strange,  but  I  have  seen 
that  woman  in  town,  three  miles  from 
her  home,  hunting  around  by  night  for 
her  husband,  going  from  one  grocery 
to  another  and  in  her  kind,  loving 
voice  inquiring  'Is  William  here?'  or 
'Do  you  know  where  William  is?' 

"Blessings  on  that  poor  woman!  I 
have  almost  cried  for  her  many  a  time. 
Poor  William — hdw  she  loved  him! 
How  tenderly  would  she  take  him 
when  she  found  him,  and  lead  him 
home,  bathe  his  head  and  put  him  to 
bed.  She  always  looked  pleased  and 
thankful  when  asked  about  him,  and 
would  say,  'He  is  a  good  little  man, 
but  you  know  he  has  his  failings.' 

"She  loved  Bill  and  he  loved  her;  he 
was  weak  and  she  was  strong.  There 
are  some  such  women  now,  I  reckon; 
I  hope  so.  I  know  there  are  some 
such  men." 

*     *     * 

"BIG  JOHN"  UNDERWOOD.— 
"  'Big  John'  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Rome,  and  one  of  her  most 
notable  men.  For  several  years  he 
was  known  by  his  proper  name  of 
John  H.  Underwood,  but  when  John 
W.  H.  Underwood  moved  there,  he  was 
identified  by  his  superior  size  and 
gradually  lost  his  surname,  and  was 
known  far  and  near  as  'Big  John.' 
Col.  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood,  who  came 
to  be  distinguished  as  a  member  of 
Congress,  and  afterward  as  a  judge, 
was  a  man  of  large  physiciue,  weigh- 
ing about  225  pounds,  but  'Big  John' 
pulled  down  the  scales  at  a  hundred 
])oun(ls  more,  and  had  shorter  arms 
and  shorter  legs,  but  his  circumfer- 
ence was  correspondingly  immense.  He 
was  noted  for  his  good  humor.  _  The 
best  town  jokes  came  from  his  jolly, 
fertile  fancy,  and  his  comments  on 
men  and  things  were  always  origi- 
nal, and  as  terse  and  vigorous  as  ever 
came  from  the  brain  of  Dr.  Johnson. 
He  was  a  diamond  in  the  rough.  He 
had  lived  a  pioneer  among  the  Indians 
of  the  Cherokee,  and  it  was  said  fell 
in  love  with  an  Indan  maid,  the  daugh- 
ter of  old  Te.stenuggee,  a  limited  chief, 
and  never  married  liecause  he  could 
not  marry  her.  But  if  his  disappoint- 
ment preyed  upon  his  heart,  it  did 
not  prey  upon  tlie  region  that  enclosed 
it,  for  iie  continued  to  expand  his  pro- 


232 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


portions.  He  was  a  good  talker  and 
earnest  laugher.  Whether  he  laugh- 
ed and  grew  fat,  or  grew  fat  and 
laughed,  the  doctors  could  not  tell; 
which  was  cause  and  which  was  ef- 
fect is  still  in  doubt,  but  I  have  heard 
the  wise  men  affirm  that  laughing  was 
the  fat  man's  safety  valve,  that  if  he 
did  not  laugh  and  shake  and  vibrate 
frequently,  he  would  grow  fatter  and 
fatter  until  his  epidermic  cuticle  could 
not  contain  his  oleaginous  corporosity. 
Dr.  Chisolm,  of  Charleston,  is  said  to 
have  put  this  matter  beyond  all  dis- 
pute, for  he  had  seen  a  fat  man 
weighed  but  a  few  hours  before  Ar- 
temus  Ward  lectured  in  that  city,  and 
this  fat  man  laughed  so  hard  and  so 
continuously  at  Ward's  wit  that  he 
overdone  the  thing,  and  died  in  his 
seat.  The  coroner  sat  upon  him,  and 
the  doctor  weighed  him  and  found  he 
had  lost  eighteen  pounds  of  flesh  that 
night — laughed  it  away,  which  would 
seem  to  settle  the  vexed  question. 

"Big  John  had  no  patience  with  the 
war,  and  when  he  looked  upon  the 
boys  strutting  around  in  uniform  and 
fixing  up  their  canteens  and  haver- 
sacks, he  seemed  as  much  disgusted  as 
astonished.  He  sat  in  his  big  chair 
on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  his  gro- 
cery and  liquor  shop,  and  would  re- 
mark, 'I  don't  see  any  fun  in  the  like 
of  that.  Somebody  is  going  to  be  hurt, 
and  fightin'  don't  prove  anything. 
Some  of  our  best  people  in  this  town 
are  kin  to  them  fellers  up  North,  and 
I  don't  see  any  sense  in  tearing  up 
families  by  a  fight.'  He  rarely  looked 
serious  or  solemn,  but  the  pending 
fight  seemed  to  settle  him.  'Boys,'  said 
he,  'I  hope  to  God  this  thing  will  be 
fixed  up  without  a  fight,  for  fighting 
is  mighty  bad  business,  and  I  never 
knowed  it  to  do  any  good.' 

"Big  John  had  had  a  little  war  ex- 
perience— that  is,  he  had  volunteered 
in  a  company  to  drive  the  Creeks  and 
Cherokees  to  the  far  west  in  1833, 
just  50  years  ago.  It  was  said  that 
he  was  no  belligerent  then,  but  want- 
ed to  give  the  Indian  maiden  he  loved 
a  safe  transit,  and  so  he  escorted  the 
old  chief  and  his  clan  as  far  as  Tus- 
cumbia,  and  then  broke  down  and  re- 
turned to  Ross's  Landing  on  the  Ten- 
nessee River.  He  was  too  heavy  to 
march,  and  when  he  arrived  at  the 
landing,  a  prisoner  was  put  in  his 
charge  for  safe-keeping.  Ross's  Land- 
ing is  Chattanooga  now,  and  John 
Ross  once  lived  thei'e,  and  was  one 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  Cherokees.  The 
prisoner  was  Ross's  guest,  and  his 
name   was   John    Howard    Payne.      He 


was  suspected  of  trying  to  instigate 
the  Cherokees  to  revolt  and  fight,  and 
not  leave  their  beautiful  forest  homes 
on  the  Tennessee  and  Coosa  and  Oosta- 
naula  and  Etowah  and  Connasauga 
rivers.  He  brought  Payne  back  as 
far  as  New  Echota,  or  New  Town,  as 
it  was  called,  an  Indian  settlement  on 
the  Coosawattee,  a  few  miles  east  of 
Calhoun,  as  now  known.  There  he 
kept  the  author  of  'Home,  Sweet 
Home'  under  guard,  or  on  his  parole 
of  honor,  for  three  weeks,  and  night 
after  night  slept  with  him  in  his  tent, 
and  listened  to  his  music  upon  the 
violin,  and  heard  him  sing  his  own 
sad  songs  until  orders  came  for  his 
discharge,  and  Payne  started  afoot  on 
his  way  to  Washington.  He  said  Payne 
was  much  of  a  gentleman. 

"Many  a  time  have  I  heard  Big  John 
recite  his  sad  adventures.  'It  was  a 
most  distressive  business,'  said  he. 
'Them  Injuns  was  heart-broken.  I  al- 
ways knowed  an  Injun  loved  his  hunt- 
ing-ground and  his  rivers,  but  I  never 
knowed  how  much  they  loved  'em  be- 
fore. You  know,  they  killed  Ridge 
for  consentin'  to  the  treaty.  They  kill- 
ed him  on  the  first  day's  march  and 
they  wouldn't  bury  him.  We  soldiers 
had  to  stop  and  dig  a  grave  and  put 
him  away.  John  Ross  and  Ridge  were 
the  sons  of  two  Scotchmen  who  came 
over  here  when  they  were  young  men 
and  mixed  up  with  these  tribes  and 
got  their  good  will.  These  two  boys 
were  splendid  looking  men,  tall  and 
handsome,  with  long  auburn  hair,  and 
they  were  active  and  strong,  and  could 
shoot  a  bow  equal  to  the  best  bow- 
man of  the  tribe,  and  they  beat  'em 
all  to  pieces  on  the  cross-bow.  They 
married  the  daughters  of  the  old 
chiefs,  and  when  the  old  chiefs  died 
they  just  fell  into  line  and  succeeded 
to  the  old  chiefs'  places,  and  the  tribes 
liked  'em  mighty  well,  for  they  were 
good   men  and    made   good   chiefs. 

"  'Well,  you  see,  Ross  didn't  like  the 
treaty.  He  said  it  wasn't  fair,  that 
the  price  of  the  territory  was  too  low, 
and  the  fact  is,  he  didn't  want  to  go 
at  all.  There  are  the  ruins  of  his  old 
home  over  there  now  inDeSoto,  close 
to  Rome,  and  I  tell  you,  he  was  a  king. 
His  word  was  the  law  of  the  Injun 
nations,  and  he  had  their  love  and  re- 
spect. His  half-breed  children  were 
the  purtiest  things  I  ever  saw  in  my 
life. 

"  'Well,  Ridge  lived  up  the  Oosta- 
naula  River  al30ut  a  mile,  and  he  was 
a  good  man,  too.  Ross  and  Ridge  al- 
ways consulted  about  everything  that 
was    for    the    good    of    the    tribes,    but 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


233 


"BIG  JOHN"  UNDERWOOD'S  RETURN  TO  ROME  AFTER  THE  WAR. 


Ridge  was  a  more  milder  man  than 
Ross,  and  was  more  easily  persuaded 
to  sign  the  treaty  that  gave  the  lands 
to  the  state,  and  to  take  other  lands 
away  out  in  Mississippi.  You  see,  our 
state  owned  the  territory  then  clean 
out  to   the    Mississippi    River. 

"  'Well,  when  the  whole  thing 
seemed  to  be  settled  with  the  chiefs, 
we  found  that  the  Injuns  wasn't  go- 
in'  to  move.  We  couldn't  get  'em 
started.  They  raised  a  howl  all  over 
the  settlements.  It  was  just  like  the 
mourners  at  a  camp  meeting.  The 
families  would  just  set  about  and 
mourn.  They  wouldn't  eat  nor  sleep, 
and  the  old  squaws  would  sway  back- 
wards and  forwards  and  mourn,  and 
nobody  could  get  'em  up. 

"  'Well,  it  took  us  a  month  to  get 
'em  all  together  and  begin  the  march 
to  the  Mississippi,  and  they  wouldn't 
march  then.  The  women  would  go  out 
of  line  and  set  down  in  the  woods  and 
go  to  grieving,  and  you  may  believe  it 
or  not,  but  I'll  tell  you  what  is  a  fact: 
we  started  for  Tuscumbia  with  14,000 
and  4,000  of  'em  died  before  we  got 
to  Tuscumbia.  They  died  on  the  side 
of  the  road ;  they  died  of  broken 
hearts;  they  died  of  starvation,  for 
they  wouldn't  eat  a  thing.  They  just 
died  all  along  the  way.  We  didn't 
make  more  than  five  miles  a  day  on 
the  march,  and  my  company  didn't  do 
much  but  dig  graves  and  bury  Injuns 
all  the  way  to  Tuscumbia.  They  died 
of  grief  and  broken  hearts,  and  no 
mistake. 

"  'An  Injun's  heart  is  tender  and  his 
love  is  strong;  it's  his  natur.  I'd  a 
rather  risk  an  Injun  for  a  true  friend 
than  a  white  man.  He  is  the  best 
friend  in  the  world  and  the  worst 
enemy.  He  has  got  more  gratitude 
and  more  revenge  in  him  than  any- 
body. I  remember  that  Dick  Juhan 
swindled  an  Injun  out  of  his  pony,  and 


that  night  the  Injun  stepped  up  to 
Vann's  Valley  and  stole  the  pony  out 
of  the  stable  and  carried  him  off,  and 
Dick  followed  him  next  day  and 
caught  him  and  tied  him,  and  brought 
him  up  to  old  Livingston  before  a 
magistrate.  I  was  there  and  took  the 
Injun's  part  and  got  him  discharged; 
and  he  kept  his  pony,  and  he  was  so 
grateful  to  me  that  I  couldn't  get  rid 
of  him.  He  just  followed  me  about 
like  a  nigger  and  waited  on  me;  hunt- 
ed for  me  and  brought  me  squirrels 
and  deer  and  turkeys,  and  when  time 
came  for  'em  all  to  go  west,  he  hung 
around  camp  and  wouldn't  leave  me. 
When  I  left  him  at  Tuscumbia,  he 
cried  and  moaned  and  took  on,  and  I 
don't  reckin  he  ever  got  to  the  prom- 
ised land.' 

"Big  John  was  a  stout  and  active 
man,  considering  his  weight.  He  was 
patriotic,  too,  and  when  he  found  that 
the  fight  had  to  come,  he  came  up 
manfully  to  the  cause  and  declared  he 
was  ready  to  join  a  buggy  regiment 
and  fight  until  they  plugged  him, 
which  they  were  sure  to  do,  he  said. 
if  they  pinted  any  ways  down  South. 
When  Joe  Brown  called  for  state  vol- 
unteers, he  responded  promptly,  and 
seemed  proud  that  he  was  in  the  lino 
of  military  service,  and  was  enrolled 
on  the  Governor's  staff.  He  said  that 
he  couldn't  march,  but  he  could  set 
on  one  of  the  hills  around  Rome  and 
guard  the  ramparts. 

"Nevertheless,  notwithstanding,  it 
.so  turned  out  that  old  Joe  got  fight- 
ing mad  after  while  and  ordered  all 
his  staff  and  his  militia  to  the  front, 
and  Big  John  had  to  go.  The  view 
he  took  of  his  now  departure  in  mili- 
tary strategy  will  appear  in  the  sequel, 
and  also  his  remarkable  retreat  bo- 
fore  the  foul  invader  when  Sherman 
took  the  Hill  City  and  dispersed  the 
home    guard    to    remoter    regions. 


234 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"Big  John  is  dead.  The  last  time 
I  saw  him  he  had  lost  his  fat,  and 
his  old  clothes  were  a  world  too  big 
for  him.  He  said  he  was  juicing  away 
so  as  to  fit  a  respectable  coffin  and 
save  a  winding  sheet  or  two  in  his 
shrouding.  He  owed  no  man  anything 
and  no  man  owed  him  a  grudge.  Fat 
men  die  like  lean  ones,  but  they  rare- 
ly die  fat.  Their  fat  is  their  vitality. 
Fat  men  are  generally  good  men,  kind 
men,  peaceable  men,  and  they  axe 
honest.  Their  fat  makes  them  good- 
natured,  and  their  good  nature  keeps 
them  from  swindling  or  cheating  any- 
body. If  I  was  thrown  among 
strangers  and  wanted  a  favor,  I  would 
pass  by  all  lean  and  hungi-y  strangers 
and  sit  down  by  the  biggest,  roundest 
man   I   saw. 

"Big  John's  special  comfort  was  a 
circus.  He  never  missed  one,  and  it 
was  a  good  part  of  the  show  to  see 
him  laugh  and  shake  and  spread  his 
magnificent  face.  I  saw  the  clown 
run  from  the  ring-master's  whip  and 
take  refuge  close  by  Big  John,  and  as 
he  looked  up  in  his  face  he  said,  'You 
are  my  friend,  ain't  you?'  and  Big 
John  sniiled  all  over  as  he  replied, 
'Why,  yes,  of  course  I  am.'  'Well,' 
then,'  said  the  clown,  'if  you  are  my 
friend,  please  lend  me  a  half  a  dol- 
lar.' The  crowd  yelled  tumultuously 
as  Big  John  handed  over  the  coin, 
and  the  joke  of  it  was  worth  half  a 
dollar  to  him. 

"Big  John  took  no  pleasure  in  the 
quarrels  of  mankind,  and  never  back- 
ed a  man  in  a  fight,  but  when  two 
dogs  locked  teeth,  or  two  bulls  locked 
horns,  or  two  game  chickens  locked 
spurs,  he  always  liked  to  be  about. 
'It  is  their  natur  to  fight,'  said  he, 
'and  let  'em  fight.'  He  took  delight 
in  watching  dogs  and  commenting  on 
their  sense  and  dispositions.  He  com- 
pared them  to  the  men  about  town, 
and  drew  some  humorous  analogies. 
'There  is  Jimmy  Jones,'  said  he,  'who 
ripped  and  plunged  around  because 
Georgia  wouldn't  secede  in  a  minute 
and  a  half,  and  he  swore  he  was  go- 
in'  over  to  South  Calliny  to  fight;  and 
when  Georgia  did  secede  shore  enuf  he 
didn't  jine  the  army  at  all,  and  always 
had  some  cussed  excuse,  and  when  con- 
scription come  along,  he  got  on  a  de- 
tail to  make  potash,  con-ding  'im,  and 
when  that  played  out  he  got  a  couple 
of  track  dogs  and  got  detailed  to 
ketch  runaway  prisoners.  Just  so  I've 
seen  dogs  run  up  and  down  the  fence 
palings  like  they  was  dyin'  to  get  to 
one  nuther,  and  so  one  day  I  picked 
up    my   dog   by   the   nap   of   the    neck 


and  dropped  him  over  on  the  outside. 
I  never  knowed  he  could  jump  that 
fence  before,  but  he  bounced  back  like 
an  Injun  rubber  ball,  and  the  other 
dog  streaked  it  down  the  sidewalk 
like  the  dickens  was  after  him.  Dogs 
are  like  folks  and  folks  are  like  dogs, 
and  a  heap  of  'em  want  the  palings 
between. 

"  'Jack  Bogin  used  to  strut  around 
and  whip  the  boys  in  his  beat,  and 
kick  'em  awful,  because  he  knew  he 
could  do  it,  for  he  had  the  most  mus- 
sle;  but  he  couldn't  look  a  brave  man 
in  the  eye,  mussle  or  no  mussle,  and 
I've  seen  him  shut  up  quick  when  he 
met  one.  A  man  has  got  to  be  right 
to  be  brave,  and  I'd  rather  see  a  bully 
get  a  lickin'  than  to  eat  sugar!'" 

Author's  Note — The  above  highly 
interesting  and  entertaining  account 
contains  a  number  of  historical  er- 
rors, particularly  with  regard  to  John 
Howard  Payne  and  the  Indians, 
against  which  the  history  lover  should 
guard  himself.  It  is  well  to  remember 
that  Big  John  was  apt  to  depart  now 
and  then  from  the  path  of  historic 
rectitude. 

"BILL  ARP"  TO  "ABE  LINK- 
HORN."— Maj.  Chas.  H.  Smith  wrote 
a  saucy  open  letter  from  Rome  to 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  Washington  on 
the  eve  of  the  opening  of  the  Civil 
War.  It  was  this  letter  which  caused 
him  to  write  thereafter  under  the  pen 
name  of  "Bill  Arp."  The  original  Bill 
Arp  happening  along,  Maj.  Smith  said, 
"This  letter  is  so  hot,  I  don't  know 
whose  name  to  sign  to  it!"  Arp  said: 
"Them's  my  sentiments.  Major;  just 
sign  mine."  And  he  did.  The  letter 
was  widely  copied  and  made  Major 
Smith  famous  and  uncomfortable  as 
well.     Here  it  is:* 

"Rome,  Ga.,  Aprile,  1861. 
"Mr.  Linkhorn,  Sur:  These  are  to 
inform  you  that  we  are  all  well,  and 
hope  these  lines  may  find  you  in  statue 
ko.  We  received  your  proklamation, 
and  as  you  have  put  us  on  very  short 
notis,  a  few  of  us  boys  have  conklud- 
ed  to  write  you,  and  ax  for  a  little 
more  time.  'The  fact  is,  we  are  most 
obleeged  to  have  a  few  more  days,  for 
the  way  things  are  happening,  it  is 
utterly  onpossible  for  us  to  disperse 
in  twenty  days.  Old  Virginny,  and 
Tennessee  and  North  Carolina  are  con- 
tinually aggravatin'  us  into  tumults 
and  carousements,  and  a  body  can't 
disperse   until   you   put  a   stop   to   sich 


"From    Bill    Arp's    "Peace    Papers." 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


235 


WHEREIN   MAJOR   SMITH  TRIES  HIS  HAND   AT   FARMING. 
When   "Bill   Arp"  emei-ged   from  the  war,  all   he   had   was   a   bolt  of  cotton 
cloth  and  a  hunk  of  gum  opium,  which  he  quickly  swapped  for  food.     He  tried  to 
raise  vegetables  for  a  while,  and  here  he  is  seen  turning  a   few  furrows.      His 
boys  are  enjoying'  the  sport,  and  the  eldest  advises  him  to  keep  at  the  law. 


onruly  konduct  on  their  part.  I  tried 
my  darndest  yisterday  to  disperse  and 
retire,  but  it  was  no  go;  and  besides, 
your  marshal  here  isn't  doing  a  darn- 
ed thing — he  don't  read  the  riot  act, 
nor  remonstrate,  nor  nothing,  and 
ought  to  be  turned  out.  If  you  con- 
klude  to  do  so,  I  am  authorized  to 
rekummend  to  you  Col.  Gibbons  or 
Mr.  McLung,  who  would  attend  to 
the  bizness  as  well  as  most  anybody. 
"The  fact  is,  the  boys  round  here 
want  watchin,  or  they'll  take  sumthin. 


A  few  days  ago  I  heard  they  surround- 
ed two  of  our  best  citizens,  because 
they  was  named  Fort  and  Sumter. 
Most  of  'em  are  so  hot  that  they  fair- 
ly siz  when  you  pour  water  on  'em, 
and  that's  the  way  they  make  up  their 
military  companies  here  now — when  a 
man  applies  to  jine  the  volunteers, 
they  sprinkle  him,  and  if  he  sizzes, 
they  take  him,  and  if  he  don't  they 
don't. 

"Mr.  Linkhoni.  sur.  privately  speak- 
in,  I'm  afeered   I'll  git  in  a  tite   place 


236 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


here  among  these  bloods,  and  have  to 
slope  out  of  it,  and  I  would  like  to 
have  your  Scotch  cap  and  kloak  that 
you  traveled  in  to  Washington.  I  sup- 
pose you  wouldn't  be  likely  to  use  the 
same  disgize  agin,  when  you  left,  and 
therefore  I  would  propose  to  swap.  I 
am  five  feet  five,  and  could  git  my 
plow  breeches  and  coat  to  you  in  eight 
or  ten  days  if  you  can  wait  that  long. 
I  want  you  to  write  me  immegitly 
about  things  generally,  and  let  us 
know  whereabouts  you  intend  to  do 
your  fitin.  Your  proklamation  says 
somethin  about  taking  possession  of 
all  the  private  property  at  'All  Haz- 
ards.' We  can't  find  no  such  place  on 
the  map.  I  thot  it  must  be  about 
Charleston,  or  Savannah,  or  Harper's 
Ferry,  but  they  say  it  ain't  anywhere 
down  South.  One  man  said  it  was  a 
little  Faktory  on  an  iland  in  Lake 
Champlain,  where  they  make  sand 
bags.  My  opinun  is  that  sand  bisness 
won't  pay,  and  it  is  a  great  waste  of 
money.  Our  boys  here  carry  thei-e 
sand  in  there  gizzards,  where  it  keeps 
better,  and  is  always  handy.  I'm 
afeered  your  government  is  givin  you 
and  your  kangaroo  a  great  deal  of  on- 
necessary  trubbul,  and  my  humble  ad- 
vice is,  if  things  don't  work  out  bet- 
ter soon,  you'd  better  grease  it,  or 
trade  the  darned  old  thing  off.  I'd 
show  you  a  slite-of-hand  trick  that 
would  change  the  whole  concern  into 
buttons  quick.  If  you  don't  trade  or 
do  sumthin  with  it  soon,  it  will  spile 
or  die  on  your  hands,  sertain. 

"Give  my  respects  to  Bill  Seward 
and  the  other  members  of  the  Kanga- 
roo. What's  Hannibal  doin?  I  don't 
hear   anything  from   him   nowadays. 

"Yours,  with   care, 

"BILL   ARP." 

"P.  S. — If  you  can  possibly  extend 
that  order  to  .30  days,  do  so.  We  have 
sent  you  a  check  at  Harper's  Ferry 
(who  keeps  that  darnd  old  ferry  now? 
It's  givin  us  a  heap  of  trubble),  but 
if  you  positively  won't  extend,  we'll 
send  you  a  check  drawn  by  Jeff  Da- 
vis, Borygard  endorser,  payable  on 
sight   anywhere. 

"Yours, 

"B.  A." 


"BILL  ARP"  AND  THE  LOT- 
TERY.— We  publish  in  another  col- 
umn a  letter  from  the  managers  of  a 
lottery  establishment  in  Baltimore  to 
Chas.  H.  Smith,  Esq.,  of  this  place, 
and  his  reply.  .  .  The  public  owes 
Mr.  Smith  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  ex- 
posing this  iniquitous  scheme. 


( Correspondence.) 
"Gilbert   &   Co.,    Bankers    and    Brok- 
ers and   General  Agents  for  the  Dela- 
ware  State  Lotteries. 

"Baltimore,  Md.,  Jan.  10,  1860. 
"C.    H.    Smith,   Esq., 
"Rome,  Ga. 

"Dear  Sir:  We  take  the  liberty  to 
enclose  you  a  scheme  of  the  Delaware 
State  Lottery,  for  which  we  are  gen- 
eral agents,  our  object  being  to  try 
and  sell  you  a  prize  so  as  to  create 
an  excitement  in  your  locality  that 
will  tend  to  increase  our  business. 
With  this  end  in  view,  we  offer  you 
the  preference  to  purchase  a  very  fine- 
ly arranged  package  of  25  tickets, 
which  we  have  selected  in  the  lottery 
drawing  Feb.  11,  Class  72.  This  pack- 
age gives  you  the  advantage  of  $31.25 
worth  of  tickets  for  the  cost  of  only 
$20 ;  and  to  convince  you  of  our  con- 
fidence in  its  success,  we  will  guaran- 
tee you  another  package  of  our  extra 
lotteries  free  of  charge  if  the  above 
fails  to  draw  a  prize,  the  lowest  be- 
ing $200  (see  full  scheme  within).  We 
make  this  offer  in  good  faith,  with 
a  desire  to  sell  you  the  Capital,  $37,- 
000.  Should  you  think  favorably  of 
it,  enclose  us  $20,  and  the  package 
will  be  sent  by  return  mail,  the  re- 
sult of  which  we  confidently  think  will 
be  satisfactory  to  you. 

"Yours   truly, 

"GILBERT   &    CO." 

"(This   is   confidential.)" 

"Messrs.  Gilbert  &  Co.,  Gents.:  I 
acknowledge  receipt  of  your  kind  let- 
ter of  the  10th.  I  send  you  my  note 
for  $20,  instead  of  the  cash,  as  it  will 
save  exchange,  and  there  is  really  no 
necessity  of  sending  money  to  Balti- 
more and  having  it  sent  back  again  in 
a  few  days.  This  arrangement,  I 
confidently  think,  will  be  satisfactory 
to   you,  for   it   is  done   in  good  faith. 

"I  really  feel  under  many  obliga- 
tions that  you  have  chosen  me  as  the 
object  of  your  liberality  and  do  assure 
you  that  when  that  $37,000  prize  comes 
to  hand,  the  excitement  which  it  will 
raise  in  this  community  will  swallow 
up  and  extinguish  the  John  Brown 
raid,  and  you  will  sell  more  tickets 
here  than  traveling  circuses  and  mon- 
key shows  take  off  in  20  years.  This 
is  a  good  locality  for  such  an  experi- 
ment, for  there  is  a  vast  number  of 
clever  people  who  are  in  the  habit 
of  racking  their  brains  to  devise  some 
way  to  get  money  without  working  for 
it,  and  I  know  very  well  that  when 
they    are    satisfied     they     can     do    so 


Anecdotes  and  Reminsicences 


237 


through  your  company,  they  will 
cheerfully  give  you  that  preference 
which  you  have  shown  to  me. 

"Our  court  is  now  in  session,  and  I 
very  much  regret  you  are  not  here  to 
lay  your  proposition  before  our  Grand 
Jury,  for  I  have  no  doubt  they  would 
properly  appreciate  it,  and  out  of  grat- 
itude board  you  a  while  at  public  ex- 
pense. Our  legislature,  in  its  genero- 
sity, passed  a  special  act,  (which  may 
be  found  in  the  11th  division  of  the 
Penal  Code)  to  compensate  such  hon- 
orable gentlemen  as  you  seem  to  be. 

"You  are  hereby  authorized  to  de- 
duct the  $20  and  send  the  remainder 
to  me  by  Adams  &  Company's  Ex- 
press. 

"CHAS.    H.    SMITH." 

"(This   is  confidential.)" 

"P.  S. — A  friend  of  mine  has  just 
shown  me  a  letter  from  your  firm  to 
him,  making  him  the  same  proposition 
which  you  have  made  to  me;  and  he 
professed  some  suspicion,  but  I  as- 
sured him  that  you  knew  we  were  in- 
timate friends,  and  that  we  would  di- 
vide the  prize  between  us,  or  you 
thought  that  possibly  one  of  us  might 
be  away  from  home. 

"C.  H.  S." 

"P.  S.  No.  2 — As  I  was  about  to 
mail  this,  another  friend  confided  to 
me  a  similar  letter  to  him.  I  am  at 
a  loss  to  know  how  to  satisfy  him. 
Please  give  me  the  dots. 

"C.  H.  S." 
THE  NOTE. 
"$20 — On  demand  I  promise  to  pay 
Gilbert  &  Co.  twenty  dollars,  provid- 
ed the  finely-arranged  package  of 
tickets  which  they  have  selected  for 
me  draws  a  prize  of  not  less  than 
$200. 

"CHAS.    H.    SMITH." 
— Tri-Weekly  Courier,  Jan.  17,  1860. 
*     *     * 

"BILL  ARP"  ON  ROME.— (By  J. 
D.  McCartney,  in  Rome  Tribune-Her- 
ald, July  2i,  1920).— Mrs.  Harriet 
Connor  Stevens  came  up  from  Cave 
Spring  the  other  day  and  brought  me 
some  papers  that  had  been  the  prop- 
erty of  the  lamented  Prof.  Wesley  O. 
Connor,  her  father.  They  are  very 
interesting.  One  of  them  contains  a 
speech  of  Samuel  J.  Tilden  made  in 
September  of  18G8  that  is  well  worth 
reading  today.  The  others  are  the 
last  issue  of  the  Rome  Courier  and  the 
first  issue  of  the  Tribune  of  Rome, 
bearing  date  of  Oct.  2,  1887. 


I  shall  have  more  to  say  about 
those  papers  from  time  to  time,  but 
the  subject  of  today's  sketch  is  an  ar- 
ticle in  the  "Southerner  and  Commer- 
cial," a  triweekly  bearing  date  of 
April  10,  1870.  It  is  entitled  "Ancient 
History  of  Modern  Rome,"  and  is  from 
the  talented  pen  of  Major  Chas.  H. 
Smith  ("Bill  Arp").  Older  Romans  de- 
lighted to  read  Bill  Arp's  writings  and 
I  am  sure  the  younger  generation,  too, 
will  enjoy  the  style  as  well  as  the  sub- 
stance of  his  words  about  the  begin- 
nings of  Rome,  quotations  from  which 
follow: 

"In  the  year  1832,  the  county  of 
Floyd  was  laid  off  by  the  government 
surveyors,  and  in  1833  the  county  site 
was  fixed  at  Livingston  (a  place  about 
12  miles  distant,  and  situated  near 
the  South  bank  of  the  Coosa).  A  few 
houses  were  built  and  one  court  held 
there  by  Judge  John  W.  Hooper.  About 
this  time  a  number  of  the  fortunate 
drawers  in  the  land  lottery  were  seek- 
ing to  take  forcible  possession  of  the 
very  homes  of  the  Indians.  Judge 
Hooper  did  not  deem  this  just  until 
the  Indians  were  paid  for  their  im- 
provements, and  he  therefore  granted 
many  bills  of  injunction  at  the  in- 
stance of  Judge  Wm.  H.  Underwood, 
the   leading  counsel   for  the  tribe. 

"In  the  year  1834  a  Rome  town^com- 
pany  was  formed,  consisting  of  Z.  B. 
Hargrove,  Philip  W.  Hemphill,  Wm. 
Smith  and  D.  R.  Mitchell.  The  upper 
portion  of  the  town  was  surveyed  and 
laid  off  into  town  lots.  Favorable 
propositions  were  made  by  the  com- 
pany to  the  county  authorities,  and 
Rome  was  made  the  county  site  in 
1835.  The  frames  of  some  of  the  first 
houses  erected  were  brought  up  from 
Livingston  on  keel  boats,  one  of  them 
occupied  by  Dr.  G.  W.  Holmes,  and 
another  by  Col.  Sam  Gibbons.  The  old- 
est house  in  the  place  is  a  small  tene- 
ment next  above  the  fire  engine  house. 
The  first  court  was  held  by  Judge 
Owen  H.  Kenan  in  a  log  cabin  16x18, 
erected  on  Academy  Hill,  and  the 
grand  jury  held  their  first  session  in 
a  lime  sink  a  few  rods  distant.  The 
diligence  and  energy  of  the  town  com- 
pany, and  the  many  advantages  of  tlie 
location,  soon  began  to  attract  men  of 
education  and  means  and  connnercial 
influence.  In  a  short  time  Rome  be- 
came a  market  for  a  considei-ahle  ex- 
tent of  territory.  Many  of  those  who 
co-operated  in  giving  vitality  and  im- 
petus to  the  place  are  long  since  dead 
and  gone,  but  as  long  as  Rome  has  a 
record,  the  names  of  John  H.  Lump- 
kin, William  Smith,  Dennis  Hills,  Jobe 


238 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Rogers  and  James  M.  Sumter  will  be 
remembered  when  her  early  history  is 
recalled. 

"In  the  days  of  these  pioneers,  Rome 
was  but  a  hamlet.  From  a  single 
point  a  school  boy's  bow  could  send 
an  arrow  beyond  the  farthest  house. 
All  that  portion  of  the  city  now  known 
as  'down  town'  was  a  stately  forest  of 
aged  oaks,  and  the  best  society  of 
Howard  Street  were  the  owls  who 
hooted  from  their  hollows.  Until  about 
the  year  1850,  Mr.  Norton's  store  was 
the  extreme  Southern  boundary  of  all 
improvements.  The  first  hotel  was  kept 
by  Francis  Burke,  in  the  house  now 
occupied  by  Dr.  Holmes.  Not  long 
after,  James  McEntee  built  and  kept 
up  a  public  house  for  many  years. 
His  blunt  Scotch  ancestry  made  him  a 
universal  favorite,  and  we  are  glad 
to  know  that  he  still  lives  near  us  in 
the  enjoyment  of  good  health.  The 
hotel  built  by  him  is  now  known  as 
the  residence  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Undei-wood. 
Euclid  Waterhouse,  a  man  well  known 
in  commercial  circles,  opened  the  first 
store  in  the  place.  Nathan  Yarbrough, 
Judge  Lamberth  and  David  Rounsaville 
were  his  competitors  in  the  mercantile 
business. 

"Wm.  Smith  was  the  first  sheriff 
of  the  county.  In  the  year  1834  he 
had  to  perform  the  unpleasant  duty 
of  hanging  two  Indians,  Barney  Swim- 
mer and  Terrapin,  found  guilty  of  the 
murder  of  Ezekiel  Blatchford  (or 
Braselton).  He  represented  this  coun- 
ty in  both  branches  of  the  General  As- 
sembly. He  was  defeated  for  re-elec- 
tion because  of  his  bold  and  strenuous 
exertions  to  change  the  projected 
route  of  the  Western  &  Atlantic 
(state)  railroad  between  Chattanooga 
and  Atlanta  so  as  to  include  Rome. 
He  was  a  man  of  wonderful  energy 
and  foresight,  and  it  is  universally 
conceded  that  he  did  more  than  any 
other  person  to  insure  the  progress 
and  prosperity  of  the  little  city.  It 
was  chiefly  his  influence  that  made 
Rome  the  county  site;  his  urgent  ef- 
forts that  caused  the  building  of  the 
first  steamboat,  that  projected  the 
first  railroad  (the  Rome),  and  that  in- 
duced the  coming  of  such  men  as  Col. 
Alfred  Shorter,  A.  M.  Sloan,  Wm.  E. 
Alexander,  John  H.  Lumpkin  and 
others  of  like  means  and  spirit.  He 
died  in  1850,  and,  as  is  too  often  the 
case,  before  the  happy  results  of  his 
foresight  and  energy  were  fully  real- 
ized. 

"J.  T.  Riley  and  wife  were  the  first 
couple  married  and  now  live  in  the 
town.      Col.   A.   T.   Hardin  and   Morris 


Marks  are  the  old  merchants  who  are 
still  engaged  in  that  occupation.  Judge 
Kenan  was  succeeded  by  the  following 
judges,  in  the  order  named:  Turner 
H.  Trippe,  George  D.  Wright,  John  W. 
Hooper,  John  H.  Lumpkin,  Leander  W. 
Crook,  Dennis  T.  Hammond,  L.  H. 
Featherston,  J.  W.  H.  Underwood  and 
Francis  A.  Kirby.  John  Townsend  was 
the  first  foreman  of  the  first  grand 
jury,  and  the  first  bill  of  indictment 
found  was  against  the  Indians  Choosa- 
kelqua  and  Teasalaka,  charged  with 
assault   with   intent   to   murder. 

"From  the  year  1840  Rome  con- 
tinued to  make  substantial  progress. 
In  the  year  1845  a  steamboat  was 
built  at  Greensport,  Ala.,  by  Capt. 
John  Lafferty.  For  months  the  rude 
settlers  in  the  adjacent  counties  had 
heard  of  the  'varmint,'  as  they  called 
it,  and  when  the  time  came  for  its 
first  trip  to  the  junction  at  Rome,  the 
scattered  inhabitants  gathered  in 
camps  along  the  banks  to  see  the  'var- 
mint' go.  When  it  did  come,  it  was 
to  these  rude  settlers  a  show  equal 
to  a  circus.  At  one  point,  more  than 
100  people  had  congregated,  the  men 
all  wearing  coon-skin  caps  with  coons' 
tails  hanging  down  their  backs.  One 
very  consequential  and  'highly-educat- 
ed' patriarch.  Squire  Bogan,  of  Cedar 
Bluff,  Ala.,  stood  forward  to  make  a 
reconnoisance  and  give  the  crowd  the 
benefit  of  his  vast  learning.  He  saw 
the  large  letters  'U.  S.  M.'  painted  on 
the  wheelhouse,  and  underneath  them 
the  letters  Coosa.  He  spelled  it  over 
carefully,  letter  by  letter,  in  a  loud 
tone  of  voice,  and  after  a  third  ef- 
fort, declared:  'I've  got  it,  boys.  Its 
name  is  Use  'em  Susy!'  The  'var- 
mint' never  got  rid  of  this  nom  de 
plume.  In  the  course  of  time,  other 
steamboats  were  built,  and  a  branch 
road  from  Kingston  to  Rome  project- 
ed. 

"Even  the  newspapers  adopted  the 
name.  Bill  Ramey  and  Tom  Perry 
built  a  little  boat  that  they  said  could 
snake  its  way  thi'ough  any  shoal  when 
the  rivers  were  not  a  foot  deep.  In 
fact,  Ramey  used  to  swear  his  craft 
could  run  on  dry  land  if  there  was 
a  thick  fog  or  heavy  dew. 

"From  the  days  of  steamboats  and 
raih-oads  the  history  of  our  city  is  too 
familiar  to  be  rehearsed,  but  I  will 
venture  to  remind  you  in  closing  these 
remarks  that  the  lamps  which  have  lit 
her  pleasing  progress  have  not  always 
been  brightly  burning.  There  have 
been  shadows,  and  still  are  shadows, 
which  set  in  mourning  the  happy  pros- 
perity   of    our    city.      Dark    lines    are 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


239 


drawn  around,  and  the  stricken  heart 
beats  sadly  the  knell  of  our  heroic 
dead.  Noble  sons,  husbands  and  fath- 
ers are  missing — missing  from  here 
tonight.  They  have  been  long  missing 
from  the  fireside  and  the  forum,  from 
the  farm,  the  shop  and  the  counting 
room,  from  court,  church  and  hall." 
=1=     *     * 

TURN  ABOUT  WANTED. —  A 
Floyd  County  farmer,  attacked  by  his 
neighbor's  bull-dog,  defended  himself 
and  badly  wounded  the  dog.  The  irate 
neighbor  said:  "If  you  had  to  use 
that  pitchfork,  why  didn't  you  go  at 
him  with  the  other  end?"  The  farmer 
replied,  "Why  didn't  he  come  at  me 
with   the    other    end    of    him?" 

SHERMAN'S  GEORGIA  SWEET- 
HEART.— In  the  Lucian  Knight  Geor- 
gia historical  books  and  elsewhere  is 
found  a  charmingly  romantic  story  of 
Civil  War  days  and  before  in  which 
a  Roman  played  an  important  part 
Marcellus  A.  Stovall,  of  Augusta,  later 
of  Rome,  in  1836  had  entered  ithe 
United  States  Military  Academy  at 
West  Point  and  chosen  as  roommate 
Wm.  Tecumseh  Sherman,  an  eagle- 
eyed  lad  of  16  from  Mansfield,  0. 
Cadet  Stovall  was  a  brother  of  Miss 
Cecelia  Stovall,  a  noted  Georgia  belle 
and  beauty,  who  presently  on  a  visit 
to  her  brother  became  a  favorite 
among  the  dancing  set  at  the  academy. 

In  the  forefront  of  her  admirers 
stood  young  Sherman,  who  did  not 
fail  to  make  capital  out  of  the  fact 
that  he  was  her  brother's  bosom 
friend;  and  it  was  whispered  that  the 
Ohioan,  highly  diffident  toward  the 
average  young  lady,  had  been  smitten 
beyond  hope  of  redemption  by  the 
dark-eyed  girl  from  Georgia.  The  his- 
torians record  that  on  one  occasion 
when  he  was  diplomatically  sparring 
for  a  snug  place  in  Miss  Cecelia's  af- 
fections (it  may  have  been  a  straight- 
out  proposal),  she  said  quite  frankly: 

"Your  eyes  are  so  cold  and  cruel.  I 
pity  the  man  who  ever  becomes  your 
antagonist.  Ah,  how  you  would  crush 
an  enemy!" 

To  which  he  replied  gallantly, 
"Even  though  you  were  my  enemy,  niy 
dear,  I  would  love  you  and  protect 
you." 

Joseph  Hooker,  of  Massachusetts,  a 
graduate  of  West  Point  in  the  class 
of  1837,  was  another  who  claimed 
many  dances  with  Miss  Cecelia  and 
whose  heart  sank  within  him  when 
she    returned    to    her    Southern    home. 


Still  another  was  handsome  Richard  B. 
Garnett,  a  West  Point  graduate  in 
charge  of  the  arsenal  at  Augusta, 
whose  geogi-aphical  position  gave  him 
a  decided  advantage  over  the  others 
and  who  got  to  the  point  of  acceptance 
of  his  proposal.  However,  parental 
objection  was  raised,  and  Dick  Gar- 
nett went  to  his  death  at  Gettysburg 
in  1863  with  the  image  of  lovely  Ce- 
celia Stovall  graven  on  his  heai't;  he 
had  never  married,  and  when  the 
Grim  Reaper  cut  him  down  he  was  a 
general  and  one  of  the  bravest  men  in 
the   army   of   Northern    Virginia. 

It  may  have  been  a  coincidence  that 
Wm.  T.  Sherman,  then  a  lieutenant, 
was  assigned  in  1845  to  detached  duty 
at  this  same  arsenal  at  Augusta ;  he 
may  have  wanted  to  see  his  old  room- 
mate, but  more  than  likely  he  pined 
for  sight  of  Miss  Cecelia.  However, 
if  he  sang  the  old  love  song  over  again, 
her  answer  was  the  same,  and  here  was 
one  citadel,  at  least,  that  an  irrepres- 
sible West  Pointer  could  not  take  by 
storm. 

So  with  Dick  Garnett,  a  noble  son 
of  old  Virginia,  who  could  trace  his 
ancestry  back  to  Adam;  but  he  was 
on  a  salary  that  would  little  more 
than    care    for    two.       Miss    Cecelia's 


GKN.  MARCELLUS  A.  STOVALL,  roommate 
at  West  Point  of  Gen.  Wm.  T.  Sherman,  who 
became  the  sweetheart  of  Miss  Cecelia  Sto- 
vall. 


240 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


proud  parent,  Pleasant  Stovall,  once 
a  resident  of  Athens,  desired  that  she 
should  marry  a  man  of  wealth  and  in- 
fluence. She  was  forbidden  the  pleas- 
ui'e  of  young  Garnett's  company  and 
sent  to  visit  relatives  in  South  Caro- 
lina. There  she  met  Capt.  Chas.  Shell- 
man,  whose  suit  was  favored  by  daugh- 
ter and  parent,  and  so  they  were  mar- 
ried. 

Lieut.  Sherman's  stay  in  Augusta 
terminated  abruptly;  in  1850  he  mar- 
ried his  adopted  father's  daughter, 
Nellie  Ewing,  and  his  biographer  re- 
corded many  years  later  that  she  was 
his  "first  love."  Marcellus  A.  Stovall 
moved  to  Rome  in  1846,  and  he  was 
soon  joined  by  his  young  half-brother, 
George  T.  Stovall,  who  became  asso- 
ciate editor  of  the  Rome  Courier  and 
was  killed  at  First  Manassas.  Here 
the  beautiful  sister  visited  them  often. 

In  1861  Capt.  Chas.  Shellman  built 
for  his  Augusta  princess  the  mansion 
on  the  Etowah  River,  near  Carters- 
ville,  known  as  "Shellman  Heights." 
Three  more  years  passed,  until  Sher- 
man's army  of  human  locusts  swept 
down  from  Chattanooga,  trampled  on 
Rome  and  continued  into  Bartow 
County.  As  the  torch  brigade  set  fire 
to  this  establishment  and  that.  Gen. 
Sherman's  attention  was  directed  by 
a  fellow  oflficer  to  a  fine  mansion  on  a 
hill.  "Looks  like  the  palatial  retreat 
of  an  old  plantation  grandee,"  re- 
marked this  personage.  Sherman  and 
his  staff  went  to  the  place  and  ad- 
mired its  Colonial  columns  and  its  at- 
mosphere throughout.  An  old  negro 
mammy  sat  on  the  front  steps  moan- 
ing her  life  away.  "Oh,  Ginrul.  whut 
yo'  gwine  do?  I  sholy  is  glad  Missus 
Cecelia  ain't  here  to  see  it  wid  her  own 
eyes!" 

"Miss  Cecelia?"  queried  Gen.  Sher- 
man, as  the  little  hob-goblins  began  to 
prance  around  his  memory  chest.  "Who 
lives  here,  auntie?" 

"Missus  Shellman, — Ceclia  Stovall 
Shellman,  sur,  an'  she's  gone  away 
now,  bless  her  politeness!" 

"My  God!"  exclaimed  the  warrior. 
"Can   it  be  possible?" 

Momentarily  he  bowed  his  head,  a 
lump  formed  in  his  throat,  he  swal- 
lowed hard  and  his  eyes  became  moist. 
On  learning  from  the  old  woman  that 
Mrs.  Shellman  had  sought  safety  in 
flight,  Gen.  Sherman  ordered  his  plun- 
dering soldiers  to  restore  everything 
they  had  taken,  and  he  placed  a  guard 
to  protect  the  premises.  Then  he  said, 
"Auntie,  you  get  word  to  your  mis- 
tress that  she  will  be  perfectly  safe  in 


returning  here,  and  when  you  see  her, 
do  you  hand  her  this  card  from  me." 

On  his  card  Gen.  Sherman  had  writ- 
ten, "You  once  said  I  would  crush  an 
enemy,  and  you  pitied  my  foe.  Do  you 
recall  my  reply?  Although  many  years 
have  passed,  my  answer  is  the  same 
now  as  then,  'I  would  ever  shield  and 
protect  you.'  That  I  have  done.  For- 
give me  all  else.     I  am  only  a  soldier. 

"W.  T.  SHERMAN." 

Later  came  Gen.  Joseph  Hooker, 
soon  to  be  cited  for  bravery  in  the  Bat- 
tle of  Atlanta.  Learning  the  situa- 
tion, he  repeated  the  orders  of  Gen. 
Sherman,  shed  a  tear  over  a  boxwood 
hedge  and  departed  on  the  chase  which 
was  the  forerunner  of  the  famous 
March  to  the   Sea. 

The  armies  gone.  Miss  Cecelia  re- 
turned to  Shellman  Heights,  gazed  out 
over  the  winding  Etowah,  and  breath- 
ed a  prayer  and  a  poem  to  friendship. 
There  she  passed  the  rest  of  her  days. 
On  Jan.  1,  1911,  fire  took  Shellman 
Heights,  uninsured,  and  today  the  spot 
is  but  a  shadow  of  its  former  self,  but 
it  will  always  live  in  memory. 

When  Gen.  Sherman  approached  Au- 
gusta from  Savannah,  the  Augustans 
took  their  cotton  out  of  the  ware- 
houses and  burned  it,  anticipating  that 
he  would  destroy  everything  when  he 
arrived,  and  preferring  to  do  a  part  of 
it  themselves.  The  surprise  of  every- 
body was  great,  therefore,  when  Gen. 
Sherman  made  a  detour  across  the 
Savannah  River  into  South  Carolina 
and  left  their  beautiful  city  unmolest- 
ed. There  may  have  been  military 
reasons,  but  Augusta  folk  to  this  day 
declare  he  spared  the  town  because  it 
had  been  the  home  of  the  heroine  of 
his  romance  at  West  Point. 

In  1915,  faithful  to  a  promise  he 
had  made  to  Miss  Cecelia  and  to  him- 
self, old  Uncle  Josiah  Stovall,  the  fam- 
ily slave  and  master's  bodyguard,  turn- 
ed up  at  the  G.  A.  R.  reunion  at 
Washington  to  thank  Gen.  Sherman 
for  sparing  the  home.  This  old  "Ches- 
terfield in  charcoal"  carried  a  carpet 
bag  grip,  a  heavy  hickory  cane,  and 
wore  a  silk  hat  and  a  sleek  broadcloth 
Prince  Albert  coat.  His  head  and  chin 
were  full  of  African  cotton  and  he 
attracted  considerable  attention  as  he 
tried  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  traffic. 
To  a  policeman  he  confided  that  he  had 
come  to  find  Gen.  Sherman,  and  wanted 
to  thank  him  "in  pusson,"  and  to  claim 
a  gift  he  vowed  Sherman  had  promised 
him. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


241 


"You're  out  of  luck,  old  man.  Gen. 
Sherman  won't  be  in  the  parade  today. 
He's  been  dead  nearly  25  years." 

"Oh  Lordy,  white  folks,  den  dis  nig- 
ger's sholy  got  to  march  back  to  Geor- 
gia!" 

*     t-     * 

MARTHA  SMITH'S  POLITICAL 
COUP.— In  1844  when  pretty  Martha 
Smith  was  13  and  riding  a  pony  into 
town  to  school  from  her  father's  home 
on  the  Alabama  Road,  and  was  begin- 
ning to  "dress  up"  and  attract  the 
boys,  she  was  taken  by  Col.  Smith  on 
a  trip  to  Milledgeville,  then  capital  of 
the  state.  Colonel  Smith  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature  and  as  an  ardent 
Whig  was  boosting  the  stock  of  Zach- 
ary  Taylor  for  President.  He  was  to 
make  a  speech  at  the  town  hall  or 
opera  house,  and  various  speakers 
were  to  tell  the  virtues  of  Taylor  to  his 
Baldwin  County  friends  and  any  oth- 
ers who  might  wish  to  be  enlightened. 
Now,  the  indulgent  father  had  bought 
his  daughter  a  beautiful  new  hat,  of 
which  she  was  highly  proud.  He  left 
her  shortly  before  the  meeting  with  a 
friend  stopping  at  the  hotel  and  the 
friend  escorted  her  through  the  town 
square  to  a  seat  in  the  front  of  the 
hall.  As  the  chairman  rapped  for  or- 
der and  introduced  Colonel  Smith,  and 
a  few  enthusiasts  yelled  "Hurrah  for 
Taylor  and  the  Whig  Party!"  Miss 
Martha  strode  down  the  aisle.  She 
was  dressed  in  a  becoming  pink  and 
blue  frock,  and  her  new  hat  was  the 
cause  of  an  uproar.  Colonel  Smith 
looked  embarrassed ;  halted  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  a  wag  rose  in  his  seat  and 
yelled,  "Hurrah  for  Polk  and  the 
Democrats!" 

Miss  Martha,  being  for  Polk  and 
having  that  afternoon  raced  through 
the  nearby  stubble  fields,  had  trimmed 
her  bonnet  in  a  garland  of  pokeber- 
ries.  The  meeting  broke  up  in  con- 
fusion ;  Polk  eventually  got  the  nomi- 
nation and  was  elected.  The  irate 
father  did  not  speak  to  his  little  daugh- 
ter for   a  week. 

=!:  *  * 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS  ARRESTED 
BY  ROMANS.— Miss  Mary  W.  Noble, 
of  Anniston,  Ala.,  relates  the  follow- 
ing unpublished  incident  of  May,  185.5, 
in  which  her  family,  traveling  from 
Reading,  Pa.,  to  Rome,  lost  about 
$4,000,  accused  Jefferson  Davis,  then 
Secretary  of  War,  of  stealing  it,  and 
actually  had  him  arrested  at  Augusta, 
and  consented  to  his  release  only  after 
he  had  shown  papers  establishing  his 
identity.       Mr.    Davis    had    graduated 


from  the  United  States  Military  Acad- 
emy at  West  Point,  N.  Y.,  in  1828, 
and  had  left  his  seat  in  Congress  in 
1847  to  enter  the  Mexican  War.  His 
service  in  this  war  was  so  meritorious 
that  when  Franklin  Pierce  was  elect- 
ed President  in  1853  he  appointed  Mr. 
Davis  his  Secretary  of  War,  and  Mr. 
Davis  held  that  position  until  the  elec- 
tion of  James  Buchanan  to  the  Presi- 
dency in  1857. 

Miss   Mary  writes: 

"In  1855,  while  on  a  visit  to  the 
South,  my  father,  James  Noble,  Sr., 
stopped  at  Rome.  My  brothers,  at 
Reading,  especially  Samuel,  were  anx- 
ious to  obey  Horace  Greeley's  injunc- 
tion 'Go  West,  Young  Man,'  but  my 
father  had  practically  decided  to  set- 
tle at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.  However, 
my  father  met  two  old-time  Southern 
gentlemen,  formerly  of  South  Carolina 
— Col,  Wade  S.  Cothran  and  John 
Hume,  Sr. — who  were  so  courteous  and 
who  advanced  Rome's  glories  so  ad- 
mirably that  he  wrote  the  boys  to  put 
the  machinery  at  Reading  on  a  sailing 
vessel  and  bring  it  to  Charleston, 
whence  it  could  be  transported  by 
train   and  overland   to    Rome. 

"In  May  of  that  year  the  older  boys 
embarked  from  Philadelphia  for 
Charleston,  and  my  parents  and  my- 
self, Stephen  N.,  then  about  10,  and 
my  sisters,  Jane,  Susan,  Eliza  Jane 
(Jenny),  Josephine  and  Elizabeth 
(Lilly),  started  from  the  same  city  to 
Charleston  by  train.  On  reaching 
Charleston,  we  discovered  that  the  reg- 
ular train  had  left,  but  that  we  could 
be  accommodated  in  a  caboose  at- 
tached to  a  freight  train  which  was 
going  as  far  as  Augusta.  It  was  Sun- 
day afternoon  when  we  boarded  the 
caboose.  We  were  carrying  a  large 
carpet  bag  filled  with  valuables,  in- 
cluding about  $4,000  with  which  we 
expected  to  start  our  new  inacliine 
shop  and  foundry  enterprise  at  Rome. 
In  the  caboose  with  us  was  an  English 
family  on  their  way  to  the  Duck  mines 
of  Tennessee,  with  whom  our  parents 
became  friendly  because  of  their  own 
Elnglish  birth,  and  at  Branchville.  Or- 
angeburg County,  S.  C,  two  quiet, 
well-dressed  gentlemen  in  civilian 
clothes,  about  50  years  of  age,  board- 
ed the  train  as  the  last  ))assengers 
before  Augusta  was   reached. 

"It  was  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
conductor  that  we  had  determined  to 
travel  in  the  caboose.  Our  trunks  were 
in  the  baggage  room,  and  fearing  lie 
would  not  have  enough  money  to  pay 
our  way   home,   my  father  had  opened 


242 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


one  of  the  trunks,  removed  the  carpet 
hag  (which  also  contained  jewelry  and 
papers)  and  extracted  enough  in  bills 
to  see  us  all  the  way.  On  looking  up, 
we  noticed  the  conductor  peering  at  us 
through  a  window.  Then  the  conductor 
rushed  into  the  baggage  room  and 
shouted,  'Hurry  up;  train's  about  to 
leave!'  and  at  the  same  time  grabbed 
the  unlocked  trunk  and  began  to  pull 
it  out  on  the  platform.  My  father 
stopped  him  long  enough  to  lock  the 
trunk;  and  then  he  took  the  carpet 
bag  into  the  caboose  and  put  it  under 
the  trunks  in  a  compartment  which 
was  separated  from  the  seating  sec- 
tion by  a  thin  partition.  In  the  room 
with  the  trunks  was  a  bench  or  a 
settee,  and  my  sister,  Jane,  being  tired, 
reclined  on  it. 

"When  the  two  strangers  got  on  at 
Branchville,  one  of  them  went  into 
the  room  where  my  sister  was.  She 
arose  and  came  back  where  we  'Were, 
and  he  took  the  seat  behind  her,  leaned 
over  and  apologized  for  his  intrusion, 
saying  he  was  unaware  the  room  was 
occupied.  He  talked  pleasantly  to  her 
for  about  ten  minutes. 

"About  6  o'clock  the  next  morning 
we  reached  Augusta,  when  lo  and  be- 
hold, the  carpet  bag  was  gone,  and 
with  it  our  $4,000.  Our  parents  were 
much  excited,  and  accused  the  con- 
ductor, recalling  that  he  had  peeked 
at  the  valuables  through  the  window, 
and  that  he  had  been  in  such  a  hurry 
to  remove  the  trunk.  The  conductor 
denied  the  charge,  and  pointing  at  the 
two  strangers,  said,  'There  are  the 
thieves.'  Suspicion  seemed  to  involve 
the  two,  so  they  were  arrested  right 
there  on  the  platform  by  an  officer 
whom  my  father  had  summoned.  The 
strangers  politely  but  with  some  show 
of  feeling  proclaimed  their  innocence. 
Quite  a  scene  had  been  produced  and 
a  crowd  had  gathered.  The  taller  of 
the  two  declared,  'Sir,  I  am  Jefferson 
Davis,  Secretary  of  War,  and  my  com- 
panion is  an  officer  of  the  United 
States  army.'  They  produced  papers 
of  identification  and  were  released 
with  an  apology  from  my  father,  who 
then  proceeded  to  press  the  original 
charge  against  the  conductor.  How- 
ever, the  conductor  had  disappeared, 
and  as  our  train  for  northwest  Geor- 
gia was  about  to  leave,  we  dropped 
the   matter  for  the  time. 

"On  reaching  Rome  we  consulted  a 
lawyer,  who  promised  to  investigate, 
but  we  were  strangers  in  a  strange 
land,  our  father  unknown  save  through 
short  acquaintance  with  Col.  Cothran, 
Mr.  Hume  and  a  few  others;  our  story 


was  doubted  and  nothing  was  done. 
Some  time  later  we  received  a  state- 
ment by  mail,  I  believe  from  a  Cath- 
olic priest,  to  the  effect  that  he  had  at- 
tended a  conductor  following  a  fatal 
accident,  who  had  confessed  to  him 
on  his  deathbed  that  he  had  passed  the 
carpet  bag  out  of  a  window  to  a  con- 
federate between  Branchville  and  Au- 
gusta. 

"When  the  Civil  War  broke  out  and 
Mr.  Davis  was  chosen  President  of 
the  Confederacy,  with  his  headquar- 
ters at  the  seat  of  g'overnment  at 
Montgomery,  Ala.,  the  Noble  foundry 
at  Rome  was  taken  over  for  the  manu- 
facture of  cannon,  and  my  father  had 
to  consult  frequently  with  Mr.  Davis 
at  Montgomery  concerning  orders.  Mr. 
Davis  always  alluded  with  a  smile  to 
the  incident  at  Augusta  and  sent  his 
regards  to  mother  and  the  girls;  and 
my  father  never  failed  to  respond  with 
a  gracious  apology  and  a  nice  compli- 
ment on  Mr.  Davis'  fortitude  and  abil- 
ity in  the  trials   of  the   war. 

"In  connection  with  Confederate 
cannon  it  may  be  appropriate  to  men- 
tion that  Col.  Josiah  Gorgas,  father 
of  Gen.  Wm.  C.  Gorgas,  U.  S.  A., 
whose  engineering  skill  made  possible 
the  Panama  Canal,  visited  Rome  fre- 
quently as  chief  of  ordinance  for  the 
Confederate  States  government,  and 
occupied  as  the  guest  of  the  Noble 
family  the  front  upstairs  room  at  304 
East  First  St.,  Rome,  which  overlooks 
the  First  Presbyterian  churchyard, 
and  we  always  called  this  'Gorgas 
room.'  Quite  a  friendship  existed  be- 
tween Col.  Gorgas  and  my  father, 
which  in  after  years  was  cemented 
between  Gen.  Gorgas  and  Robt.  E. 
Noble,  a  surgeon  in  the  United  States 
Army,  and  son  of  George  Noble.  Dr. 
Robt.  Noble  was  closely  associated  with 
Gen.  Gorgas  for  seven  years  in  Pan- 
ama, then  spent  six  months  with  him 
in  South  Africa,  studying  fever  causes. 
The  two  were  on  their  way  to  Africa 
again  when  Gen.  Gorgas  was  stricken 
and  died  in  London.  My  nephew  re- 
mained until  after  the  funeral,  then 
took  up  his  duties  as  assistant  surgeon 
general  of  the  army  with  the  expedi- 
tion." 

*     *     * 

DE  LA  MESA  AND  THE  TAB- 
LEAU.—Capt.  Chas.  A.  de  la  Mesa 
succeeded  Capt.  Kyes  as  reconstruction 
officer  of  the  United  States  Army  at 
Rome,  and  opened  up  the  so-called 
Freedman's  Bureau  at  530  Broad  St. 
Here  he  tried  to  bring  housewives  and 
newly-freed  servants  into  agreement 
as  to  what  should  be  paid  for  services 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


243 


and  wash.  In  the  event  agreements 
could  not  be  reached  privately,  the 
contestants  were  hailed  before  Capt. 
de  la  Mesa.  Naturally  that  official's 
life  was  full  of  misery.  Clashes  be- 
tween provost  guard  and  citizens  were 
frequent,  but  not  of  a  serious  nature, 
for  it  was  bad  policy  for  either  side 
to  carry  a  chip  on  the  shoulder.* 

It  was  reported  that  Wm.  Hemphill 
Jones  had  a  spat  with  the  captain.  It 
may  have  been  over  wash  or  some- 
thing else,  but  Mr.  Jones  picked  up  a 
foot  tub  or  a  wash  tub  and  slammed 
Capt.  de  la  Mesa  over  the  head  with 
it,  according  to  the  report.  The  cap- 
tain enjoyed  a  considerable  range.  He 
once  went  to  Summerville,  and  the 
picture  of  his  leaving  resembled  that 
of  Wm.  J.  Burns  50  years  later,  bid- 
ding farewell  to  Marietta.  A  young- 
man  at  Summerville  claimed  that  Capt. 
de  la  Mesa  insulted  or  mistreated  his 
sister  in  some  transaction,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  arm  himself.  He  was  halted 
by  the  late  Jno.  W.  Maddox,  then  a 
resident  of  the  Chattooga  town,  and 
Capt.  de  la  Mesa  moved  on.  At  Dal- 
ton  Capt.  de  la  Mesa  was  served  with 
papers  in  a  court  action,  but  explana- 
tions were  made  and  the  case  was 
thrown  out.  There  were  other  similar 
incidents  in  the  path  of  Capt.  de  la 
Mesa's  duty,  concerning  which,  hap- 
pily,   there    is    no   longer    any    feeling. 

Capt.  de  la  Mesa  hung  out  a  large 
United  States  flag  in  front  of  the  bu- 
reau, and  forced  all  passersby  to  sa- 
lute it.  Of  course  he  was  acting  under 
orders;  Romans  made  a  wide  detour. 
Then  came  the  tableau  in  May,  1867, — 
an  intensely  "dramatic"  affair. 

In  order  to  replace  pews  in  the  local 
churches  and  to  repair  other  damage 
done  by  the  Northern  soldiers,**  the 
female  members  of  the  congregations 
had  formed  a  society  to  present  tab- 
leaux at  the  old  city  hall,  southwest 
corner  of  Broad  Street  and  Fifth  Ave- 
nue, where  the  Fifth  Avenue  Drug 
Company  is  now  located.  On  this  par- 
ticular   occasion    the    managers    were 

*Capt.  De  ]a  Mesa  is  supposed  to  have  come 
from  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  an<l  to  have  been  a 
nsilive  of  Spain.  He  had  a  dauprhter,  Miss 
Leila  de  la  Mesa,  who  married  A.  C.  Fetterolf, 
of  Upper  Montclair.  N.  .J.  At  the  time  of  her 
marriaKe.  the  family  wrote  to  Rome  for  a 
picture  of  the  old  Kreedmen's  Bureau,  and  the 
request  was  complied  with  by  Mrs.  Ed  Harris. 
Capt.  de  la  Mesa  died  a  jrood  many  years  aRo, 
and   it    is    understood   that    his   widow   remarried. 

**Quite  a  while  after  the  war,  the  Gov- 
ernment sent  a  representative  to  Rome  to  as- 
sess the  damage  done  the  First  Baptist  church. 
Hearings  were  held  at  this  institution,  and 
some  spicy  comments  were  made  by  the  women 
who  testified,  notably  Mrs.  Eben  Hillyer.  An 
award  of  about  .$600  was  recommended  to 
WashinRton,    and    this   amount   paid    the  church. 


Mrs.  J.  M.  Gregory,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Nevin 
and  Miss  Mary  W.  Noble,  and  they 
received  a  surprise  and  shock  when 
Capt.  de  la  Mesa  bought  tickets  for 
himself  and  his  beautiful  brunette 
wife,  and  planted  himself  in  his  mili- 
tary trappings  on  a  front  seat.  The 
following  is  a  summary  of  two  ac- 
counts of  the  affair: 

"The  audience  filed  in,  some  of  the 
young  women  with  noses  pretty  high  in 
the  air  at  sight  of  the  'intruders.'  The 
tableau  was  'The  Officer's  Funeral,' 
and  all  went  well  for  a  while.  The 
de  la  Mesas  enjoyed  the  first  part  and 
applauded  liberally.  A  little  play  pre- 
ceded the  tableau,  in  which  "  Mrs. 
Hiram  D.  Hill  (then  Florence  Mitch- 
ell, daughter  of  Col.  Daniel  R.  Mitch- 
ell), played  the  part  of  the  Irish  Maid 
of  Coi'k,  thrummed  a  piece  on  her 
guitar  and  was  wooed  by  the  hero. 

"Then — bless  Patsy! — the  fireworks! 
The  curtain  went  up  on  the  tableau 
in  question.  There  stood  'Ferd' 
Hutchings,  Dave  Powers,  'Billy'  Gib- 
bons, 'Tal'  Wells  and  Leonidas  Timo- 
leon  Mitchell.  'Coon'  Mitchell,  by  the 
way,  was  a  son  of  old  Daniel  R.  and 
the  very  man  who  had  carried  Gen. 
Neal  Dow,  the  famous  Maine  aboli- 
tionist, to  Libby  Prison,  Richmond, 
from  Mobile.  All  the  others  had 
fought  the  'Yankees'  with  the  Rome 
Light  Guards.  And  now  they  had  the 
temerity  to  stand  up  before  the  'Yan- 
kee' reconstruction  officer  in  their  uni- 
forms of  gray!  Furthermore,  the  of- 
ficer's casket  was  draped  in  a  battle- 
torn  Confederate  flag,  the  property  of 
Col.  Sam  Gibbons,  father  of  Billy.  Com- 
pleting the  scene  were  Miss  Belle  Lo- 
gan as  the  widow,  and  Mrs.  Hill's 
niece,  little  Irene  Hicks,  as  the  orphan. 

"Capt.  de  la  Mesa  began  to  boil;  his 
wife  reddened  sympathetically  as  the 
boys  began  to  sing  that  famous  and 
heart-touching  song,  'The  Officer's  Fu- 
neral :' 

'Hark,   'tis   the   shrill    trumpet   calling. 

It  pierceth  the   soft  summer  air. 
And  a  tear  from  each  comrade  is  fall- 
ing.— 
The  widow  and  orphan  are  there; 
The    bayonets    earthward    are    turning 
And  the  drums'   muffled  sound  rolls 
around. 
But     hears     not     the     voice     of     tlieir 
mourning. 
Nor  awakes  to  the  shrill  bugle  sound. 

'Sleep,    soldier,    though    many    regret 
thee 
Who  stand  by  thy  cold  bier  today. 
Soon,  soon  will  the  kindest  forget  thee, 


244 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


And  thy  name  from  the  earth  pass 
away ; 
The  man  thou  didst  love  as  a  brother, 
A    friend    in    thy    place    will    have 
gained, 
Thy  dog  will  keep  watch  for  another 
And    thy    steed    by    a    stranger    be 
reined. 

'Though    many    now    mourn    for    thee 
sadly. 
Soon  joyous  as  ever  shall  be, 
Thy    bright    orphan     boy    will    laugh 
gladly 
As  he   sits  on   some  kind  comrade's 
knee; 
There    is    one    who    will    still    pay    the 
duty 
Of  tears  to  the  true  and  the  brave, 
As   first   in    the   bloom   of   her   beauty, 
She  knelt  by  her  boy  soldiers'  grave!' 

"Miss  Ford  stepped  from  behind  the 
arras  and  sang  'The  Jacket  of  Gray,' 
and  as  she  concluded,  with  the  line 
'Fold  it  up  carefully,  lay  it  aside!' 
she  lifted  a  soiled  and  thread-bare  coat 
into  full  view  of  the  audience.  A 
shower  of  applause  followed.  The  de 
la  Mesas  boiled  over,  and  trudged  out 
of  the  hall,  to  the  accompaniment  of 
a  perfect  chorus  of  boos  and  cat-calls, 
and  a  shrill  defi  flung  above  the  tumult 
by  a  young  'Rebel,'  'Go  it;  that's  not 
the  first  time  you  ever  ran  from  that 
flag!' 

"'Delia  Meezer,  lemon  squeezer!' 
shouted  an   impertinent  little  boy. 

"This  'good  riddance  of  bad  rub- 
bish' (as  the  players  expressed  it) 
was  thought  to  have  ended  the  inci- 
dent, but  not  so.  Capt.  de  la  Mesa 
sent  a  hot  message  to  headquarters  in 
Atlanta,  making  a  charge  of  high  trea- 
son, and  requesting  a  company  of  sol- 
diers to  spirit  away  the  culprits.  In 
the  meantime,  the  Federal  commander 
had  recognized  all  the  ofl'enders  and 
had  clapped  handcuff's  on  each  and 
marched  them  to  the  guard  room  in  the 
courthouse  between  files  of  troopers 
with  fixed  bayonets.  Several  of  the 
young  women  went  to  the  'prison'  to 
console  the  boys,  and  one  of  them,  un- 
accustomed to  Federal  uniforms,  asked 
quite  audibly,  'Do  all  these  dogs  wear 
collars?'  The  cordon  around  the  pris- 
oners was  only  drawn  the  tighter. 

"After  the  boys  had  spent  a  night 
thus,  a  company  of  59  soldiers  from 
Atlanta  appeared  at  the  Rome  rail- 
road station,  marched  up  Broad  Street 
with  bayonets  fixed,  and  escorted  the 
'prisoners'  and  Capt.  de  la  Mesa  to 
the  station,  where  they  caught  the 
next    train    for    the    state    capital.      A 


tremendous  crowd  gathered  and  sul- 
lenly watched  their  friends  and  their 
enemies  go  away.  De  la  Mesa  turned 
back  at  Kingston.  He  had  obtained 
the  services  of  another  company  or 
part  thereof  somewhere,  and  these 
escorted  him  back  to  Rome,  and  for 
several  days  kept  watch  over  him  and 
his  bureau,  until  the  excitement  had 
subsided.  Henry  A.  Smith,  bookseller 
who  had  lost  an  arm  in  the  war,  was 
due  to  have  been  arrested,  too,  but  he 
had  prudently  gone  to  visit  relatives 
up  the  Etowah  river.  The  women, 
also,  it  was  rumored,  would  be  held 
as    traitors. 

"Col.  Mitchell  got  on  the  train  with 
the  intention  of  going  to  Savannah  to 
protest  with  Judge  Erskine,  of  the 
P'ederal  Court.  Instead,  he  wired 
Judge  Erskine  from  Atlanta.  The 
two  got  into  touch  with  Gen.  John 
Pope,  commander  of  the  district,  and 
a  release  order  came  within  three 
weeks.  However,  the  order  did  not 
forestall  serious  indignities  to  the 
captives,  who  had  been  confined  in  a 
miserable  pen  or  cage.  They  were 
taunted  and  cursed  by  their  captors, 
who  prodded  with  bayonets  gifts  of 
sweetmeats  sent  by  relatives  and  sym- 
pathizing friends,  and  forced  them  to 
eat  the  poorly  prepared  food  that  had 
been   provided   for   them. 

"A  telegram  announced  the  release  to 
Romans,  and  a  huge  crowd  welcomed 
the  boys  at  the  station,  and  a  supper 
at  the  City  Hall  softened  the  sting  of 
their  humiliation  and  enabled  them  to 
chalk  up  the  event  as  one  of  fate's 
weird    pranks." 

Mrs.  Hiram  Hill  adds  the  following: 

"Our  home  in  the  Fourth  Ward  had 
been  divested  of  its  sides,  blinds, 
doors,  plastering  and  everything  that 
the  Union  soldiers  could  tear  down  or 
carry  away,  and  we  had  gone  to  live 
at  the  old  Buena  Vista  Hotel,  south- 
west corner  of  Broad  and  Sixth  Ave- 
nue, where  Seale  &  Floyd's  garage  and 
a  grocery  store  now  are.  My  father 
owned  this  place  and  occupied  a  small 
one-story  house  on  the  west  side  of 
it  as  his  law  office.  Mrs.  de  la  Mesa 
had  been  coming  to  the  hotel  from  next 
door  to  give  instructions  to  a  Rome 
woman  who  was  sewing  for  her,  and 
when  I  saw  her  after  my  brother's 
arrest,  I  told  her  to  get  out  of  the 
hotel  and  istay  out.  She  sent  nte 
word  that  she  would  march  me  up 
and  down  Broad  Street  in  charge  of 
two  soldiers  and  under  a  United  States 
flag.     I  defied  her  to  try  it,  and  she 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


245 


THE  FREEDMEN'S  BUREAU  ON  BROAD  STREET. 

This  structure,  still  standing  near  Sixth  Avenue,  was  the  headquarters  of  Capt. 
Chas.  A.  de  le  Mesa  during  the  Civil  War.  Capt.  de  la  Mesa  participated  in  a  number 
of  hair  raising  episodes.     Rome's  oldest  brick   building  is  at  the  right. 


never   did.      There   would  have   been   a 
lot  more   trouble   in   Rome,   Ga. 

"I  suppose  Capt.  de  la  Mesa  v\^as 
carrying  out  orders  and  ruled  sternly 
for  that  reason.  He  and  his  wife  im- 
pressed me  as  people  of  refinement, 
and  I  was  especially  struck  with  her 
beauty   and   the    style   of   her   clothes." 

:!:  ^:  :!: 

A  DRAMATIC  SCENE.  —  When 
William  Smith  entered  his  last  illness 
in  January,  1852,  he  summoned  several 
friends  whom  he  wished  to  transact 
certain  business  matters  for  him  re- 
lating to  his  property  in  Rome.  While 
they  were  still  with  him  in  the  cot- 
tage on  Howard  Street  where  he  died, 
he  raised  himself  to  his  feet  by  hold- 
ing to  his  chair,  and   said: 

"Gentlemen,  you  will  have  to  help 
me  to  my  bed.  I  have  done  all  that 
I   can    do   for   myself," 

They  assisted  him,  and  when  he  was 
comfortably  stretched  out,  he  con- 
tinued: 

"I  am  not  a  member  of  any  church, 
but  I  have  done  the  best  I  could  in 
this  life.  Whatever  I  have  had  has 
belonged  to  the  people  of  this  commu- 
nity. No  man  has  ever  been  turned 
away  hungry  from  my  door  if  I  had 
anything    to    divide    with    him. 

"You  gentlemen  know  that  I  have 
served  this  section,  and  if  my  body  is 
of  any  use  to  science,  I  ask  you  to 
take  it  when  I  am  gone." 

Col.  Smith  had  waited  for  Col.  Al- 
fred Shorter  to  come,  so  they  could 
have  a  settlement  with  resi)ect  to  the 
property  they  owned  equally.  Col. 
Shorter  sent  his  representative,  Col. 
C.    M.   Pennington,  to   see   Col.    Smith. 


"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Col.  Pen- 
nington," declared  Col."  Smith,  "but  I 
sent  for   Col.    Shorter." 

Col.  Pennington  delivered  the  mes- 
sage promptly  a  second  time,  and  it 
was  24  hours  before  Col.  Shorter  found 
it  convenient  to  come.  When  he  ar- 
rived, Col.  Smith  raised  himself  on  his 
left  elbow,  and  with  his  right  hand 
reached  under  his  pillow.  Col.  Shorter 
drew  back  and  Col.  Pennington  step- 
ped between  them.  During  one  of 
Col.  Smith's  naps  Mrs.  Smith,  the 
wife,   had   removed  his  pistol. 

"Alfred  Shorter,  you  are  a  rascal!" 
.shouted  Col.  Smith,  the  old-time  fire 
flashing  from  his  small,  black  eyes. 
"This  is  a  fine  time  to  come  to  see 
a  man — on  his  death  bed!" 

Shortly  before  noon  the  next  day, 
Jan.  27,  Col.  Smith  died.  Only  a  few 
days  before,  his  grandson,  William 
Cephas,  had  been  born  to  Dr.  ami  iMrs. 
Robt.    Battey. 

The  Widow  Baldwin,  whom  Col. 
Shorter  had  married  at  Monticello, 
placed  at  his  disposal  .$10. ()()()  in  cash, 
a  handsome  fortune  in  tliose  days  of 
low  values.  Col.  Shorter  brought  this 
to  Rome  with  him  at  the  instance  of 
Col.  Smith,  and  invested  it  in  the  land 
which  Col.  Smith  had  acquired,  and 
made  certain  improvements  thereon. 
Col.  Smith's  energy  and  Col.  Shorter's 
long  business  head  made  an  ideal 
combination,  and  their  partnershii) 
interests  grew  rapidly-  After  the 
Civil  War,  Col.  Shorter  settled 
with  Mrs.  Battey,  the  daughter,  for 
$1(),()00  cash,  and  took  her  receipt. 

It  was  a  satisfactory  ending  of  an 
unfortunate      affair,      and      left      Col. 


246 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Shorter  free  to  conserve  his  part, 
most  of  which  went  to  Shorter  College 
for  the  education  of  young  women  of 
the    South.* 

HENRY  W.  GRADY  AT  ROME.— 

As  a  youth,  Henry  Woodfin  Grady 
had  visited  his  uncle,  Henry  A.  Gart- 
rell,  in  Rome,  and  thence  had  gone 
to  see  another  branch  of  his  family 
at  Floyd  Springs.**  Capt.  Gartrell  re- 
moved' to  Athens  in  1865,  after  hav- 
ing served  Rome  as  mayor  in  1859-60. 
Pleasant  recollections  of  Rome  and  a 
chance  visit  with  the  Georgia  Press 
excursion  in  1869  caused  Mr.  Grady 
to  anchor  his  quill,  paste  pot  and 
shears  at  the  foot  of  Tower  Hill  for 
three  years. 

Col.  E.  Hulbert,  superintendent  of 
the  W.  &  A.  (state)  Railroad,  had  in- 
vited the  Georgia  press  to  send  rep- 
resentatives for  an  excursion  into 
Southeastern  Tennessee,  Northwest 
Georgia  and  Northeastern  Alabama,  to 
write  up  the  natural  resources  of 
those  sections.  The  excursion  started 
from  Atlanta  at  7  a.  m.,  Wednesday, 
August  25,  1869.  At  Cartersville  the 
members  were  addressed  on  the  sub- 
ject of  minerals,  agriculture  and  the 
new  railroad  to  Van  Wert,  Polk 
County,  by  Mark  A.  Cooper,  grand- 
father of  J.  Paul  Cooper  and  father 
of  John  Frederick  Cooper,  of  Rome. 
Thence  they  went  to  Chattanooga,  100 
strong.  Then  they  turned  southward, 
and  arrived  at  Rome  via  the  Rome 
Railroad,  on  their  special  train,  at 
1:30   a.   m.,   Friday,   Sept.   3. 

True  to  the  spirit  of  newspaper  en- 
terprise, young  Grady,  then  only  19, 
rushed  to  the  sanctum  of  Editor  Mel- 
ville Dwinell,  of  the  Rome  Weekly 
Courier.  The  hour  was  unearthly,  yet 
the  editor  had  remained  at  his  desk  to 
"cover"  the  momentous  event  of  the 
arrival  of  the  excursionists.  Capt. 
Dwinell  stated  that  he  had  left  a  col- 
umn open.  Mr.  Grady  declared  a  col- 
umn would  hardly  start  the  story  he 
bore,  so  Capt.  Dwinell  side-tracked 
some  of  his  livest  news  and  no  doubt 
a  few  advertisements.  Mr.  Grady  had 
been  writing  his  "yarn"  on  the  train. 
He  continued  it  for  an  hour,  and  for 
good  measure  threw  in  an  optimistic 
editorial  squib.  A  faithful  printer 
hand-set  type  the  balance  of  the  night 
and  The  Courier  woke  up  the  citizens 
with  Mr.  Grady's  remarkable  narra- 
tive. It  was  a  sample  of  journalistic 
endeavor  to  which  the  quiet  Hill  City 
had  not  been  accustomed. 

Grady's  wonderful  speech,  "The 
New  South,"  delivered  before  the  New 


England  Society  of  New  York,  N.  Y., 
Dec.  22,  1886,  is  well  known.  At 
Rome  on  this  occasion,  however,  he  ap- 
pears to  have  struck  his  original  "New 
South"   note,   as  follows: 

"Every  citizen  of  Cherokee  Georgia 
has  long  been  convinced  that  our  min- 
eral resources  are  unsurpassed,  and 
all  that  was  wanting  was  for  some- 
one to  make  a  start,  and  induce  men 
of  means  to  come  among,  to  aid  in 
developing  the  same.  .  .  .  Our  broth- 
ers of  the  quill  will  now  have  some- 
thing interesting  to  write  about  and 
for  a  while,  at  least,  will  devote  their 
time  to  something  more  substantial 
than  politics,  and  of  infinitely  more 
advantage  to  our  bankrupt  people.  It 
is  refreshing  to  see  men  of  all  politi- 
cal shades  quietly  traveling  together, 
and  for  once  making  a  united  effort 
to  forget  political  differences,  and  to 
lend  their  efforts  to  the  more  laudable 
cause  of  developing  the  great  wealth 
that  nature  had  bestowed  upon  us. 
Cuffee  for  once  has  been  forgotten. 
The  splendid  scenery  of  our  moun- 
tains and  valleys,  with  the  battlefields, 
which  give  us  a  prominent  place  in 
history,  has  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  the  minds  of  all,  and  proclaims 
in  thunder  tones  what  men  will  do 
when  pressed  to  the  wall.  Mutual 
forbearance  seems  to  exist,  and  we 
predict  that  in  future  a  better  state 
of  sentiment  and  feeling  will  prevail." 

At  this  time,  maybe,  Grady  made 
arrangements  to  work  for  The  Cour- 
ier. The  preliminaries  may  have  been 
started  by  letter  a  while  before.  At 
any  rate,  he  soon  came  back. 

At  3  p.  m.,  after  a  speech  by  Mayor 
Zach  Hargi-ove  and  a  serenade  by  a 
brass  band  and  dinner  at  the  Choice 
House,  the  party  left  for  a  trip  down 
the  Coosa  River  on  the  Steamboat 
Etowah  as  the  guests  of  Col.  Wade 
S  Cothran.  After  inspecting  the 
Round  Mountain  and  Cornwall,  Ala., 
iron  works,  they  came  back  to  Rome 
Sunday  on  the  Etowah,  put  up  at  the 
Choice  House  and  Monday  morning  at 
9  left  by  rail  for  Selma,  Ala.  Wed- 
nesday morning  at  6:30  the  editors  re- 
turned to  Rome,  had  breakfast  at  the 
Choice  House  and  departed  two  hours 
later  for  Atlanta,  where  the  "junket" 

*Col  Pennington  was  authority  for  the  por- 
tion of  the  above  narrative  relating  to  the 
pistol  ;  he  told  the  story  to  Judge  John  C. 
Printup.  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  was  authority  tor 
the  statement  that  Col.  Smith  sent  for  Col. 
Shorter  to  make  a  settlement,  and  that  the 
$10,000    was    later   paid   to   her. 

**Doyle  A.  Moore,  of  Rome,  is  kin  to  the 
Gradys    through    this    branch. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


247 


ended.     On  both  these  stops  Mr.  Grady 
fraternized  with    Editor   Dwinell. 

The  impelling  reason  why  Grady 
went  to  Rome  lies  largely  in  the  realm 
of  surmise.  The  lad  was  possessed  of 
a  proud  spirit  which  he  called  ambi- 
tion and  which  a  handful  of  sniping 
contemporaries,  less  talented,  might 
have  called  bumptiousness.  He  was 
precocious  to  the  extent  that  he  had 
become  an  orator  in  his  knee  pants, 
and  he  was  made  to  suffer  more  than 
once  because  he  pitted  his  skill  against 
older  competitors.  Through  a  politi- 
cal deal  at  the  University  of  Virginia 
he  had  suffered  a  keen  disappoint- 
ment, and  it  is  likely  that  in  associat- 
ing himself  as  "free-lance"  corre- 
spondent with  the  Atlanta  Constitu- 
tion he  was  inviting  rebuffs  that  his 
gifts  did  not  warrant.  The  Constitu- 
tion's editor  was  Col.  Carey  W.  Styles, 
an  experienced  journalist,  who,  by  the 
way,  had  been  involved  in  the  Yacht 
Wanderer  affair  nine  years  before  at 
Savannah.  Col.  Styles  had  sat  up  with 
legislators  at  Milledgeville  before 
Henry  Grady  had  ever  thought  of 
them,  hence  when  the  dashing  young 
collegian  essayed  to  pass  voluminous 
editorial  sentence  on  a  governor  or  a 
congressman,  it  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. 

Grady  was  trying  to  marry.  He 
was  fired  with  ambition  to  take  the 
lead  in  molding  public  opinion.  He 
enjoyed  writing  "from  the  street  and 
hustings,"  but  he  preferred  the  dignity 
of  a  job  at  a  desk.  Brain  work  was 
one  thing  to  Henry  Grady,  and  "leg 
work"  another.  The  Constitution  was 
a  new  concern,  having  been  founded 
in  the  summer  of  18G8,  had  a  full 
staff,  and  could  not  find  a  regular 
place  for  him  yet  awhile.  Further- 
more, Henry  was  ambitious  enough  to 
believe  that  what  he  was  writing, 
mostly  of  a  political  nature,  was  just 
about  as  important  as  anything  in  the 
paper,  and  had  as  much  right  to 
"front  page"  position  as  the  other 
stuff  they  were  printing.  He  believed 
that  an  excursion  of  the  state's  lead- 
ing editors  was  a  big  news  event,  and 
was  worth  writing  columns  every  day, 
perhaps.  Consequently,  he  wielded  a 
loquacious  pen.  The  Constitution's  tel- 
egraph tolls  became  enormous  when 
Press  Excursion  news  started  from 
Cartersville  and  continued  through 
Chattanooga  and  Rome.  Henry  was 
shooting  readable  material,  but  they 
couldn't  see  it  at  the  office ;  they  cut 
his  doipe  to  the  bone  and  dropped 
his  pen  name,  "King  Hans."  In  the 
following  fashion   did   they   knock   liiiii 


off   the   limb    in    a    squib    of    Sept.    10, 
1869: 

"We  are  compelled  by  pressure  upon 
our  space  to  abbreviate  and  condense 
the  report  of  the  Press  Excursion  pro- 
ceedings. Neither  the  editors  nor  the 
proprietors  of  this  paper  were  pres- 
ent." 

Wow!  that  should  hold  any  young 
man,  no  matter  how  brilliant  or  pro- 
gressive, in  entirely  reasonable  bounds. 

"Damn  'em,  I'll  fix  'em!"  muttered 
Henry,  who  had  been  introduced  by  V. 
A.  Gaskell,  of  the  Atlanta  New  Era, 
and  J.  S.  Peterson,  of  the  Atlanta  In- 
telligencer, as  the  Constitution's  "rep- 
resentative" on  the  editors'  jaunt.  He 
shot  a  wad  of  his  copy  at  Melville 
Dwinell,  editor  of  the  Rome  Weekly 
Courier,  over  the  signature  "Zip."  Ed- 
itor Dwinell  ate  his  contributions  with 
a  relish;  sometimes  they  ran  several 
columns  long,  but  it  was  good  read- 
ing, and  it  landed  Henry  a  nice  job. 
He  put  over  three  columns  Sept.  3, 
and  duplicated  with  three  a  week 
later — quite  a  contribution  to  a  four- 
page    newspaper. 

Right  proudly  did  Capt.  Dwinell 
pave  the  way  for  the  young  literary 
crusader  under  date  of  Friday,  Sept. 
10,   1869: 

"To  the  Readers  of  the  Courier: 
With  this  issue  of  our  paper  we  pre- 
sent Mr.  Henry  W.  Grady  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  associate  editor.  The  vigor, 
versatility  and  polish  of  his  pen  has 
recently  been  exhibited  in  his  corre- 
spondence for  the  Atlanta  Constitution 
over  the  nom  de  plume  of  'King  Hans,' 
and  we  may  reasonal)ly  hope  with  his 
assistance  to  materially  increase  the 
interest  of  these  columns.  Feeling  con- 
fident that  this  effort  to  interest  and 
please  will  be  successful,  we  let  Mr. 
Grady  make  his  own  bow  to  the  pub- 
lic—M.   Dwinell." 

Mr.  Grady's  bow  follows : 
"The  above  notice  renders  necessary 
the  infliction  of  a  salutatory  upon 
you.  We  shall  be  as  brief  as  possible. 
We  are  young  and  without  editorial 
judgment  or  experience,  yet  we  hope 
that  the  enthusiasm  with  which  wo  en- 
ter upon  our  new  profession  and  the 
constant  labor  with  which  we  are  de- 
termined to  bend  to  our  work  may  par- 
tially, at  least,  atone  for  these  de- 
ficiencies. 

"The  Courier  shall  be  in  the  future, 
so  far  as  our  management  is  concern- 
ed, devoted  as  it  has  l)een  in  the  past 
to  the  dissemination  of  useful  and  in- 
teresting information,   to   the   bold    as- 


248 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


sertion  and  maintenance  of  correct  po- 
litical opinions  and  to  the  development 
of  the  best  interests  of  the  commu- 
nity. 

"We  enter  the  editorial  ranks  of  the 
state  with  ill  feeling'  toward  none,  but 
with  kindness  toward  all.  We  shall 
cheerfully  and  with  vigor  co-operate 
with  the  press  in  the  furtherance  of 
any  project  which  tends  toward  good, 
and  we  shall  endeavor  with  courtesy 
and  politeness  to  adjust  nicely  any  dif- 
ferences of  opinion  which  may  arise 
between  us  and  any  of  our  contem- 
poraries. 

"Begging  in  conclusion  that  the 
justice  you  render  us  may  be  tempered 
with  mercy,  we  don  our  harness  and 
enter   the   lists. 

"Most  respectfully  yours, 

"HENRY   W.    GRADY." 

The  young  journalist's  "bold  asser- 
tion of  correct  political  opinions"  found 
expression  in  the  same  issue  of  The 
Courier  in  the  following  editorial 
broadside  leveled  at  Governor  Rufus 
B.  Bullock,  who  also  was  a  guest  on 
the   Press   Excursion : 

"His  Accidency." — "  'We  were  de- 
lighted with  Governor  Bullock — he  is 
the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  and 
will  do  all  that  any  man  could  do  to 
restore  Georgia  to  her  former  condi- 
tion of  peace  and  prosperity.'  " — Talla- 
dega Sun. 

"The  above  tribute  to  the  accident 
that  now  occupies  the  Gubernatorial 
Chair,  though  clipped  from  a  Radical 
paper  and  written  by  a  Radical  re- 
porter, whose  official  duty  it  was  to 
become  enamored  of  the  Accident  and 
all  of  his  party,  has  a  considerable 
significance    notwithstanding. 

"The  truth  of  the  matter  is  that 
any  man  who  knows  nothing  of  Bul- 
lock's political  filthiness  will  inevit- 
ably become  'delighted  with  him,'  etc. 
We  have  never,  in  the  whole  course  of 
our  life,  seen  a  man  who  was  gifted 
with  so  great  an  amount  of  beguiling 
blarney  as  is  this  man.  Present  him 
to  a  Democrat  and  the  sweetness  of 
his  countenance  is  absolutely  appall- 
ing; infinite  smiles  ripple  over  his 
cheeks  and  break  in  soft  laughter  on 
his  lips;  a  thousand  and  one  benevo- 
lent sparkles  are  beamed  from  his 
eyes;  his  nostrils  play  with  kindly  pal- 
pitations, and — believe  me,  for  I  tell 
ye  the  truth — his  whiskers  resolve 
themselves  into  a  standing  committee 
to  invite  you  just  to  walk  down  into 
his    heart    and    take    a    place    in    that 


large  and  open  receptacle.  Oh,  his 
face  is  tremendously  delusive! 

"We  were  presented  to  him,  and 
went  to  the  presentation  primed  with 
about  a  dozen  pardon  proclamations, 
and  about  three  of  his  reports  on  the 
condition  of  Georgia.  We  had  serious- 
ly contemplated  taking  a  friend  along 
to  prevent  the  murderous  onslaught, 
which  we  were  afraid  our  outraged 
feelings  would  urge  us  to  make  upon 
the  Accident  when  introduced  to  it. 
And  lo!  when  the  crisis  came  we  found 
ourself  basking  calmly  beneath  his  ra- 
diant countenance  like  a  rose  beneath 
an  April  sky.  A  clear  voice  saluted 
us  with  a  dreamy  kind  of  tenderness, 
and  we  found  ourself  exclaiming, 
'Surely  this  man  is  not  our  enemy!' 

"We  looked  for  the  famous  'sinister 
expression'  which,  according  to  novel- 
ists, invariably  resides  about  the  nose 
and  eyes  of  a  villain.  But  we  found 
it  not;  the  nose  possessed  a  very  mild 
curvative,  and  the  eyes  were  gushing 
with  cheery  good  humor.  Instantly,  as 
a  last  resort,  we  had  to  commence 
recounting  his  crimes,  in  order  to  pro- 
tect ourself  against  his  blandish- 
ments, and  actually  had  to  come  down 
to  the  appointment  of  Foster  Blodgett 
before  we  could  sufficiently  hate  him 
to  satify  our  Democratic  conscience. 
How  deep  down  and  how  effectually 
does  this   man   hide  his  rascality! 

"So  much  the  more  dangerous  is  he. 
No  man  who  visits  him,  without  about 
one-third  of  his  political  villainies  full 
in  view,  is  safe.  Beware,  then,  of  this 
mermaid  with  a  siren  voice — he  will 
laugh  welcome  in  your  face,  and  then 
pardon  the  brute  that  ravished  your 
sister.  He  is  far  more  dangerous  than 
Swayze — though  the  latter  is  his  supe- 
rior in  force — for  in  the  eye  of  the  lat- 
ter there  is  a  warning  that  puts  us 
upon  guard. 

"A  child  is  never  hurt  by  a  poison- 
ous toad ;  it  is  the  bright  serpent,  with 
its  spots  of  purple  and  gold,  that 
charms  and  slays  him.  We  do  not 
fear  the  uncouth  ruffian  that  is  with 
hideous  leer  distorted,  but  the  soft  and 
supple  gentleman  scoundrel  that  'can 
smile  and  smile,  and  play  the  villain 
still.'  " 

Other  public  officials  on  the  Press 
Excursion  escaped  the  darts  of  young 
Mr.  Grady.  They  included  Mayor  Hul- 
sey,  of  Atlanta,  Comptroller  General 
Madison  Bell,  R.  L.  McWhorter,  speak- 
er of  the  house;  and  Senators  Smith, 
Candler  and   Nunnally. 

Evidently  the  following  item  Grady 
wrote  for  The  Courier  on  Friday,  Sep- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


249 


tember  10,  was  prompted  by  a  pang 
of   conscience: 

"We  hereby  announce  to  our  read- 
ers that  we  shall  not  say  another 
word  about  the  Press  Excursion.  We 
enjoyed  it  and  'developed'  everything 
we  saw,  and  now  we  are  done  with  it. 
Not  another  remark  shall  we  make 
about  it.  If  information  about  it  is 
wanted  by  any  who  may  not  have  seen 
our  notices  as  yet,  we  refer  them  to 
our  back   files." 

It  is  significant  that  on  the  same 
day  Grady  penned  the  following  in  re- 
sponse to  a  jibe  from  the  Savannah 
News: 

"This  excellent  but  sometimes  impru- 
dent newspaper  makes  a  bold  attack 
upon  us  concerning  an  article  of  ours 
on  the  Press  Excursion.  We  would 
answer  the  charges  contained  therein, 
but  we  promised  our  readers  in  our 
last  issue  not  to  write  anything  more 
concerning  the  excursion.  To  this 
promise  our  contemporary  owes  its  fu- 
ture salvation.  For,  were  our  hands 
not  bound  by  that  promise,  we  would 
just  tear  The  News  all  to  pieces!  So 
return  thanks.  Brother  Thompson,  for 
your  narrow  escape." 

As  a  reporter  he  showed  the  same 
enterprise  and  aptitude  as  in  his  ed- 
itorial work.  On  Nov.  12,  1869,  he 
published   this : 

"Fights,  Robberies,  Shooting. — A 
sable  son  of  Africa  was  tickled  by  a 
bullet  from  the  pistol  of  Col.  Sam 
Stewart,  because  he  struck  Col.  Stew- 
art. Another  African  was  perforated 
in  four  places,  through  the  arm  and 
shoulder,  by  a  leaden  messenger  from 
Col.    Stewart — cause,   not  known. 

"A  Mr.  Neph  was  robbed  of  $500  in 
money  and  a  $1,000  check  last  night 
by  a  thief  who  entered  his  room  at  the 
Choice  House. 

"A  few  episodical  but  very  interest- 
ing fights  took  place  last  night  among 
the  'boys.'  No  serious  damage  report- 
ed. Mr.  C.  W.  Nowlin  was  robbed  of 
his  watch  and  chain  Wednesday  night. 
There  were  many  other  fights,  rob- 
beries and  drunks  which  happened 
around  loose  that  we  wot  not  of,  and 
that  deserve  no  mention  in  this  paper. 
Verily,  Rome  is  getting  to  be  as  nice 
a  city  as  Atlanta." 

Although  Mr.  Grady  was  fond  of 
Capt.  Dwinell,  he  chafed  at  the  su- 
pervision over  his  copy  and  destinies 
in  The  Courier  office ;  it  is  also  re- 
lated that  he  became  irritated  that 
he  was  not  allowed  to  expose  a  petty 
local    political    ring,    so    we    find    him 


leaving  The  Courier  July  31,  1870,  to 
assume  the  proprietorship  of  the  Rome 
Weekly  Commercial.  So  quietly  had 
his  plans  been  laid  that  his  name  ap- 
peared on  the  masthead  of  The  Cour- 
ier as  associate  editor  and  on  the  mast- 
head of  The  Commercial  as  editor  on 
the  same  date. 

Capt.   Dwinell   then  wrote: 

"To  the  Patrons  of  The  Courier:— 
By  the  following  card  it  will  be  seen 
that  a  change  has  been  made  in  the 
associate  editorship  of  this  paper.  The 
relations  of  the  paper  with  Mr.  Grady, 
who  now  retires  from  The  Courier  to 
take  charge  of  The  Commercial,  have 
been  entirely  pleasant  and  we  regi-et 
to  lose  his  valuable  services.  We  wish 
him  abundant  success  in  his  new  field 
of  labor.  Col.  B.  F.  Sawyer,  for  some 
time  past  editor  of  the  Rome  Daily, 
a  gentleman  of  high  literary  reputa- 
tion and  considerable  editorial  experi- 
ence, takes  his  place.  We  have  no 
doubt  The  Courier  will  be  fully  sus- 
tained in  its  previous  position  as  a 
readable    newspaper." 

Col.  Sawyer's  salutatory  reads  thus: 
"I  this  day  assume  editorial  control 
of   The    Courier.     It  shall   be   my   con- 
stant   aim    to    sustain    The   Courier    in 


HF:NRY  WOODKIN  GRADY,  omtor,  who 
started  his  journalistic  career  in  Ronio  and 
brouKht    his    bride    there    to    reside. 


250 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


the  high  position  of  popular  favor  it 
has  heretofore  enjoyed.  Should  I  suc- 
ceed in  this,  I  shall  be  contented,  and 
the  patrons  of  The  Courier  can  ask 
no    more." 

Mr.   Grady  wrote : 

"To  the  Patrons  of  The  Courier: 
Having  been  called  to  another  field  of 
labor,  my  connection  with  The  Cour- 
ier ceases  with  this  issue.  I  will  say 
nothing  of  the  sadness  I  feel  in  break- 
ing loose  from  the  old  Courier — noth- 
ing of  the  honest  courtesy  and  kind- 
ness of  the  proprietor,  who  has  been 
my  friend  and  counsellor  through  thick 
and  thin;  because  these  things  be- 
long not  to  the  public,  nor  do  they  in- 
terest the  public.  But  I  feel  that  I 
would  be  lacking  in  gratitude  did  I 
not  express  my  thanks  to  those  of  you 
who  have  encouraged  me  with  your 
kind  words  and  approving  patronage 
during  this,  the  first  year  of  my  ed- 
itorial life.  Tendering  you  my  most 
sincere  acknowledgments,  I  remain, 
"Yours  very  truly, 
"HENRY   W.    GRADY." 

Henry  Grady  and  his  younger  broth- 
er. Will  S.  Grady,  ran  The  Daily  Com- 
mercial* as  editor  and  business  man- 
ager, respectively.  Associated  with 
them  for  part  of  this  time  was  Col. 
J.  F.  Shanklin,  the  firm  name  being 
Grady  Brothers  &  Shanklin.  Some  of 
Mr.  Grady's  best  work  appeared  dur- 
ing this  period.  Col.  Sawyer  was  a 
peppery  old  fellow,  and  he  and  Grady 
had  many  an  epistolary  interchange 
which  old  timers  say  came  near  re- 
sulting in  a  duel,  but  Mr.  Grady's 
diplomacy   turned    trouble   into    smiles. 

A  free-hearted  fellow  was  Henry 
Grady.  He  gave  liberally  to  old  ne- 
groes to  get  their  anecdotes  or  stories 
of  their  lives,  and  traversed  many  an 
untraveled  thoroughfare  to  obtain  a 
glimpse  of  types  which  the  average 
man  of  his  sphere  seldom  sees  in  their 
element.  He  had  been  accustomed  to 
everything  that  money  could  buy, 
hence  did  not  deny  his  friends  any- 
thing he  could  possibly  bestow  upon 
them.  He  was  fond  of  candy,  and  so 
were  the  neighborhood  children;  so 
was  the  blushing  bride  when  she 
finally  arrived;  a  confectioner  kept  all 
kinds  near  the  newspaper  office,  so 
Henry  would  now  and  then  run  up  a 
bill   of   $15   or   more. 

It  is  noteworthy  that,  although  he 
started  using  the  nom  de  plume  "King 
Hans"  early  in  1869,  he  did  not  ob- 
tain real  authority  to  do  so  until  two 
years    later.      This     cognomen     was    a 


combination  of  his  first  name  and  the 
last  name  of  his  sweetheart  in  Ath- 
ens, to  whom  we  can  fancy  hearing 
him   say: 

"Well,  Julia,  I  will  use  your  name 
with  mine,  since  you  will  not  let  me 
change    it   for   a   while." 

Henry  worked  industriously;  he 
could  afford  matrimony,  or  thought  he 
could,  in  the  fall  of  1871,  and  so  they 
were  married,  and  came  to  the  old 
Wood  home,  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  Broad  Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  to 
reside.  Some  say  they  lived  first  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  Third  Avenue 
and  East  First  Street,  where  the  of- 
fice of  the  Harbin  Hospital  now 
stands.  At  any  rate,  Henry  had  been 
"batching  it"  here  and  there,  and  at 
one  time  had  boarded  with  Mrs.  W. 
W.  Watters;  and  his  first  cousin,  Wm. 
C.  Grady,  Roman  in  the  iron  business, 
had  boarded  there  at  the  same  time. 
A  Roman  who  had  been  his  roommate 
at  Athens  also  acted  as  a  groomsman 
at  his  wedding — Col.  Hamilton  Yan- 
cey. Another  Roman,  Rev.  George  T. 
Goetchius,  pastor  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church,  had  been  his  class- 
mate  through   four    pleasant   years. 

The  newspaper  business  is  not  al- 
ways remunerative.  The  Gradys  and 
Col.  Shanklin  had  been  publishing  a 
paper  that  in  that  day  would  be  call- 
ed "jam-up."  Thev  had  bought  it  in 
July,  1870,  from  Mitchell  A.  Nevin, 
who  appeared  to  be  glad  to  sell.  Soon 
it  was  "jam-up"  against  the  wall,  so 
they  poured  it  back  into  the  jug. 
Mitchell  A.  Nevin  was  willing  to  try 
it    again. 

Just  when  the  Gradys  relinquished 
hold  is  problematical.  The  Atlanta 
Constitution  recorded  that  on  May  8, 
1872,  Mr.  Grady  represented  The  Com- 
mercial and  Capt.  Dwinell  The  Cour- 
ier at  the  Press  Convention  in  Atlan- 
ta. Col.  Carey  W.  Styles  had  gone 
in  June,  1871,  to  the  Albany  News 
from  the  editorial  chair  of  The  Con- 
stitution, and  had  been  succeeded  by 
Col.  I.  W.  Avery,  who  later  wrote  an 
entertaining  history  of  Georgia.  On 
Nov.  5,  1872,  The  Constitution  noted 
the  sale  of  The  Commercial  by  Grady 
Brothers  &  Shanklin  to  Nevin  &  Co., 
and  a  coup-d'etat  by  Capt.  Dwinell 
in  announcing  the  addition  of  Major 
Chas.  H.  Smith  (Bill  Arp)  to  The 
Courier  staff.     The  Nov.  10,  1872,  is- 

♦This  was  Rome's  first  daily,  and  it  was  es- 
tablished by  M.  A.  Nevin.  A  number  bearing 
date  of  Friday,  June  28,  1871,  with  the  mast- 
head carrying  the  names  of  the  Gradys  as  ed- 
itor and  business  manager  and  Col.  Shanklin 
as    managing    editor,    is    still    in    existence. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


251 


sue  of  the  Atlanta  Herald  was  vicious- 
ly attacked  by  The  Constitution  for  its 
"sensational  New  York  journalism." 
Since  Mr.  Grady  started  The  Herald 
soon  after  his  removal  from  Rome,  it 
is  more  than  likely  that  he  left  the 
Hill  City  and  was  presiding  over  the 
destinies  of  the  new  Atlanta  paper  at 
this  time. 

In  leaving  Rome,  this  adventurous 
young  journalist  and  budding  orator 
managed  to  elude  a  battery  of  bill  col- 
lectors and  bailiffs  by  giving  up  his 
trunk.  The  trunk  was  finally  re- 
leased and  put  in  storage  several 
months;  John  Webb,  a  friend,  paid  the 
storage  charges  and  sent  Henry  his 
trunk  and  "wardrobe."  The  wedding 
silver  escaped,  for  it  had  gone  tem- 
porarily with  Mrs.  Grady  to  the  home 
of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Battey  at  the 
easternmost  end  of  First  Avenue.  Hard 
lines  for  the  young  couple,  just  start- 
ing life's  struggle,  but  they  never  gave 
up,  and  lived  to  speak  in  a  philosophi- 
cal and  humorous  vein  of  their  early 
experiences. 

Henry  was  persistently  hounded  by 
this  motley  pack,  to  the  point  where 
his  friends  claim  he  was  literally  run 
away  from  Rome — to  make  famous  an- 
other town.  These  incidents  did  not 
embitter  him;  they  came  to  him  as 
part  of  the  game  of  life,  and  when  the 
years  had  removed  from  his  memory 
the  grim  faces  of  his  nemesises,  he 
often  commented  on  his  pleasant  recol- 
lections of  the  sublimated  Seven  Hills. 

From  the  top  of  the  editorial  and 
oi'atorical  perch,  with  the  plaudits  of 
the  thousands  ringing  in  his  ears  and 
his  own  image  deeply  graven  on  their 
hearts,  it  was  truly  a  retrospective  pic- 
ture in  a  golden  frame.  He  thought 
of  the  time  when  he  used  to  scribble 
news  notes  on  his  cuffs,  which  neces- 
sitated changing  shirts  every  day; 
when  "Uncle  Remus"  came  unan- 
nounced to  Rome  and  found  him  rid- 
ing a  "flying  Jenny;"  when  he  bought 
a  dozen  pairs  of  scissors  and  set  every- 
body in  the  office  to  clipping  an  ar- 
ticle out  of  each  copy  of  the  paper 
in  order   not  to  offend    a    lady. 

Rome  reciprocated  this  feeling  of 
love  by  sending  a  beautiful  wreath 
May  24,  1921,  to  Atlanta  to  adorn  his 
monument  as  orators  extolled  him;  and 
Romans  reciprocate  it  every  day  of 
their  lives. 

ROME  STORIES  OF  GRADY.— 
Mrs.  Samuel  C.  Whitmire,  of  New- 
York,  N.  Y.,  formerly  of  Everett 
Springs,   tells   this   one:      "Mr.    Grady 


used  to  visit  a  relative,  a  Mrs.  Bal- 
lenger,  at  Floyd  Springs.  A  neighbor- 
hood story  has  it  that  on  a  trip  across 
the  Oostanaula  after  he  had  failed  to 
catch  any  fish  he  had  found  a  net  full 
that  belonged  to  a  farmer  living  near- 
by. Going  to  Farmer  Corntassel's 
house,  he  said,  'My  friend,  I  have 
taken  your  fish  and  I  want  you  to 
take  my  dollar.  I  know  better  than 
to  go  home  without  any  fish.'  He  had 
great  consideration  for  older  people, 
and  spent  much  time  talking  to  de- 
crepit darkies,  from  whom  he  received 
many   inspirations   for   editorials." 

A.  Rawlins,  former  mayor  of  North 
Rome,  and  father-in-law  of  Chas.  T. 
Jervis,  relates  the  following  anecdote: 

"I  came  down  from  North  Rome  one 
day  to  pay  my  subscription  to  Mr. 
Grady's  paper  when  his  office  was 
about  the  middle  of  the  Hotel  Forrest 
block  on  Broad.  I  found  him  standing 
in  a  stairway  and  I  announced  my  in- 
tention. He  looked  at  me  hard  and 
said:  *Mr.  Rawlins,  you  say  you 
came   to   pay  a   subscription?' 

"  'Yes.' 

"  'Do  you  really  mean  that  you  vol- 
untarily want  to  pay  a  subscription  to 
this  newspaper?' 

'"That's   right.' 

"  'Then  I  must  say  that  you  are  to 
be  commended  as  the  first  man  I  have 
met  in  this  community  who  wanted  to 
do  that.  I  have  worn  out  $49  worth 
of  shoe  leather  calling  on  the  others.'  " 

Chas.  W.  Morris,  real  estate  deal- 
er of  300  W.  Fifth  Avenue  and  father 
of   Paul   I.   Morris,  tells   this   story: 

"When  I  was  a  youngster,  Henry 
Grady  used  to  buy  two  cakes  of  soap 
every  now  and  then  and  take  me 
down  to  the  wash-hole  at  the  foot  of 
Fourth  Avenue,  Etowah  River,  and  go 
in  washing  with  me.  He  was  chunky 
and  a  good  swimmer,  but  not  much  on 
diving.  This  was  the  shallow  place 
where  the  downtown  boys  used  to  wade 
across  after  a  session  of  play  at  the 
Gammon  home  nearby.  Mr.  Grady  also 
went  in  at  Seventh  Avenue  on  the 
Oostanaula.  Before  he  married  he  had 
a  room  upstairs  near  the  newspaper 
plant,  on  Broad  Stiect  in  the  Hotel 
Forrest    block." 

Judge  Max  Meyerhaidt  relates  this: 

"Mr.  Grady  was  editor,  reporter  and 
everything  that  his  brother  Will  (bus- 
iness manager)  wasn't.  He  wore  white 
shirts  that  he  changed  every  24  liours 
because  his  cuffs  were  full  of  news- 
paper notes  taken  during  the  day.  He 
was  liberal,  even  extravagant,  and  did 


252 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


not  develop  much  business  ability  in 
Rome;  he  and  his  bride  were  fond  of 
candy,  and  he  often  owed  an  indulgent 
confectioner  $15  at  a  time.  He  was 
literally  run  out  of  town  by  bailiffs 
serving:  attachments  on  him,  and  they 
even  seized  his  trunk  when  he  left  for 
Atlanta." 

J.  A.  Rounsaville  remembers  him 
well  because  of  an  unusual  incident: 
"My  brother  Wes'  and  I  were  conduct- 
ing our  warehouse  and  grocery  busi- 
ness when  Mr.  Grady  came  by  and 
asked  us  to  give  him  an  advertisement. 
We  told  him  good-naturedly  that  his 
old  paper  couldn't  sell  any  more  goods 
than  we  could,  and  that  on  general 
principles  we  didn't  believe  in  adver- 
tising. He  went  away  without  say- 
ing any  more  about  it,  and  the  next 
day  we  were  treated  to  a  deluge  of 
cats :  every  small  boy  in  town,  it  seem- 
ed, brought  from  one  to  six  cats,  and 
when  we  asked  them  why  they  came, 
they  said  we  had  advertised  in  The 
Commercial.  We  bought  a  paper  and 
found  a  small  'want  ad'  saying,  'Will 
pay  good  cash  price  for  cats. — Rounsa- 
ville &  Bro.'  We  sent  for  Mr.  Grady 
and  told  him  it  was  his  duty  to  stop 
the  applications.  He  said  he  could 
do  that  only  by  inserting  a  half-page 
ad.  We  replied,  'All  right,  but  put  in 
the  center  of  it  that  we  don't  want  any 
more  cats!'  " 

"Uncle  Steve"  Eberhart,  the  slavery 
time  darkey  character  who  entertains 
thousands  at  the  convention  of  Con- 
federate Veterans  and  is  a  regular 
member  of  Floyd  County  Camp  368, 
revealed  in  dramatic  fashion  Feb.  5, 
1921,  at  the  camp  meeting  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  Carnegie  library  that  he 
used  to  be  Henry  Grady's  valet  while 
the  great  orator  and  former  Roman 
was  a  student  at  the  University  of 
Georgia   at   Athens. 

When  Mr.  Grady's  name  was  men- 
tioned, "Uncle  Steve"  jumped  to  his 
feet,  shouted  and  clapped  his  hands, 
hugged  himself  until  he  grunted,  and 
then  exclaimed  as  tears  rolled  down 
his  cheeks: 

"Lordy,  white  folks,  I  had  the  extin- 
gruished  honor  to  dust  off  Mr.  Grady's 
coat  and  black  his  shoes.  He  thought 
er  whole  lot  of  your  yumble  servant." 

"Uncle  Steve"  was  "in  college"  with 
the  younger  Ben  Hill  and  a  long  list 
of  noted  men.  He  lived  in  Athens  un- 
til the  dispensary  times,  he  said,  and 
then  sought  a  better  town,  so  settled 
in  Rome.  In  Rome  he  fell  in  with 
the  veterans,  put  on  a  stove-pipe  hat, 
and    tucked    two    frying-sized    chickens 


under  his  arms  for  a  parade.  He  has 
been  dressing  up  and  cutting  up  ever 
since. 

Comrade  Treadaway  told  a  story  on 
the  Grady  brothers  that  brought  a 
laugh. 

"Henry  and  Will  had  some  prop- 
erty in  Athens,  and  Henry  sent  Will 
from  Rome  to  sell  it.  Will  sold  it  and 
passed  through  Atlanta.  When  he  re- 
turned to  Rome,  Henry  said,  'Well,  did 
you   sell  the  land?' 

"  'Yep.' 

"  'Where's  the  money?' 

"'In   the   bank   at   Atlanta?' 

'"What    bank?' 

"  'They   called  it   the   Faro    Bank.'  " 

Romans  played  a  leading  part  in 
Mr.  Grady's  funeral,  Dec.  25,  1889,  in 
Atlanta.  Gen.  Clement  A.  Evans  and 
the  Rev.  J.  W.  Lee,  former  pastors 
of  the  First  Methodist  Church  of 
Rome,  headed  the  funeral  procession 
to  DeGive's  Opera  House,  where  John 
Temple  Graves,  then  a  Rome  editor, 
was  one  of  the  speakers.  Montgomery 
M.  Folsom  and  Frank  L.  Stanton, 
Rome  journalists,  wrote  poems  to  Mr. 
Grady's  memory,  and  the  late  Rev.  G. 
A.  Nunnally,  father  of  Judge  W.  J. 
Nunnally,  and  then  president  of  Mer- 
cer University,  pronounced  the  bene- 
diction at  a  memorial  meeting  held  in 
Macon.— Feb.  7,   1921. 

GRADY  AS  "CORRESPONDENT." 
— The  following  letter  to  the  Rome 
weekly  shows  Henry  Grady  in  a  new 
role : 

"Macon,   Ga.,    Nov.    17,    1869. 

"Dear  Courier:  Arrived  here  safe.  I 
found  it  storming  heavily,  but  soon 
after  our  arrival  it  cleared  off  beauti- 
fully and  at  the  present  writing  the 
moon  finds  her  full  face  reflected  from 
a  thousand  rapidly  evaporating  pud- 
dles that  dot  the  streets.  All  will  be 
delightful    in    the    morning. 

"The  city  is  jammed;  every  profes- 
sion or  handicraft  in  the  world  has 
many  and  vigorous  repi'esentatives 
here,  from  the  editorial  profession 
down  to  the  profession  of  pickpocket- 
ical — especially  the  latter.  The  gam- 
blers, the  respectable,  genteel  class  of 
gamblers,  are  in  full  force  and  atro- 
ciously energetic. 

"In  company  with  certain  other  edi- 
tors, we  paid  a  visit  to  a  fancily  fur- 
nished saloon,  wherein  these  old  gen- 
try plied  their  craft.  The  fascination 
that  these  places  are  said  to  possess 
was  speedily  dispelled  as  far  as  your 
humble    servant    is    concerned.      I    fol- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


253 


254 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


lowed  my  companions  from  table  to 
table;  in  no  case  did  I  see  a  single  man 
win  save  those  who  were  evidently 
connected  with  the  establishment. 
Teaching  Sunday  School  in  the  north 
of  Patagonia  may  be  a  profitable 
pecuniary  venture,  but  I  feel  no  hesi- 
tancy in  asserting  that  gambling  is 
not.  Among  the  devotees  of  the  tables 
I  noticed  many  faces  that  I  had  seen 
migrating  through  Rome  about  the 
season  of  our  fair. 

"As  I  did  not  get  back  here  till  after 
dark,  I  can  report  nothing  interesting 
save  the  cardinal  facts  which  have  al- 
ready been  given  you  by  the  telegrams. 

"The  Georgia  Press  is  largely  repre- 
sented— almost  every  paper  in  the 
state.  Joe  Brown,  the  fragrant;  Bul- 
lock, the  bewitching;  McWhorter,  the 
accident;  Hampton,  the  chivalric;  Cap- 
ron,  the  Commissioner;  and  Gordon, 
the  Governor,  are  in  this  house,  and 
figured  conspicuously  in  the  parlor  to- 
night. 

"Men  who  have  attended  fairs  for 
years  say  they  never  saw  a  larger 
crowd  than  is  gathered  here  now. 
Thousands  of  ladies,  plenty  of  shows. 
enough  to  eat,  too  much  to  do,  and 
more  anon. 

"KING  HANS." 
(Henry  W.  Grady.) 

"P.  S. — The  unanimous  opinion  is 
that  there  is  a  radical  and  shameful 
mismanagement  of  all  things  pertain- 
ing to  said  institution.  The  arrange- 
ments are  huge,  but  unwieldly;  im- 
mense, but  muddled.  ...  I  heard  a 
man  exclaim  this  morning  while  try- 
ing to  get  his  goods  entered.  'Oh,  if 
we  had  them  Joneses  from  the  Rome 
Fair  we'd  get  things  straightened 
out!'  Sensible.  A  villainous  store- 
keeper today  refused  to  take  Rome 
money.*  What  must  be  done  with 
him? 

"One  of  the  prettiest  and  most  hope- 
ful features  of  the  fair  is  that  the 
exhibitors  all  show  an  anxiety  to  get 
their  advertisements  in  The  Courier. 
Success  will  attend  such  sensible  men ! 
Rome  has  many  representatives  here. 
Messrs.  Noble  and  Cohen  are  attract- 
ing considerable  attention. 

"K.  H." 

HENRY  GRADY  TO  GENERAL 
SHERMAN.— On  Dec.  22,  1886,  at  a 
banquet  of  the  New  England  Society 
at  New  York,  at  which  Gen.  Wm. 
T.  Sherman  sat  at  the  speakers'  table, 
Henry  W.  Grady  declai-ed: 

"  'Bill  Arp'  struck  the  keynote  when 


he  said,  'Well,  I  killed  as  many  of 
them  as  they  did  of  me,  and  so  I'm 
going  to  work!'  A  Confederate  soldier 
returning  home  after  defeat  and  roast- 
ing some  corn  on  the  roadside,  said 
to  his  comrades,  'You  may  leave  the 
South  if  you  want  to,  but  I'm  going  to 
SaTidersville,  kiss  my  wife  and  raise 
a  crop,  and  if  the  Yankees  fool  with 
me  any  more,  I'll  whip  'em  again!'  I 
want  to  say  to  Gen.  Sherman,  who  is 
considered  an  able  man  in  our  parts, 
though  some  people  think  he  is  kind 
of  careless  about  fire,  that  from  the 
ashes  he  left  us  in  1864  we  have  built 
a  brave  and  beautiful  city;  that  some- 
how or  other  we  have  caught  the  sun- 
shine in  the  bricks  and  mortar  of  our 
homes  and  have  builded  therein  not  one 
ignoble  prejudice  or  memory!"** 

AN  OLD  TIMER.— Virgil  A.  Stew- 
art, son  of  the  late  Samuel  Stewart, 
Rome's  first  marshal  before  the  Civil 
War,  and  grandfather  of  our  own  Capt. 
Henry  J.  Stewart,  favored  us  with  a 
call  at  the  office  yesterday  afternoon 
that  was  greatly  appreciated.  Mr. 
Stewart  was  born  Jan.  24,  1836,  at 
Rome,  consequently  is  85  years  of  age 
and  remembers  more  than  most  people 
around  here.  He  is  one  of  the  two 
surviving  members  of  the  Rome  Light 
Guards  who  went  out  to  fight  for  the 
Confederacy  in  April,  1861,  the  other 
being  B.  James  Franks,  of  Armuchee. 
Mr.  Franks  was  a  recruit,  so  that 
leaves  "Virge"  as  the  last  surviving 
charter  member. 

He  is  a  nephew  of  his  uncle  name- 
sake, the  late  Virgil  A.  Stewart,  of 
Lawrenceville,  who  under  the  guise  of 
an  "outlaw"  joined  the  band  of  John 
A.  Murrell  and  captured  that  notorious 
character  at  the  Mississippi  River  in 
Arkansas.  Murrell's  gang  operated 
through  the  South,  as  far  as  Florida, 
before  the  removal  of  the  Indians  to 
the  west,  and  the  Indians  got  the  credit 
for  many  of  their  villainies.  One  of 
their  hang-outs  in  Georgia  was  at  Jug 
Tavern,  now  Winder,  county  seat  of 
Bartow  County.  Murrell's  capture  re- 
sulted in  a  trial  in  Tennessee  which 
pu^  him  in  the  penitentiary  for  life  at 
Nashville,  and  he  died  there.  The 
original  Virgil  A.  Stewart  went  to 
Mississippi  before  the  Civil  War  and 
warned  the  people  of  a  contemplated 
insurrection   among  the   negroes. 

When  asked  how  old  he  was,  Rome's 

*This  must  have  been  some  of  the  printing: 
px'ess  money  issued  by  Mayor  Zach  Hargrove 
in    1869    to    relieve   a    local    stringency. 

**Sherman  joined  in  the  general  tumult  pro- 
voked   by    these    remarks. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


255 


Virgil  A.  Stewart  replied  that  he  was 
"thirteen."  Somebody  in  the  office 
remarked  that  he  could  pass  for  60 
easily  enough,  which  seemed  to  please 
him  greatly.  He  said  he  did  it  living 
out  in  the  open,  "catching  water  moc- 
casins, eels  and  fish"  from  the  rivers 
of   Rome. 

"I  see  by  the  paper,"  remarked  Mr. 
Stewart,  "that  Judge  George  Harris, 
of  the  Flat  Woods,  thinks  he  can  walk 
anybody  down  in  a  day  that  ain't  less 
than  70.  You  can  just  tell  him  for  me 
that  if  he  talks  much  like  that  I'll 
take  him  up  the  river  banks  and  back 
again    in    a    way    he    won't   forget!" 

Mr.  Stewart  relates  how  a  big  crowd 
gathered  about  the  year  1835  to  see 
two  Indians  hung  on  Broad  Street 
near  Ninth  Avenue.  Somebody  that 
wanted  to  see  the  spectacle  lugged 
him  along,  although  he  was  only  two 
years  old.  The  Indians  were  Bai-ney 
Swimmer  and  Terrapin,  convicted  of 
killing  a  pale  face  named  Ezekiel 
Blatchford  (or  Braselton).  They  were 
strung  from  a  piece  of  timber  laid 
across  two  limbs,  and  for  a  long  time 
afterward  the  tree  bore  notches  to 
show  the  spot. 

Mr.  Stewart  is  authority  for  the  fol- 
lowing statements : 

He  was  at  one  time,  at  2  years  of 
age,  the  only  boy  in  Rome;  Arthur 
Hood  started  the  first  newspaper,  and 
Howard  Jack  and  a  Mr.  Walker  fol- 
lowed him ;  William  Smith  owned  the 
first  ferry,  which  served  DeSoto,  the 
peninsula  and  Hillsboro  (South  Rome) 
at  the  head  of  the  Coosa,  and  hired 
William  H.  Adkins,  Sr.,  to  build  him 
the  first  steamboat,  and  Matt  and 
Overton  Hitchcock  to  erect  the  first 
bridge,  a  covered  affair,  where  the 
Fifth  Avenue  bridge  now  stands. 

Smith  owned  the  land  where  the  Al- 
fred Shorter  (D.  B.  Hamilton)  home 
is  on  the  Alabama  road,  and  kept  a 
crib  of  corn  open  to  the  poor.  He  built 
on  the  hill  across  the  Alabama  road 
from  the  spring  nearby.  John  Smith, 
a  brother,  went  to  California  during 
the  gold  epidemic  and  died  there.  Chas. 
Smith,  another  brother,  moved  to  Cass 
(Bartow)    county   and   died  there. 

Mr.  Stewart  says  deer  used  to  run 
wild  through  the  woods  around  Rome 
in  the  thirties,  and  that  Jim  Ragan 
shot  one  near  the  Etowah  River  and 
the  foot  of  Third  Avenue,  about  the 
location  of  the  John  W.  Maddox  place, 
in  front  of  the  old  J.  A.  Gammon 
home  spot. 

Mrs.  Robert  Battey  used  to  have  a 
pet    deer    given    her    by     her     father, 


William  Smith,  and  she  had  seen  deer 
jump  the  fences  while  the  dogs  chased 
them.  Her  deer  became  enraged  on 
one  occasion,  attacked  a  woman  and 
had  to  be  shot. 

*     *     * 

READY  WIT  OF  THE  UNDER- 
WOODS.— Many  clever  stories  are 
told  of  the  "absolution"  with  which 
the  late  Judge  John  W.  H.  Under- 
wood, Congressman  from  Rome  before 
the  Civil  War  and  noted  humorist  and 
wit,  dominated  jury  and  bar.  Rome 
lawyers  of  the  old  school  like  Judge 
Joel  Branham,  Judge  G.  A.  H.  Harris 
and  Frank  Copeland  remember  well 
his  fine  sarcasm,  his  rare  good  nature 
and  the  quickness  of  his  intellect. 

A  lawyer  whose  client  had  "gone  up 
the  spout— guilty"  asked  Judge  Un- 
derwood for  a  light  sentence  because 
the  defendant  was  somewhat  dull,  to 
v/hich  the  Judge  replied:  "Then  it 
will  take  a  heavy  penalty  to  make  an 
impression  on  him,"  and  gave  the  man 
the   limit. 

At  a  meeting  in  Pittsburg  of  the 
Tariff  Commission  to  which  President 
Arthur  in  1882  appointed  Judge  Un- 
derwood, a  Mr.  Butler  stated  that  pro- 
tection would  increase  the  number  of 
furnaces  and  thus  reduce  the  price  of 
pig  iron.  "Then,"  queried  Judge  Un- 
derwood, "you  want  a  high  tariff  so 
you  can  sell  your  product  at  a  low 
price?" 

At  another  time  the  elder  Under- 
wood wrote  to  a  friend:  "I  cheerfully 
recommend  my  son,  John,  for  the  job 
of  Solicitor  General.  He  has  more 
ambition  for  office  and  fewer  qualifi- 
cations than  any  man  I  ever  saw!" 

A  story  is  told  locally  which  illus- 
trates the  fine  sense  of  humor  and  the 
quick  perception  of  Judge  John  W.  H. 
Underwood.  A  Rome  man  who  was  in 
a  financial  tight  went  to  Judge  Under- 
wood to  obtain  his  endorsement. 

"If  you  will  sign  mv  note  I  will  go 
to  the  bank  and  get  .$300,"  stated  the 
caller. 

"Just  make  it  $(iOO."  shot  back  Judge 
Underwood,  "I  need  that  much  my- 
self." 

Judge  Nisbet  wrote  of  tin'  elder  l^n- 
derwood,  who  was  the  block  of  which 
the  son  was  a  chip:  "Judge  Un- 
derwood, the  elder,  was  a  greater  wit 
than  Sheridan,  but  unfortunately,  he 
had  no  Boswell  to  write  liis  biogra- 
phy or  Constitution  reporter  to  pub- 
lish what  he  said.  He  was  once  en- 
gaged in  a  case,  and  the  judge,  after 


256 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


chargfing  very  violently  against  him, 
locked  the  jury  up  for  the  night  and 
adjourned  the  court.  After  tea  the 
Judge  and  Underwood  were  walking  on 
the  piazza  of  the  hotel  near  the  court- 
house, and  heard  quite  a  movement  of 
chairs  and  feet  in  the  jury  room,  at 
which  the  judge  remarked,  'I  believe 
the  jury  have  gone  to  prayers.'  Un- 
derwood said:  'I  suspect  so.  Failing 
to  get  any  light  from  your  honor's 
charge,  they  are  seeking  it  from 
above.'  " 

Governor  John  B.  Gordon  wrote: 
"When  Underwood  lived  in  Elbert,  a 
man  was  abusing  him  roundly,  and 
ended  by  saying,  'Yes,  sir,  and  I  un- 
derstand you  were  a  Federalist!'  To 
this  Judge  Underwood  replied :  'In 
those  times  there  were  but  two  par- 
ties in  this  country: — Federalists  and 
fools.  I  was  a  Federalist  and  I  never 
heard  you,  sir,  accused  of  being  one.'  " 

The  following  story  is  told  of  the 
elder  Underwood: 

"Cooahullie  Creek,  near  Dalton,  was 
swollen  from  rains  and  Judge  Under- 
wood and  other  lawyers  were  trying 
to  reach  a  courthouse  on  the  opposite 
side  in  buggies.  The  Judge  hauled 
up  in  front  and  was  urged  on  by  his 
companions.  He  answered,  'No,  it  is 
appointed  unto  man  once  to  die,  but  it 
shall  never  be  said  of  Wm.  H.  Under- 
wood that  he  was  drowned  in  Cooa- 
hullie  Creek.'  " 

John  T.  Boifeuillet,  of  Macon,  relates 
the    following: 

"In  these  prohibition  times  of  court 
trials  of  liquor  violations  it  may  be 
apropos  to  tell  of  an  incident  that  hap- 
pened when  Judge  J.  W.  H.  Underwood, 
the  celebrated  Georgia  wit,  was  on 
the  Superior  Court  bench.  Certain 
temperance  regulations  were  in  ex- 
istence. In  the  hearing  of  a  liquor 
case  the  defendant  said  he  sold  the 
whisky  on  a  doctor's  prescription, 
which  he  was  at  the  time  holding  in 
his  hand.  'Let  me  see  that  paper,' 
said  the  judge.  It  was  handed  to  him, 
and  he  read  it  aloud  from  the  bench. 

"  'Let  the  bearer  have  one  quart  of 
whisky  for   sickness. 

'JOHN  JOHNSON,   M.  D.' 

"  'Yes,'  said  the  judge,  'M.  D.  in  the 
morning  means  'mighty  dry,'  and  in 
the  evening,  'mighty  drunk.'  " 

The  following  incident  is  related  by 
Henry   Peeples,  Atlanta   attorney: 

"The  Tariff  Commission  appointed 
to  visit  the  various  sections  of  the 
country  and  report  on  the  tariff  work- 


ings came  to  Atlanta  and  sent  out  in- 
vitations asking  any  one  interested  to 
meet  with  them  and  point  out  unjust 
discriminations  as  they  saw  them. 
Judge  J.  W.  H.  Underwood  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  comm,ission.  When  the 
board  assembled  in  the  convention  hall 
of  the  Kimball  House  they  were  greet- 
ed by  a  single  man,  come  to  talk  over 
the  tariff.  For  two  hours  or  more  he 
fired  question  after  question  at  the 
tariff  experts,  turned  the  'evidence 
meeting'  into  a  debate  between  himself 
and  the  board  and  showed  those  gen- 
tlemen just  what  the  situation  was  in 
the  South. 

"  'What  is  your  name?'  asked  the 
commission  of  the  young  man. 

"  'I  am  Woodrow  Wilson,  a  lawyer,' 
he  answered. 

"Mr.  Wilson  was  a  practicing  attor- 
ney in  Atlanta  at  the  time  of  the  visit 
of  the  commission,  having  been  there 
possibly   two   years. 

"Judge  Underwood's  wit  was  caustic 
at  times.  He  once  made  the  follow- 
ing statement  to  which  many  persons 
may  agree:  'Debt  and  death  sound 
very  much  alike,  and  there  is  but  lit- 
tle difference  between  them.'  " 

UNDERWOOD'S  FIRST  FEE.— 
Mrs.  Florence  Underwood  Eastman  re- 
lates how  her  father,  the  late  Judge 
Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood,  won  his  first 
"legal  fee."  Her  grandfather,  Judge 
Wm.  H.  Underwood,  had  been  commis- 
sioned by  John  Ross  to  attend  to  legal 
matters  connected  with  the  removal  of 
the  Cherokee  Indians  westward.  About 
the  same  time.  Rev.  Jno.  F.  Schermer- 
horn,  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  was  sent  to 
Rome  by  the  government  as  removal 
commissioner.  A  big  pow-wow  was 
held  at  the  home  of  John  Ridge,  Cher- 
okee Indian,  at  "Running  Waters." 
Near  here  the  Cherokees  held  their 
Green  Corn  dances,  at  which  the  In- 
dians would  gather  from  miles  around, 
pin  corn  shuck  aprons  around  their 
waists,  and  tie  shells  containing  peb- 
bles around  their  ankles  and  dance  for 
hours. 

Mr.  Schermerhorn  and  Judge  Wm. 
H.  Underwood  opened  the  meeting 
July  19,  1835,  and  were  preparing  for 
a  continuation  of  the  pow-wow  at 
New  Echota  (New  Town),  Gordon 
County,  north  of  Calhoun,  where  the 
treaty  was  finally  to  be  signed  (it  was 
signed  Dec.  29,  1835),  and  there  was 
much  "paper  work"  to  be  done.  Judge 
Underwood  and  Mr.  Schermerhorn 
pitched  into  the  work.  The  Judge's 
son,  John,  was  waiting  nearby,  watch- 
ing.    "Why  couldn't  we  put  the  lad  to 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


257 


work?"    inquired     Mr.      Schermerhorn. 
'Try   him,"    suggested    the   father. 

Young  John  caught  on  readily,  work- 
ed all  night,  and  next  morning  Mr. 
Schermerhorn  handed  him  $50.  "Not 
bad  for  a  starter  in  legal  business!" 
chuckled  young  Underwood,  as  he 
crammed  the  bill  down  into  his  jeans 
and  ran  home. — Jan.  19,  1921. 
*     *     * 

A  PEN  PICTURE  OF  ROME.*— 
(H.  W.  Johnstone,  in  the  Rome  Trib- 
une Jan.  26,  1907)  : 

"The  man  looks  back  on  what  the 
boy  saw  with  his  eager  eyes  before  the 
Civil  War.  Among  the  boy's  earliest 
recollections  is  a  group  around  the 
old  courthouse  at  court  (East  First) 
and  Bridge  Streets  (Fifth  Avenue), 
and  the  building  itself,  with  its  white 
medallions  and  red  gables  reminded 
him  that  here  was  a  civilizing  outpost 
in  North  Georgia  which  kept  watch 
over  the  destinies  of  mankind. 

"The  corner  opposite  the  courthouse 
building  was  a  two-story  affair  with 
a   wide  veranda   across   the   front. 

"Down  the  hill  from  the  courthouse 
on  the  west  side  of  Broad  Street  was 
a  two-story  hotel  known  as  the  'Amer- 
ican House,'  with  a  wide  veranda 
across  the  front.  The  postoflfice  was 
in   this  building  at   one  time. 

"South  of  this  were  the  stores  of 
Sanders,  Sullivan,  the  two  Ombergs, 
Henry  Smith  and  R.  S.  Norton.  The 
first  brick  store  in  this  block  was 
erected  by  Sanders,  and  is  now  oc- 
cupied by   a   hardware  house. 

"This  store,  and  the  yard  in  its 
rear,  was  the  scene  of  an  escapade  of 
which  the  boy  may  tell  you  later.  It 
was  so  near  a  tragedy  that  he  never 
divulged  his  knowledge  of  it  for  twen- 
ty years! 

"On  the  corner  below  Norton's  was 
Miles  and  Riley  Johnson's,  then  came 
Wimpee's  shop,  and  White's  har- 
ness store,  which  stood  about  where 
Todd's  grocery  now  is.  Thence  it 
was  vacant  (being  low  and  often 
ponded),  with  a  bridge  walk  built 
several  feet  above  ground  to  where 
Lanham's  store  stands.  Here  stood 
the  'Wells  Hotel,'  and  in  rear  of  this 
was  a  small  frame  building.  Miss  Liz- 
zie Smith's  school. 

"Farther  down  Broad  Street  were 
other  business  houses,  among  them 
A.  M.  Sloan's,  which  stood  alyout  where 
W.  H.  Coker  is  now  located.  Thence 
it  was  low  and  swampy  to  Oostanaula 
and   Etowah   Rivers,  the  only  building 

*The   scene   goes    back   to    185G. 


being  the  Rome  Railroad  depot,  which 
was  also  used  by  the  boats.  This  was 
located  about  where  the  Central  depot 
now  IS.  It  was  an  ordinary  'up  and 
down'  frame  house  raised  several  feet 
upon  piling.  The  vacant  space,  sev- 
eral acres,  was  the  'circus  gi-ound  ' 
It  was  covered  with  grass  and  in  wet 
seasons  a  pond  was  near  the  depot. 

"At  the  foot  of  Broad  Street  the 
new  bridge  connected  Rome  with  'Lick 
bkiiJet  hills,  now  South  Rome.  On 
these  hills  the  stage  driver  always 
wmded  his  bugle  as  signal  for  pas- 
sengers and  mail. 

''Crossing  Broad  Street  at  the  depot 
and  coming  north,  the  fir.st  building 
he  remembers  was  the  Ketcham  House 
on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
Taylor-Norton  Drug  Co.  Back  of  this 
was  a  field,  and  where  Second  Avenue 
now  enters  Broad  Street  was  a  gate 
thence  along  Broad  Street  was  a  fence 
to  where  J.  J.  Cohen's  store  stood— 
about  where  Fahy's  now  is.  Thence 
to   Fourth  Avenue  was  vacant. 

"The  rear  of  Rounsaville's  ware- 
house covers  a  spring,  the  branch  from 
it  flowed  through  Douglas'  stable  lot, 
crossed  Broad  Street,  formed  a  'pond' 
and  went  through  a  deep  ravine  into 
Oostanaula  River  where  Third  Avenue 
ends. 

"Hardin  &  Smyer  were  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Fourth  Avenue,  then  came 
Johnson  &  Gwyn,  next  was  Fried's, 
then  vacant  lots  to  the  Choice  House. 
About  1852  Wm.  Ramey  established 
the  first  livery  stable  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Masonic  Temple.  A  year 
later  Wm.  C.  G.  Johnstone  built  a  ve- 
hicle repository  where  Kay's  stable 
is  and  a  large  brick  warehouse  on  the 
present  Baptist  church  lot. 

"Wm.  R.  Smith's  'Continental  Shop' 
was  on  the  corner  above  the  Choice 
House.  Immediately  fronting  this  was 
DeJournett's,  a  two-story  frame  struct- 
ure. In  the  upper  story  of  this  build- 
ing the  first  Masonic  lodge  was  insti- 
tuted. Later,  under  the  lead  of  Wm. 
Choice,  Arm.  Harper,  'Billie'  Ross,  and 
others,  it  became  'Thespian  Hall.'  This 
was  used  for  theatrical  performances 
and  school  exhibitions.  Across  the 
years  the  boy  can  still  hear  the 
voice  of  Billy  Hills  addressing  the 
'Conscript  Fathers.'  The  ringing  in- 
quiry of  Cooper  Nesbit,  'Why  is  the 
Forum  Crowded?  What  means  this 
stir  in  Rome?'  And  the  eloquent  Jack 
Hutchings  assuring  us  that  he  'came 
to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him!' 

"Some  of  the  little  boys  of  those 
days    are    with    us    still.      I    am    sui'e 


258 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Charlie  H.  could  again  entrance  us 
with  the  'Sailor  Boy's  Dream,'  and 
Dolph  R.  could  tell  'us  of  that  dis- 
astrous 'Smacking  in  the  District 
School,  not  far  away.' 

"Memory  fixes  no  residences  south 
of  Fourth  Avenue  and  east  of  Second 
Street,  except  Cooley's,  and  one  or  two 
near  the  present  site  of  the  Baptist 
church. 

"From  Third  Street  east,  to  the 
river,  and  south  of  Fourth  Avenue, 
nearly  to  Second  Avenue,  was  the  fin- 
est grove  of  oaks  he  ever  saw.  A  few 
of  these  trees  were  standing  near  East 
Fourth  street  lately.  This  was  known 
as  'The  Grove,'  sacred  to  political  bar- 
becues, and  Cupid's  delightful  arch- 
ery. 

"Between  Fourth  and  Fifth  Avenues 
on  the  east  side  of  Third  Street  were 
two  residences  facing  west,  their  broad 
lots  extending  back  to  the  Etowah 
river.  Fronting  these  residences,  and 
extending  over  the  hill  to  the  court- 
house, was  nearly  all  a  grove  of  field 
pines.  The  only  residences  on  this 
space  were  Callahan's,  where  the 
Episcopal  church  now  is,  Duke's,  on 
southeast  corner,  and  Wm.  C.  G.  John- 
stone's near  the  crest,  just  back  of  the 
courthouse. 

"On  the  crest  of  the  hill  stood  the 
academy,  a  long  one-story,  two-room 
brick  building,  its  west  entrance 
guarded  by  an  enormjous  gnarled 
chestnut  tree.  If  memory  is  true,  this 
academy  was  built  by'  subscription 
under  the  auspices  of  S.  J.  Stevens. 
While  it  was  being  erected  Mr.  Ste- 
vens' school  was  located  on  a  mound 
just  beyond  the  Shropshire  residence 
— all  woods  then — now   Forrestville. 

"About  1853  Mr.  Stevens  built  an 
academy  in  the  valley  between  the 
residence  of  Major  Ross  and  Reece's 
spring.  This  academy  was  a  two- 
story  frame  structure.  A  long  stair- 
way, built  outside,  gave  entrance  to 
the  upper  school  room.  This  build- 
ing was  burned  a  few  years  later.  At 
this  school  the  boy  first  knew  Dick 
Cothran,  Button  and  Ike  Hume,  Billie 
Ross,  Tom  Berrien,  Wm.  Hills,  Wm. 
Tuggle,  Jack  Hutchings  and  Cooper 
Nesbit,  and  among  the  small  lads  were 
George  C.  Douglas,  son  of  Dr.  George 
B.  Douglas,  'Randy'  Mitchell,  Sam 
liumpkin,  Thomas  Cuyler,  T.  J.  Ver- 
dery  (whose  home  was  the  old  resi- 
dence of  Major  Ridge,  chief  of  the 
Cherokees,  which  stood,  and  remains 
on  Oostanaula  River  above  Battey's 
Shoals).  Henry  Stovall  rode  his  pony 
to  school  from  his  home  on  the   Suni- 


merville  road,  where  Mr.  Brown  now 
resides — just  beyond  the  old  Asa 
Smith    home — now    Willingham's. 

"The  second  principal  at  the  Rome 
Academy  was  P.  M.  Sheibley,  then  a 
young  man  of  fine  appearance  and 
pleasing  manners.  He  was  a  finish- 
ed scholar,  a  firm,  competent  teacher. 
His  pupils  owe  to  him  more  than  can 
be  expressed  here.  At  this  school  the 
boy  first  knew  C.  M.  Harper,  Dolph 
Rounsaville,  John  and  'Scrap'  Black, 
Tyler  Mobley,  and  that  fine  youth  who 
was  drowned  in  the  Oostanaula,  Albert 
Jones. 

"On  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue 
stood  Simpson's  cabinet  shop,  where 
sash,  doors  and  blinds  were  first  made 
in  Rome.  West  of  this,  on  the  emi- 
nence, stood  the  residence  of  R.  S. 
Norton.  What  a  home-maker  he  was, 
what  a  character  builder!  His  sons 
were  often  welcome  visitors  at  the 
homes  of  the  boy's  father  and  paternal 
grandfather.  No  finer  gentleman  ever 
tinted  the  'grey'  with  the  ultimate 
sacrifice  than  did  Charles  Norton ! 
Two  of  the  great  marts  of  the  Central 
West  and  the  iron  metropolis  of  the 
South  feel  the  impress  of  R.  S.  Nor- 
ton's character,  through  his  living  sons. 
His  life-work  was  a  benediction  to  this 
city!  Even  the  flowers  bloomed  rapt- 
urously in  tribute  to  his  gentleness  and 
care ! 

"Probably  the  oldest  hotel  in  Rome 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Eighth  Ave- 
nue. It  was  constructed  of  hewn  tim- 
bers, drawn  shingles,  split  lathes  and 
plaster.  On  a  medallion  sign,  swing- 
ing over  the  road,  was  the  legend, 
'Travelers'    Rest — John    Quinn.' 

"Across  Broad  Street,  fronting 
'Travelers'  Rest,'  was  the  residence  of 
Judge  Nathan  Yarbrough.  Nestling 
far  back  in  a  shaded  yard  on  south- 
v/est  corner  of  Ninth  Avenue  was  the 
home  of  Dr.  Vernon,  whose  daughter, 
Helen,  was  the  first  'belle'  the  boy  re- 
members, but  on  the  next  corner  above 
was  a  yardfull,  where  Hon.  J.  W.  H. 
Underwood  resided. 

"North  of  this,  extending  to  the 
brick  residence  of  Daniel  R.  Mitchell, 
located  about  where  John  Davis  now 
resides,  was  a  forest  of  oaks  and  pop- 
lars, enclosing  Mitchell's  Pond,  fit  to 
be  'God's  first  temples.' 

"The  square  as  now  bounded  by 
First  and  Second  Streets,  Fifth  and 
Sixth  Avenues,  was  a  deep  ravine,  then 
heavily  wooded.  On  its  southwest  cor- 
ner was  the  Episcopal  church,  on  the 
northeast  was  the  Methodist  'meeting 
house.'      In    the   bottom    of   the   ravine 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


259 


stood  the  old  gaol,  built  of  logs,  and 
the  windows  strongly  grated.  Near 
the  gaol  was  a  spring  which  flowed 
down  the  ravine,  across  Sixth  Ave- 
nue and  Broad  Street  and  into  the 
Oostanaula. 

"Ah!  what  memories — from  boy  to 
man!" 

*      *     * 

(Mar.  24,  1907.) 

The  DeSoto  chronicles  describe  the 
location  of  the  Cherokee  capital  vil- 
lage as  being  on  a  long  island — and, 
according  to  the  Indian  legends,  the 
Oostanaula  must  have  divided  near 
Battey's  Shoals,  the  "cut  off"  passing 
near  the  east  foot  of  the  Hills  o'Ross 
across  the  bottom  under  the  present 
Central  railroad  trestle  to  the  Coosa. 
There  are  indications  of  this  old 
course  even  now.  Many  changes  of 
this  nature  could,  and  have,  come  in 
the   365   years    since    DeSoto   passed. 

Let  us  go  back  to  the  early  "fifties" 
and  meet  some  of  the  old  citizens. 

That  tall  man  walking  this  way  is 
Col.  Pennington;  he  believes  in  rail- 
roads and  steamboats.  He  always 
carries  that  cane  and  umbrella,  but 
never  uses   either. 

Notice  that  nervous,  quick  moving 
man  meeting  him.  He  has  a  habit  of 
bringing  his  hand  to  his  waist,  then 
swings  it  out  as  if  to  brush  you  aside, 
but  Thomas  Perry  is  a  fine  man  "for 
a'    that." 

That  portly  gentleman  walking  up 
the  terrace  is  Judge  Lumpkin.  He 
had  that  mansion  built  in  184.3.  He 
is  big  hearted,  broad  minded  and  de- 
serves his  great  popularity.  You  see 
John  Quinn  has  changed  his  sign  from 
"Travelers'  Rest"  to  "Ci'oss  Keys  Ho- 
tel," and,  you  can  buy  ginger  cakes 
from  Mother   Quinn — in  the  cellar. 

That's  Mr.  Lamkin's  grocery  store 
next  to  the  Choice  House.  Just  be- 
low it  is  A.  M.  Lamb's  candy  store,  ad- 
joining Tom  Perry's  store,  only  a 
plank    partition    separates    them. 

That's  Jimmie  Lee,  he  owns  the 
fish  traps  above  the  ford  on  the  "High- 
tower."  He  is  the  same  fellow  who 
nearly   drowned   Will   Adkins. 

That  flowered  silk  dress  designates 
Mrs.  Sholes.  She  watches  Jimmie's 
"traps"  and  tells  on  every  boy  she 
sees  near  them.  None  of  the  boys  like 
her.  The  boys  and  girls  do  not  like 
that  fancy  dressed  man  with  her — for 
he  trades  in  negroes — his  name  is  Jo- 
seph Norris. 

*Father  of  L.  W.  McCay,  professor  of  chem- 
istry at  Princeton  University  and  native  Roman. 


Look  out  for  that  short,  stout,  keen- 
eyed  man  with  the  "big  stick."  He  is 
the  town  marshal,  Samuel  Stewart 
Ihat  enormous  creature  following  at 
his  heels  is  "Wolf'-his  terrible  hound. 
Ho  never  failed  to  catch  boys  who  did 
any  devilment-but  once!  Sometime 
1  may  tell  you  of  that  "once." 

That  gentleman  with  the  Alsatian 
face— who  talks  with  his  hands— is 
one  of  God^  helpers  in  beautifying 
the  earth.  We  should  not  forget'  Dr 
Berckmans. 

You  will  notice  that  Robt.  T.  Mc- 
Cay s-  hardware  store  is  on  that  cor- 
ner, the  first  hardware  store  in  Rome 
Ihat  stocky,  earnest-faced  man  talking 
to  McCay  is  an  Englishman  who  is 
introducing  the  iron  industry  in  Rome 
— Mr.  Noble. 

Those  six  men  sitting  on  the  veranda 
of  the  Choice  House  are  more  or  less 
politicians,  yet  each  one  has  an  inter- 
esting history. 

The  tallest  one  with  the  smooth 
strong  Scotch  face  is  the  "Iron  King" 
of  Georgia,  Mark  A.  Cooper,  a  visitor. 
Next  to  him  is  Augustus  R.  Wright, 
a  Congressman,  a  great  lawyer  and  an 
impassioned  forensic  orator.  His  gifts 
have  descended,  in  good  measure,  to 
his  sons.  The  tall,  clean  faced  man 
with  the  cane  is  James  M.  Spullock, 
one  of  the  finest  fingered  politicians 
in  the  state.  He  is  the  man  who  as 
United  States  Marshal  for  Georgia 
seized  the  yacht  "Wanderer"  and  sold 
her  as  a  condemned  "slaver."  The 
"Wanderer"  was  Charles  B.  Lamar's 
private  yacht — she  was  chartered  by  a 
party  of  Northern  men  to  make  a  cruise. 
She  returned  to  Savannah  loaded  with 
African  slaves,  was  captured,  con- 
demned and  sold.  Her  owner,  Lamar, 
was  exonerated  from  all  blame,  but 
lost  his  yacht.  The  Northern  men  who 
made  the  cruise  escaped  to  New  York. 
This  is  the  nearest  the  South  ever 
became  interested  in  "slave  trade." 
Most  of  these  Africans  were  seized  and 
returned  to  their  country. 

That  stout,  jolly  gentleman  was 
later  a  captain  under  Forrest.  His 
memory  will  abide  principally  In^- 
cau.'^e  he  was  Henry  W.  Grady's  uncle 
— Henry   A.    Gartrell. 

The  brown-eyed  gentleman  with 
black  hair  and  moustache — so  erect  in 
carriage — and  earnest  in  manner,  was 
the  first  Mayor  of  Rome  (the  only 
public  ofllice  he  ever  held — except  the 
Confederate  marslialship  of  Georgia). 
He  was  appointed  Colonel  of  a  regi- 
ment of  a  Partisan  Rangers,  but  was 
induced  to  resign  it  and  head  the  com- 


260 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


STEAMBOATS  AND  THEIR  HARDY  "SKIPPERS." 

1       xu»     l„Kn      I      Smv     2 The     Clifford    B.    Seay;     3 — Capt.    F.    M.     Coulter,    who    built    a 

dozen"^Iats;' 4-The  MUchell;  ^-Tol;,"  V^  MarableV  6_The'  Magnolia  probably  the  nnest 
steamer  on  the  river;  7-The  Alabama;  8-The  Gadsden;  9-Capt  Frank  Benjamm ;  1 0-Capt. 
J.  M.  Elliott;  11— The  Resaca,  with  hunting  party  and  game;  12— The  Annie  H.  in  a  calm 
sea.      All    these   vessels    succumbed    to    gales,    financial    or    otherwise. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


261 


pany  which  produced  salt  for  the  poor 
of  the  state,  during-  the  war  between 
the  states.  He  is  Wm.  C.  G.  Johnstone 
(known  familiarly  as  "Black  Wm. 
Johnstone") . 

The  last  of  the  group,  who  appears 
so  elegantly  at  ease,  could  claim  dis- 
tinction in  science,  politics  and  liter- 
ature. He  was  a  physician,  a  United 
States  Senator,  an  author  of  note  and 
an  orator  of  exceptional  power.  During 
the  war  of  1812-15,  two  young  men 
became  close  comrades  and  friends. 
When  they  parted  it  was  agi-eed  that 
their  sons  should  bear  the  same  names. 
Both  were  scholars  and  curiously  they 
selected  the  names  of  the  great  poets. 
Time  passed.  Major  Clem  Powers,  of 
Effingham  County,  named  his  three 
sons  Homer,  Virgil  and  Milton.  Some 
years  later  he  named  his  fourth  son 
Horace. 

Meantime  his  friend  had  one  son 
born  to  him,  and  he  was  named  Homer 
Virgil  Milton  Miller.  The  second  wife 
of  Wm.  C.  G.  Johnstone  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Major  Clem  Powers,  and  her 
meeting  with  Dr.  Miller  is  a  vivid 
memory. 

Picture — Lumpkin,  Hamilton,  Mil- 
ler, Wright,  Battey,  Underwood,  Smith 
("Bill  Arp"),  Spullock,  with  their 
ladies  at  our  hospitable  board — with 
Gartrell  to  fire  the  train — and  you  can 
imagine  how  humor  flowed,  wit  spar- 
kled, whether  the  subject  be  politics 
or  literature — and  remember,  litera- 
ture was  mostly  the  "leather-bound" 
classics,  also  that  the  ladies  often  bore 
the   palms. 

I  do  not  say  such  people  are  not 
with  us.  But  somehow  I  do  not  meet 
them.  I  may  be  "out  of  date" — but 
I  enjoy  recalling  the  days  when  hon- 
or was  kept  bright — a  mortgage  was 
a  curiosity — and  slander  dared  not 
touch  a  woman !  But  I  digress — yet 
I  warned  you   that  this — 

"Might,  perhaps,  turn  out  a  song; 
Perhaps  turn  out  a  sermon!" 

Let  us  again  go  up  the  river.  We 
will  pass  the  service  cottage  erected 
by  Dr.  George  Battey,  "When  you  and 
I  were  young,"  and  stop  by  those  large 
trees  about  an  hundred  paces  anent 
the  old  Ridge  house.  I  hope  the  old 
trees  are  yet  there. 

The  Ridge  house  was  then  occupied 
by  Mr.  Verdery,  one  of  whose  daugh- 
ters married  Warren  Akin;  another 
married  Dr.  George  Battey.  The  fam- 
ily moved  to  Polk  County,  thence  to 
Augusta,  Ga. 


Under  these  trees  (near  the  Ridge 
house)  was  located  the  earliest  and 
liugest  store  in  this  section  of  Geor- 
gia— if  not  in  the  whole  Cherokee 
country.  It  was  operated  in  the  name 
of  George  M.  Lavender,  Major  Ridge 
(the  chief)  being  a  silent  partner.  An 
immense  business  was  transacted  and 
the  owners  grew  very  rich.  The  busi- 
ness was  closed  about  1837  and  in  the 
division  Lavender  received  a  large 
amount  in  money  and  property,  esti- 
mated by  some  to  have  been  more  than 
a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars.  George 
Lavender  never  married.  His  estate 
passed  to  his  sisters,  one  of  whom 
married  Ray,  whose  descendants  live 
about  Newnan  and  Atlanta.  Another 
sister,  Edith  Lavender,  resided  on  an 
eminence  east  of  the  present  North 
Rome  depot.  She  remained  unniar- 
ried  until  about  1847,  when  a  man 
appeared  to  take  the  contract  to  grade 
the  Rome  Railroad.  This  was  Joseph 
Printup.  He  secured  the  contract,  but 
had  not  the  means  to  operate  success- 
fully. Edith  Lavender  fell  in  love 
with  the  enterprising  stranger,  mar- 
ried him,  and  her  money  enabled  him 
to  make  his  venture  a  success. 

Joseph  assisted  his  brother,  Daniel 
S.  Printup,  through  Union  college, 
New  York,  and  located  him  here,  where 
his  family  remain.  Major  Joseph 
Printup  had  no  children.  Many  years 
ago  he  was  drowned  in  an  insignifi- 
cant branch  near  his  home.  His  prop- 
erty, including  the  "Printup  Ferry"  es- 
tate in  Gordon  County,  passed  to  the 
children  of   Daniel    S.   Printup. 

Dr.  Reece.  the  father  of  John  H. 
and  James  Reece,  was  a  delicate  gen- 
tleman who  was  surgeon  of  the  regi- 
ment of  state  troops  sent  here  to  re- 
move the  Cherokees  to  the  banks  of 
the  Tennessee.  Miles  Reece,  an  uncle 
of  Capt.  John  Reece,  came  to  Cher- 
okee before  his  brother.  He  became 
intimately  conversant  with  legends  and 
affairs  of  the  Cherokees,  and  was  an 
encyclopedia    of    Indian    lore. 

An  anecdote  of  Chief  Ridge  will 
serve  to  show  how  Indian  traits  clung 
to   him. 

John  Ridge,  a  son  of  Major  Ridge, 
resided  in  Ri(lge's  Valley.  Chief  Ridge 
had  a  handsome  daughter;  educated, 
proud  and  given  more  or  less  to  van- 
ity. She  induced  her  father  to  order 
her  a  fine  coach.  It  was  sent  from 
New  York  and  created  a  sensation. 
It  was  hung  on  leather  swings  at- 
tached to  large  "C"  springs,  the 
driver's    seat    being   on    top. 

This   outfit  arrived   just   before   the 


262 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


annual  "Green  corn  dance,"  which  was 
held  at  Major  Ridge's.  The  coach  was 
ordered  to  convey  Sarah  to  the  dance. 
The  horses  were  harnessed  to  it  and 
the  negro  driver  stood  ready.  Chief 
Ridge  inspected  the  outfit,  even  shak- 
ing the  wheels  to  be  sure  they  would 
stand   up. 

Sarah  came  out  in  silks  and  feath- 
ers; her  father  assisted  her  to  climb 
the  folding  steps,  closed  the  steps  and 
door,  then  walked  around  to  the  driver, 
took  the  reins  and  ordered  the  driver 
to  go  back  to  his  field  work.  Chief 
Ridge  then  mounted  one  of  the  horses, 
with  the  gathered  reins  in  his  hands 
and  galloped  away  to  the  "Green  corn 
dance." 

*     *     * 

DAYS  THAT  ARE  GONE.— Maj. 
Chas.  H.  Smith  (Bill  Arp),  sent  the 
following  letter  to  the  Rome  Tribune 
of  Sunday,  Sept.   2,  1894: 

"Cartersville,  Ga.,  Sept.  1,  1894. 
"To  Mr.  W.  Addison  Knowles, 
"Editor  The   Tribune, 
"Rome,  Ga. 

"Dear  Mr.  Knowles:  'Illium  fuit — 
Illium  est,'  Rome  was — Rome  is,  but 
it  is  not  the  same  Rome  we  old  Ro- 
mans used  to  know.  Everything  is 
changed  but  the  rivers  and  Bill  Ramey 
and  old  father  Norton. 

"I  moved  to  Rome  in  1851,  but  for 
several  years  before  that  I  used  to 
visit  there  and  prospect  for  a  place 
to  move  to.  I  had  a  brother  there 
practising  medicine.  It  is  nearly  50 
years  since  I  made  my  first  visit.  The 
Rome  railroad  was  finished  to  Eve's 
Station,  and  the  hacks  met  us  there. 
There  were  no  bridges  across  the 
rivers  and  the  ferrying  was  done  at 
the  junctions.  All  down  town  was  in 
the  woods.  What  magnificent  timber 
covered  the  bottom  where  down  town 
is  now! 

"I  went  squirrel  hunting  there  with 
Joe  Norris.  .Toe  was  clearing  the  low 
ground  for  Colonel  Shorter  and  had 
deadened  the  timber.  The  road  from 
the  ferry  was  awful.  I  have  seen  six- 
mule  teams  stall  in  the  gulch  that  was 
where  the  Lumpkin  block  was  after- 
ward built.  But  you  don't  know  where 
that  is.  It  is  the  block  opposite  the 
Denson  building.  But  you  never  heard 
of  Denson.  Well,  the  lowest  part  of 
the  gulch  was  right  in  the  middle  of 
the  street  that  comes  down  Cooley  hill 
and    crosses    Broad. 

"Maybe  you  have  heard  of  Hollis 
Cooley.  He  was  an  unpretending  gen- 
tleman;    as    honest    a    Yankee    as    ever 


lived.  I  went  to  school  to  his  sister  in 
Lawrenceville  when  I  was  a  lad.  Hol- 
lis Cooley  never  had  a  lawsuit  in  his 
life,  and  always  declared  that  there 
was  no  necessity  for  anybody  having 
one. 

"Old  father  Norton  said,  'But,  Hol- 
lis, suppose  some  rascal  was  to  come 
along,  and  knowing  your  mind  about 
going  to  law,  should  lay  claim  to  your 
house  and  lot,  when  then?'  *I  would 
give  up  to  him  before  I  would  go  to 
law  with  him,'  said  Hollis.  'Yes,  and 
you  would  play  the  fool,'  said  Norton. 
'By  George,  I  would  law  him  till  his 
heels  flew  up.' 

"I  was  remarking  about  that  awful 
pull  up  the  little  steep  hill  from  the 
gulch  to  where  Major  Ayer's  store 
was.  But  I  forgot.  The  major  hasn't 
got  any  store.  Well,  it  was  about  op- 
posite Morrison's  livery  stable,  or 
Flemming's  saddle  shop,  or  Tom  Per- 
ry's law  office,  or  somewhere  there  in 
the  middle  of  the  road.  It's  bothering 
me  awfully  to  locate  things.  Bill  Ra- 
mey will  show  you  where  it  was.  The 
hill  was  short  and  steep  and  sticky, 
and  I  have  seen  strong  teams  stall 
there  and  the  wagon  cut  back  and 
nearly  turn  over.  Norton's  store  was 
then  away  down  town.  It  was  right 
where  it  is  now,  but  it  was  down  town, 
the  lowest  down  of  any,  and  was  a  lit- 
tle, low,  long,  narrow,  one-story  house 
with  the  hind  end  stuck  in  the  hill  so 
deep  that  you  could  almost  step  on  the 
roof. 

"There  were  no  houses  down  town. 
Old  man  Crutchfield  was  building  the 
court  house.  The  Western  Bank  of 
Georgia  was  doing  a  busting  business 
in  that  office  back  of  the  Choice  Hotel 
— that  same  little  office  on  the  corner 
as  you  go  up  the  hill  to  the  court 
house.  Yes,  it  was  doing  a  busting 
business,  and  it  busted.  Not  long  after 
it  closed  its  doors  I  went  there  with 
$7,000  of  its  money  and  knocked  at  the 
door  and  demanded  payment  in  bi- 
metallic currency,  but  there  was  no 
response  and  nobody  opened  the  door. 
I  had  to  make  the  demand  at  the 
bank's  last  place  of  doing  business  be- 
fore I  could  sue.  But  the  dog  was 
dead  and  my  client  never  realized  a 
dollar. 

"By  the  time  we  moved  to  Rome 
down  town  was  looming  up.  C.  T. 
Cunningham  had  a  big  cotton  ware- 
house on  the  river  bank,  and  Rhode 
Hill  and  Bill  Cox  were  clerking  for 
him.  The  first  time  I  ever  saw  Rhode 
he  was  having  big  fun  by  hiding  an 
egg  under  Jack   Shorter's  shirt  collar, 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


263 


and  he  bet  Cox  a  dime  that  he  couldn't 
find  it.  Cox  felt  all  about  Jack's 
clothes,  and  accidentally  broke  the  agg, 
and  it  ran  down  Jack's  back.  But 
Jack  got  the  dime  and  that  satisfied 
him. 

"Rhode  found  bigger  game  later  on 
and  is  now  a  Peachtree  nabob  in  At- 
lanta. Cunningham  built  a  nice  resi- 
dence at  the  end  of  Howard  Street. 
It  is  the  Woodruff  place,  and  Wm. 
E.  Alexander  built  the  Rounsaville 
house,  and  Dr.  Battey  built  where  he 
now  lives.  Alexander  was  Norton's 
partner  for  a  while,  but  he  moved 
down  town  and  took  in  Colonel  Shorter 
as  a  partner.  Mr.  Norton  never  moved 
— neither  his  dwelling  place  nor  his 
store.  He  improved  both,  but  never 
moved.  Before  I  moved  I  bought  me 
a  very  nice  home  over  there  on  the 
hill  where  DeJournett  and  Treada- 
way  and  Omberg  lived.  You  know 
v/here  that  is.  No,  you  don't,  either, 
you  are  too  young  to  know  much  about 
anything — anything  antiquated,  I 
mean.  Well,  it  is  not  far  from  father 
Norton's  house,  the  third  house  from 
the  corner  as  you  go  down  towards 
the  river.  Dr.  Smith,  my  brother,  lived 
in  the  first  and  Nicholas  Omberg  in  the 
second.  Old  Mother  Ragan  lived  right 
in  front  of  Norton's,  and  Sumter  & 
Torbet's  machine  works  were  down  in 
the   corner  of  his   garden. 

"Jim  Sumter  was  one  of  the  best 
men  I  ever  knew,  the  best  mechanic, 
the  best  magistrate,  the  best  mayor, 
the  best  alderman,  the  best  citizen  and 
the  truest  friend.  He  made  for  me  a 
large  and  beautiful  walnut  book  case. 
We  have  it  now  in  our  sitting  room, 
and  I  prize  it  for  his  sake.  It  is  the 
only  piece  of  furniture  the  Yankees 
left  me.  It  was  so  big  they  couldn't 
move  it.  They  did  move  the  books. 
They  loved  to  read,  but  they  didn't 
read  their  titles  clear  to  my  books. 
About  that  time  the  people  who  were 
the  best  off  made  their  homes  on 
the  hills.  Andrew  M.  Sloan,  who  was 
a  big  merchant  and  banker,  lived  in 
a  one-story  house  on  the  hill  where 
Hiles  now  lives.  Dr.  P.  L.  Turnley 
lived  nearby.  Mr.  Thomas  D.  Shel- 
ton  lived  where  Shorter  College  stands. 
Rev.  J.  M.  M.  Caldwell  and  his  wife 
lived  and  taught  school  in  the  house 
adjacent  to  the  old  Methodist  church. 
Old  Judge  Underwood  lived  on  the 
Caldwell  college  hill  with  his  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Wilson.  The  First  Baptist 
church  was  nearby,  on  the  same  hill, 
and  the  old  gi'aveyard  is  not  far  away. 

"I  shall  never  forget  that  graveyard, 
for    one   time    I    was    a    Masonic    pall- 


bearer there,  and  I  did  not  stoop  low- 
enough  as  we  passed  under  some 
limbs  of  the  crowded  trees,  and  one  of 
them  took  off  my  hat  and  my  scratch 
with  it,  and  my  bald  head  showed  no 
hair  apparent  to  the  crown,  and  ex- 
cited too  much  levity  for  the  solemn 
occasion.  I  put  the  hat  on  my  head 
with  much  alacrity  and  put  the  wig 
in  my  pocket.  I  have  never  worn  one 
to  a  funeral  since,  nor  anywhere  else. 
It  is  one  of  the  comforts  of  old  age 
that  a  man  is  not  expected  to  have  a 
great  profusion  of  hair,  but  when  he 
is  young  a  very  small  vacancy  hurts 
his    feelings    mighty    bad. 

"James  McEntee  had  been  keeping 
hotel  midway  of  the  block  next  above 
the  Choice  House  in  1849,  I  think,  and 
Colonel  D.  R.  Mitchell  acquired  the 
Buena  Vista  soon  after.  Old  Jesse 
Lamberth  was  one  of  the  pioneers,  and 
lived  in  a  little  house  back  of  the  Odd 
P'ellows'  hall  building,  but  he  built  a 
better  house  in  front  afterward,  and 
lived  there  for  many  years. 

"Sam  Stewart  was  a  very  notable 
character  in  those  days,  and  had  the 
reputation  of  being  a  cool  and  daring 
man.  His  brother,  Virgil,  helped  to 
give  Sam  reputation,  for  it  was  he  who 
ran  down  and  caught  John  A.  Murrell, 
the  notorious  horse  thief  and  highway 
robber.  Sam  was  city  marshal  for 
many  years,  and  kept  all  evil  doers  in 
subjection.  He  was  a  good  officer, 
but  it  is  said  that  every  man  will 
sooner  or  later  meet  his  match,  if  not 
his  superior.  One  day  Nicholas  Om- 
berg broke  down  the  gate  of  the  city 
pound  and  took  his  cow  out  and  drove 
her  home.  Someliody  had  opened  Om- 
berg's  gate  and  let  his  cow  out  so  as  to 
put  her  in  the  pound  and  get  the  fee 
for  taking  up  stray  cattle.  Omberg  was 
dreadfully  mad  when  his  wife  told  him 
about  it,  and,  as  he  didn't  favor  the 
anti-cow  ordinance  nohow,  he  took  the 
shortest   way  to   recover   his   cow. 

"When  Stewart  found  what  Omberg 
had  done  he  got  mad,  too,  and  forth- 
with went  to  the  merchant  tailor  to 
arrest  him.  The  Norwegian  never 
winked  or  quailed,  but  seizing  an  enor- 
mous pair  of  shears,  he  rushed  at 
Stewart  like  a  mad  man  and  ran  him 
out  in  the  street.  Stewart  said  after- 
v.ard  that  he  had  either  to  run  or 
kill    him. 

"The  city  council  fined  Omberg  $50, 
but  he  carried  the  case  to  the  supreme 
court  and  gained  it.  Nic  Omberg  was 
a  very  superior  man,  and  was  highly 
esteemed  as  a  citizen  and  a  Christian 
gentleman.     About  the  close  of  the  war 


264 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


,  1^ 

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MISCELLANEOUS  VIEWS  RECALLING  ROME. 

Here  may  be  seen:  a  1921  group  of  girl  High  School  graduates  emerging  from  the  Auditorium 
with  their  beautiful  nosegays;  Billy  King,  9,  Rome's  youngest  and  most  famous  cartoonist;  Iho 
Second  Avenue  (E.  Rome)  Methodist  Church;  views  around  the  courthouse;  a  group  of  young 
players;  Gay  Jespersen's  Lindale  band;   and   a   tiny   glimpse   of   Rome. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminsicences 


265 


some  lawless  scouts  visited  old  man 
Quinn's  house  one  night  to  rob  him. 
The  old  man  cried  for  help,  and  Om- 
berg  ran  over  to  defend  him  and  was 
himself    shot    down    and    killed. 

"And  that  causes  me  to  think  of 
Tom  Perry,  at  whose  house  poor  Om- 
berg  died.  Tom  Perry  was  perhaps 
the  best  known  and  most  beloved  cit- 
izen Rome  ever  had.  He  was  raised 
poor  and  hard,  and  had  but  little  ed- 
ucation. He  used  to  haul  wood  with 
steers  in  the  cold  winter  with  his  toes 
sticking  out  of  his  old  shoes.  He  mi- 
grated from  Lawrenceville  to  Rome 
before  anybody,  and  when  I  first  visit- 
ed Rome  Tom  was  keeping  bar  for  a 
free  negro,  Wm.  Higginbotham.  Next 
he  hired  to  old  William  R.  Smith  to 
sweep  out  the  store  and  knock  around. 
Next  he  got  to  be  clerk  in  the  post- 
office  for  Nathan  Yarbrough.  Next 
he  was  postmaster  and  then  a  steam- 
boat captain.  Next  he  was  elected 
J.  P.  and  held  that  office  for  many 
years.  He  was  the  chief  promoter  of 
the  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows.  He  was 
United  States  commissioner.  He  was 
the  best  friend  the  widows  and  or- 
phans ever  had  in  Rome,  the  best 
chairman  of  the  street  committee.  He 
was  always  at  work  doing  something 
for  somebody.  He  wrote  much  for  the 
Rome  Courier  and  pasted  everything 
he  wrote  in  a  scrapbook,  and  would 
read  it  on  Sundays.  When  he  had 
planned  any  public  thing  he  would 
write  a  piece  and  sign  it  Vox  Populi, 
and  then  call  a  meeting  at  the  court 
house  to  put  his  measure  through.  If 
nobody  came  he  called  himself  to  the 
chair  and  acted  as  secretary,  and  pass- 
ed a  string  of  resolutions  and  had 
them  published  as  the  sense  of  the 
meeting.  He  never  lost  any  space  in 
his  manuscript.  If  there  was  not  room 
for  an  'and'  at  the  end  of  a  line,  he 
would  divide  the  word  and  put  the  d 
at  the  beginning  of  the  next  line.  He 
worked  up  to  the  full  measure  of  his 
capacity  and  was  everybody's  friend. 
He  looked  like  a  Democrat,  for  he  was 
pigeon-toed  and  loose-jointed,  and  chew- 
ed cheap  tobacco,  but  he  was  an  un- 
compromising Whig. 

"When  your  good  father  was  edit- 
ing the  Rome  Courier,  Tom  gave  him 
aid  and  comfort  as  best  he  could.  I 
remember  your  father  well.  He  was  a 
courtly  gentleman.  His  company  was 
always  welcome,  for  he  was  a  good 
talker  and  never  indulged  in  slang 
or  vulgarity  or  intolerant  assertions. 
His  gold  spectacles  became  his  fea- 
tures and  added  grace  to  his  individ 
uality.     You  were  not  then  in  the  land 


of  the  living  where  peace  may  be 
sought  and  pardon  found.  May  you 
emulate  your  good  father's  Christian 
example  and  make  the  world  better 
with    your    presence. 

But  I  must  not  monopolize  your 
space.  It  would  take  a  book  to  tell 
of  ancient  Rome  and  the  citizens  who 
have  gone  to  the  undiscovered  countrv. 
Of  William  R.  Smith  and  Wm.  Smith 
(Mrs.  Dr.  Battcy's  father)  and  Johnny 
Smith,  a  good  man  who  for  the  love  of 
the  beautiful  planted  water  oaks  and 
elms  around  the  churches  and  along  the 
down  town  sidewalks.  The  trees  are 
there  yet,  and  men  and  women  walk 
and  children  play  under  their  shade. 
Then  there  was  McGuire  and  Hardin, 
and  Quinn,  and  T.  S.  Wood,  and 
Isham  Wood,  and  Cohen,  and  Dr.  Pat- 
ton,  and  Dr.  Starr,  and  Dr.  King,  and 
Dr.  Geo.  M.  Battey,  who  kept  the  drug 
store  under  the  Choice  House.  Ram- 
sey Alexander  was  a  leading  lawyer 
there  when  I  moved  to  Rome.  Tom 
came  later  and  so  did  Judge  Under- 
wood. I  formed  a  partnership  with 
Colonel  Underwood  in  1852  and  it  con- 
tinued for  thirteen  long  and  pleasant 
years. 

"Then  there  appeared  some  lesser 
lights  who  kept  the  little  town  lively. 
Old  Jake  Herndon,  for  instance,  the 
town  loafer,  who  never  lied  from  mal- 
ice, but  only  from  habit.  He  used  to 
tell  about  the  big  freshet  that  came  in 
June,  1S40,  and  covered  all  the  country 
save  the  top  of  court  house  hill,  and 
how  he  tied  his  batteau  to  a  gum  tree 
on  top  of  that  hill,  and  seeing  no  place 
for  the  sole  of  his  foot,  he  untied  it 
and  paddled  to  Horseleg  mountain,  and 
ic  was  hot,  devilish  hot.  and  his  ther- 
mometer rose  to  240  in  the  shade.  He 
always  said  thermoneter  for  thermom- 
eter. Old  Jake  had  told  that  lie  so 
often  that  he  believed  it.  I  think  he 
has  a  son  now  in  the  United  States 
navy.  If  folks  do  'laugh  and  grow 
fat,'  I  think  that  big  John  Under- 
wood took  on  his  fat  from  his  daily 
intercourse  with  old  Jake  Herndon. 

"And  there  was  Old  Man  Laub,  the 
inimitable  cuss  who  was  created  just 
to  fill  uo  the  cracks,  like  siiralls  in  a 
stone  wall.  He  was  a  little  sassy,  loud- 
mouthed rascal,  who  kejit  a  bakery  and 
cake  shop,  and  some  blind  tiger  and 
oysters,  just  below  Dr.  Battcy's  drug 
store.  He  had  two  front  doors.  Over 
one  was  painted  "Laub's  here.''  Over 
the  other  was  painted  "Laub's  here, 
too."  He  drove  a  pair  of  calico  ]ionies, 
and  was  always  in  a  fuss  with  some- 
body, and  especially  with  his  wife. 
She    would    run   him    out    of   one    front 


266 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


door  wth  a  broom  and  he  would  dodge 
into  the  other.  Big  John's  grocery 
was  right  opposite  across  the  street, 
and  it  was  a  good  part  of  his  business 
to  watch  the  antics  of  the  Laub  fam- 
ily and  shake  his  fat  sides  with  laugh- 
ter. When  I  first  saw  Laub's  name 
and  sign  I  thought  that  Laub's  was 
something  to  sell — some  kind  of  fish 
like  oysters  or  shrimps.  I  had  no  idea 
that  it  was  a  man's  name. 

"Of  the  notable  men  who  moved 
away  and  still  live,  Dr.  Miller  was 
chief.  He  lived  in  a  cottage  where 
your  new  court  house  now  stands,  and 
his  office  was  on  Broad  Street,  near 
the  McEntee  house.  He  had  a  very 
smart  cur  dog  named  Cartouch,  who 
laid  in  the  piazza  of  the  doctor's  of- 
fice and  watched  for  country  dogs  as 
they  came  to  town  behind  farmers' 
wagons.  Forthwith  Cartouch  would 
run  to  assault  him,  and  would  whip 
him  if  he  could,  and  hurry  back  be- 
fore the  waggoner  could  punish  him. 
If  the  dog  was  too  big  and  showed 
fight,  Cartouch  would  hasten  back  to 
Dailey's  house,  which  was  next  door, 
and  get  Dailey's  big  dog  and  away 
they  both  would  go  and  jump  on  the 
country  dog  with  irresistible  violence. 
The  doctor  enjoyed  it  immensely,  and 
declares  to  this  day  that  dogs  have 
a  language  and  understand  each  other. 
Cartouch  would  say  to  Dailey's  dog, 
'Come  and  help  me,  come  quick, 
there's  a  big  country  dog  out  here  that 
I   can't   manage   by   myself.' 

"But  I  will  now  forbear  until  the 
spirit  moves  me  again,  for  I  do  not 
suppose  there  are  a  dozen  men  living 
who  will  enjoy  these  memories.  This 
generation  is  moving  forward,  not 
backward. 

"Yours   truly, 

"CHAS.    H.    SMITH." 

*     *     * 

A  PROLIFIC  BUILDER.— A  news- 
paper squib  of  1888  says: 

"Jos.  B.  Patton  builds  court  houses, 
but  does  not  patronize  them,  never 
having  sued  or  been  sued  on  any  con- 
tract." 

Court  houses  he  had  erected  up  to 
that  time  included  Trousdale  County, 
Tenn.,  Benton  County,  Tenn.,  Russell 
County,  Ky.,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Cen- 
ter, Cherokee  County,  Ala.,  Anniston, 
Calhoun  County,  Ala.,  LaFayette, 
Walker  County,  Ga.,  Gainesville,  Hall 
County,  Ga.  In  the  same  year  he  built 
the  buildings  near  DeSoto  park  for  the 
North  Georgia  &  Alabama  Exposition. 
Prior  to  that  time  and  afterward  he 
erected    many    other     public     buildings 


and  residences,  notably  at  Rome.  In 
1892-3  he  built  the  Floyd  County  court 
house,  one  of  the  most  substantial 
structures  anywhere.  His  work  and 
materials  were  of  such  a  high  order 
that  he  made  little  money.  He  died 
comparatively  poor,  but  he  has  left 
buildings  which  for  a  century  more 
will   silently   sing  his  praises. 

;|:  :i:  * 

"GRANDMA  GEORGY'S"  "PEN 
PRATTLE."— Mrs.  Naomi  P.  Bale 
contributed  these  reminiscences  to  the 
Rome  News  of  Oct.  3,  1921: 

One  by  one  they  are  passing  away 
to  give  place  to  new  structures,  these 
old  landmarks  of  Rome.  When  the  old 
Bradbury  house  on  the  corner  of  Broad 
Street  and  Sixth  Avenue  was  built, 
I  don't  know,  certainly  more  than 
seventy  years  ago,  such  a  thing  as  a 
"filling  station"  was  not  known  in  the 
wide  world. 

This  old  building  has  stood  the 
storms  of  more  than  three  score  and 
ten  years.  About  forty  years  ago  Col. 
Stokes  (grandfather  of  Misses  Estelle 
and  Addie  Mitchell)  came  in  possession 
of  it,  put  the  old  house  in  repair.  At 
that  time  the  name  "Dolly  Varden" 
was  prominent — how  it  originated  I 
don't  know,  but  the  name  was  stamp- 
ed on  dry  goods  of  every  bright  color. 
Col.  Stokes  had  the  old  house  painted 
and  trimmed  in  bright  colors,  and  it 
was   called   "The    Dolly  Varden." 

Later,  Mr.  J.  L.  Bass  came  in  pos- 
session of  it  and  added  the  "L"  that 
jutted  out  toward  Sixth  Avenue. 
Neither  Col.  Stokes  nor  Mr.  Bass  ever 
lived  in  this  house.  All  these  years  it 
has  been  occupied  by  tenants.  The 
passing  of  this  old  Bradbury  house 
brings  to  mind  other  localities  of  homes 
now  passed  into  the  "yesterdays"  of 
Rome.  Just  across  Broad  Street  from 
the  Bradbury  house,  where  the  Audi- 
torium now  stands,  lived  Dr.  King  (I 
think  his  name  was  Joshua),  a  den- 
tist and  medical  practitioner  combined. 

The  Carnegie  Library  occupies  the 
old  home  place  of  Mrs.  Fannie  Moore, 
maternal  grandmother  of  Miss  Battle 
Shropshire. 

The  west  corner  of  Broad  Street 
and  Seventh  Avenue,  where  a  "filling 
station"  has  been  recently  built,  was 
once  the  home  of  a  Mrs.  Mitchell.  I 
think   she  was   a   dressmaker. 

Northwest  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue 
and  Broad  Street,  part  of  the  R.  S. 
Norton  lot,  once  stood  a  large  furni- 
ture factory  operated  by  Mr.  Sumter. 
Mr.    Sumter   made   everything  from   a 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


267 


pin-tray  to  a  coffin.  He  was  also  an 
undertaker.  Made  the  coffin  and 
buried  the  people.  Coming  back  down 
Broad  Street  where  there  is  another 
"filling'  station"  southwest  corner  Sixth 
Avenue  and  Broad  Street,  stood  the 
home  of  Mrs.  Pierson;  later,  Col.  W. 
S.  Cothran,  also  Dr.  J.  B.  Underwood 
and  until  a  few  years  ago  occupied  by 
Mrs.  Isham  J.  Wood.  Mr.  Waring 
Best's  garage  is  where  Col.  Thomas 
Alexander  lived  right  after  the  Civil 
war.  On  the  enclosed  lot  adjoining  the 
Best  garage  stood  the  old  McEntee 
House — the  first  hotel  in  Rome.  Sev- 
eral years  ago  this  old  building  was 
sold  to  Dr.  Robert  Battey,  who  con- 
verted it  into  a  hospital  and  it  was 
known  as  the  Martha  Battey  Hospital. 
I  think  the  property  is  now  owned  by 
the  Kuttner  Realty  Company.  The 
old  Buena  Vista  is  yet  fresh  in  our 
minds.  This  at  one  time  was  the  lead- 
ing hotel  in  Rome,  with  Mrs.  Choice 
proprietress.  The  Curtis  Undertaking 
Company  (colored)  occupies  the  oldest 
brick  building  in  Rome.  I  have  been 
told  that  the  oldest  wooden  house  in 
Rome  is  the  corner  of  Fifth  Avenue 
and  East  Second  Street,  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  Ward.  Probably  Misses  Om- 
berg  on  West  First  Street  are  the  only 
residents  who  occupy  their  ancestral 
home  of  ante-bellum  days.  The  Spul- 
lock  home  on  Broad  Street,  now  occu- 
pied by  Dr.  Shamblin,  was  built  about 
18.57.  Judge  D.  M.  Hood's  home,  ad- 
joining the  Spullocks,  has  been  moved 
nearer  Broad  Street,  the  lot  divided 
and  a  bungalow  built.  Col.  A.  T.  Har- 
din   also   lived    here. 

Judge  J.  W.  H.  Underwood's  old 
home  has  passed  into  stranger  hands 
— the  house  raised,  and  the  homes  of 
Dr.  McKoy  and  Mr.  J.  M.  Lay  have 
been  built. 

Where  Joe  Jenkins  and  Mr.  McKew 
now  live  was  Judge  Underwood's  gar- 
den. Mr.  Max  Meyerhardt  lives  on 
the  Quinn  lot.  The  Quinn  property 
was  divided  into  building  lots  after  Mr. 
Quinn's  death  and  sold.  Linton  Van- 
diver,  Mr.  Keith  and  Mr.  Berry  have 
homes  on  what  was  once  the  Quinn 
garden.  The  large  brick  house  now 
occupied  by  R.  L.  Morris  was  built  by 
Mr.  Crutchfield  and  given  to  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Lumpkin,  as  a 
bridal  present  in  the  early  forties.  The 
homes  of  Mr.  A.  S.  Burney  and  Mr. 
Fuller  occupy  the  site  of  the  Chero- 
kee Female  Institute,  built  and  man- 
aged by  Col.  Simpson  Fouche.  Later 
this  building  passed  into  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
was  known  as  the   Rome  Female   Col- 


lege with  Rev.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  M. 
Caldwell  as  president  and  dean.  After 
the  suspension  of  the  college.  Dr.  J. 
B.  S.  Holmes  converted  it  into  a  san- 
itarium. The  building  was  burned  and 
the  property  divided  into  lots  and  sold 
for  residences. 

The  First  Baptist  church,  organized 
in  1835,  yet  stands  on  the  corner  of 
Eighth  Avenue  and  West  Fifth  Street 
and  is  now  an  apartment  house  owned 
by  Mrs.  Griffin.  My  own  home,  601 
East  First  Street,  was  the  cradle  of 
the  first  newspaper  published  in  Rome 
— Samuel  Jack,  editor  and  printer.  It 
was  called  the  Rome  Enterprise.  This 
item  was  given  me  by  Miss  Amanda 
Jack,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Samuel  Jack. 
My  home  was  also  the  Methodist  par- 
sonage before  the  Civil  War.  In  1906 
the  old  house  went  down  in  ashes  and 
I  had  it  rebuilt  on  practically  the 
same  foundation.  My  husband  pur- 
chased it  from  the  estate  of  Mr.  Mc- 
Guire  about  thirty  years  ago.  Thei-e 
are  yet  many  old  homes  in  Rome  of 
historical  interest.  Col.  Alfred  Shorter, 
Daniel  R.  Mitchell,  C.  M.  Penning- 
ton, Major  Ayer  and  other  prominent 
men  did  much  in  laying  the  foun- 
dation on  which  Rome  now  stands. 
Some  of  the  statements  herein  given 
were  told  me  by  my  father,  Wesley 
Shropshire,  Sr.,  and  my  uncle,  Mon- 
roe Shropshire,  both  of  whom  came  to 
Rome  in  1835.  Other  items  are  from 
my  own  observations,  for  I  have  been 
in  touch  with  this  city  for  71   years. 

"GRANDMA  GEORGY" RECALLS 
STAR  BOARDERS.  —  "Thank  you 
very  much,  Judge  Branham,  for  a 
copy  of  'Sketches  and  Reminiscences 
of  the  Rome  Bar,'  compiled  by  your- 
self. After  reading  it  with  the  aid  of 
a  reading-glass  a  reminiscent  mood 
laid  a  canny  hand  on  me  and  I  began 
to  count  the  faces  of  some  of  these 
lawyers  who  sat  at  my  table  three 
times  a  day  when  I  kept  boarders  on 
Fifth  Avenue  where  the  courthouse 
now  stands.  Col.  W.  H.  Dabney  was 
an  inmate  in  my  home  for  several 
years.  He  was  a  quiet,  unassuming, 
pleasant  gentleman.  When  court  was 
in  session  he  ate  sparingly — sometimes 
only  a  bit  of  bread  and  a  glass  of 
milk.  He  often  asked  me  where  to 
find  certain  passages  of  Scripture, 
saying  he  had  need  for  them. 

"Capt.  C.  N.  Featherston  and  Cols. 
E.  N.  Broyles  and  Dan'l.  R.  Mitchell 
were  regular  table  boarders.  Judge  A. 
R.  Wright  a  dinner  guest  when  court 
was    in    session.      All    of    these    gentle- 


268 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


269 


men  were  very  courteous  to  me  and 
my  housekeeper,  Miss  McCauley.  Thir- 
ty-two young  men  sat  at  my  table  reg- 
ularly— business  men  and  clerks.  All 
have  passed  the  Great  Divide  and  'left 
me  counting  on  this  spot  the  faces  that 
are  gone.' 

"In  my  young  days  I  was  often  a 
guest  in  the  house  of  Judge  Wright. 
He  was  fond  of  music,  and  would  lie 
on  a  sofa  while  I  would  play  and  sing 
for  him.  Sometimes  tears  would  creep 
through  his  closed  lids,  especially  when 
I  sang  'Bonnie  Doon' — sometimes  he 
walked  to  and  fro  in  the  parlor  and 
called   for  his  favorite   songs. 

"The  curtain  of  years  now  veils  my 
eyes,  and  the  drum  beats  of  time 
have  sadly  dulled  my  hearing,  but 
memory  lingers  and  I  see  again  many 
beautiful  pictures,  and  many  sad 
scenes  that  have  come  into  my  stren- 
uous life  of  three  score  and  eighteen 
years. 

"God  is  my  Father  and  He  leads  me 
on  daily  nearer  to  the  City  that  hath 
foundation. 

"Very  truly, 
"NAOMI   P.    BALE." 

—Tribune-Herald,   June   22,   1921. 

LOVE  FOR  OLD  SLAVES.— The 
tender  bond  of  sentiment  existing  be- 
tween master  and  slave  in  the  ante-bel- 
lum days  is  an  old  story,  and  it  has 
plenty  of  verification  in  fact.  While 
it  is  quite  true  that  there  were  oc- 
casional instances  of  cruelty  and  op- 
pression, as  a  rule  master  and  mistress 
treated  the  slaves  with  great  consider- 
ation. Few  people  would  want  slav- 
ery re-established,  yet  it  is  interesting 
to  take  note  of  instances  in  which 
slaves  were  treated  almost  like  mem- 
bers of  the  family  by  the  "white  folks." 

When  the  war  came,  many  slaves 
begged  to  accompany  their  masters  as 
bodyguards,  and  were  allowed  to  go. 
These  faithful  souls  will  never  be  for- 
gotten  by   the    people   of   the    South. 

H.  W.  Johnstone,  of  Curryville,  Gor- 
don County,  relates  how  "Aunt  Mam- 
my Anne,"  his  family's  old  slave,  died 
at  Rome  in  1855,  and  was  buried  be- 
side the  Johnstone  family  vault  in 
North    Rome. 

Philip  Harper,  a  10-year-old  boy, 
was  sold  Aug.  3,  1854,  with  three  other 
darkies  from  John  Ilarkins  to  Alex- 
ander Thornton  Harper,  of  Cave 
Spring,  for  $2,275  cash.  Quite  an 
attachment  grew  up  betwoen  master 
and  slave,  which  found  its  highest  ex- 
pression when   Mr.  Harper  was  forced 


to  sell  Philip  in  1803  at  the  court 
house  in  Atlanta.  The  master  attend- 
ed the  sale  and  promised  to  buy  him 
back  at  the  first  opportunity.  Both 
wept  as  the  auctioneer  sold  the  boy, 
then  19. 

In  1908,  when  Philip  Harper  was 
G4  years  old,  he  wrote  Mrs.  Harper 
from   Marietta    as   follows: 

"Dear  Madame:  This  missive  leaves 
me  as  well  as  I  will  ever  be  again  in 
this  life.  I  fear  I  would  have  been 
up  there  before  now,  but  my  old  wom- 
an keeps  so  very  poorly  until  I  fear 
to  leave  her.  How  are  you  and  all 
the  children?  Well,  I  hope.  My  dear- 
est associaton  as  a  boy  began  in  and 
around  old  Cave  Spring.  It  has  been 
so  long  since  I  have  been  there  that 
I  believe  I  would  not  know  the  place, 
but  if  the  good  Lord  will  spare  me  a 
few  days  longer,  I  will  in  real  life 
review  my  old,  old  home  once  more  in 
this  life.  All  the  people  that  I  once 
knew  are  gone,  gone;  and  I  have  only 
a  few  days — then  I  shall  join  them  in 
Heaven.  I  have  thought  a  thousand 
times  about  the  last  meeting  Mr. 
Alexander  and  myself  had  was  in  At- 
lanta in  1863  at  the  court  house  after 
the  sale  was  made.  Then  it  was  I 
did  my  best  at  crying.  He  cried,  too, 
but   he   promise   to   buy   me  back. 

"I  know  you  will  excuse  the  bold- 
ness I  take  in  writing  you.  When  I 
got  sick,  you  was  my  doctor;  cared 
for  me  in  sickness.  You  remember 
how  you  cared  for  me  when  I  got  my 
finger   broke? 

"WM.    PHILIP    HARPER." 

Mrs.  Harper  immediately  sent  the 
old  darkey  enough  money  to  come  to 
Cave  Spring,  which  he  did,  and  both 
of  them  cried  as  they  reviewed  the 
days  that  will  return  no  more.  As  a 
member  of  the  Harper  family  express- 
ed it,  Philip's  appearance  was  like  the 
return  of  a  long-lost  son. 
*     *     * 

WES'  ROUNSAVILLE'S  BOY- 
HOOD.—The  following  extracts  are 
from  the  autobiography  of  Jno.  Wesley 
Rounsaville,  who  died  at  Rome  Oct.  4, 
1910: 

"When  my  father,  David  Rounsa- 
ville, died,  I  was  in  my  eleventh  year; 
Sister  Josephine  was  six.  Brother 
'Dolph'  five;  these,  with  our  mother, 
constituted  the  family.  The  question 
that  faced  us  was  how  we  were  to 
get  a  support.  Father  had  been  sick 
a  long  time  and  the  small  amount  of 
money  he  had  accumulated  with  a  view 
of    entering    the     mercantile    business 


270 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


again  was  soon  spent  and  we  were 
practically  without  means.  Fortunate- 
ly, we  had  a  home  at  Sixth  Avenue 
and  East  First  Street,  and  this  was 
a  great  help  because  we  didn't  have 
to   pay   rent. 

"My  first  work  was  with  ^r  Mr.  Bay- 
less,  who  kept  a  confectionery  store  in 
part  of  the  old  Exchange  Hotel.  I 
think  my  salary  was  $5  per  month. 
Father  left  us  a  team  which  we  hired 
out  and  from  which  we  collected  the 
hire  every  night,  and  this  with  my 
pay  was  our  only  means  of  support. 
Our  mother  was  a  very  industrious 
and  economical  manager. 

"About  this  time  a  small  affair 
probably  changed  the  current  of  my 
life.  Mr.  Bayless  told  me  one  hot 
day  to  sweep  out  the  store.  I  did 
so  to  my  own  satisfaction,  but  not  to 
his;  therefore,  he  ordered  me  to  sweep 
it  again.  I  demurred  and  he  jjunch- 
ed  me  with  the  brushing  part  o^.  the 
broom.  I  deliberately  walked  into  the 
street  and  procured  a  good-sized  rock 
and  went  into  the  store  and  threw  it 
at  him  with  all  my  might.  He  ran 
out  the  back  door  and  I  got  my  little 
red  calico  coat  and  left,  and  never 
went   back    again. 

"Mr.  Bayless  was  a  northern  man. 
He  continued  to  do  a  prosperous  bus- 
iness, and  finally  went  into  groceries 
and  wholesale  liquors.  He  kept  large 
quantities  of  liquor  in  barrels  and  cof- 
fee in  sacks,  and  had  them  piled  up 
in  tiers  against  the  walls  of  his  store. 
One  morning  it  was  announced  in  the 
Rome  Southerner  that  Mr.  Bayless  had 
sold  his  large  business  to  Gen.  Geo. 
S.  Black  and  associates.  It  seems  Mr. 
Bayless  bantered  Gen.  Black  into  a 
trade,  and  sold  on  an  inventory  just 
taken  by  himself.  A  check  for  the 
money  was  given  by  Gen.  Black  (most 
likely  on  the  Bank  of  the  Empire 
State),  and  Mr.  Bayless  left  imme- 
diately for  the  east.  A  few  days  later 
Gen.  Black  showed  a  customer  a  sam- 
ple of  the  fine  whiskey,  but  the  whis- 
key turned  out  to  be  water,  and  the 
bags  of  coffee  were  in  reality  corn  or 
peas  put  up  so  as  to  deceive.  The 
whole  stock  was  that  way,  more  or 
less.  Gen.  Black  made  a  strong  ef- 
fort to  locate  Mr.  Bayless,  but  did  not 
succeed. 

"About  44  years  after  this  happen- 
ed, I  was  in  New  Yoi'k  and  getting 
ready  to  come  home.  I  stepped  into  a 
railroad  ticket  booth  in  the  hotel  and 
saw  a  handsome,  white-haired  gentle- 
man standing  behind  the  desk.  I  ask- 
ed the  man  what  was  the  price  of  tick- 
ets   to    the    South,    and    he    asked    me 


where  I  wanted  to  go.  I  told  him 
Rome,  Ga.,  and  he  inquired  if  I  lived 
there.  I  replied  in  the  affirmative, 
and  he  said,  'Do  you  know  Col.  Printup 
in    Rome?' 

"  'I  did  know  him,  but  he  is  dead,' 
I  replied. 

"I  inquired  as  to  where  he  had 
known  Col.  Printup  and  he  said  in 
Rome,  more  than  40  years  before.  He 
stated  in  answer  to  my  query  that  his 
name  was  Bayless,  adding  that  he  had 
just  returned  from  Australia,  where  he 
had  gone  from  Rome,  and  had  never 
returned  in  the  meantime  to  this  coun- 
try. 

"  'Mr.  Bayless,  do  you  remember 
Gen.  Black?'  I  asked.  He  hesitated 
a  moment,  looked  me  straight  in  the 
eyes,  and  then  dropped  his  head.  I 
said,  'I  know  you  well.  I  clerked  for 
you  when  you  first  came  to  Rome  and 
opened  your  confectionery.'  'No,'  he 
answered,  'you  are  mistaken;  I  was  in 
the   cotton   business.' 

"I  informed  him  that  I  was  not 
leaving  New  York  until  the  next  day 
and  would  call  back  to  see  him.  I 
called  several  times,  but  he  was  not 
there. 

"After  leaving  the  confectionery 
shop,  I  went  to  work  for  Mr.  O.  A. 
Myers,  a  most  excellent  gentleman  and 
editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Rome 
Southerner.  He  took  me  in  his  office 
at  $5  a  month  and  my  clothing.  How 
well  do  I  remember  the  first  thing  he 
gave  me — a  pair  of  fine  gray  cash- 
mere trousers.  I  thought  they  were 
the  prettiest  things  I  had  ever  seen 
and  it  seemed  they  never  wore  out. 
Mr.  Myers  appreciated  my  efforts  so 
much  in  my  thirteenth  year  that  he 
sent  me  out  to  travel  for  the  paper. 
I  remember  one  night  at  Cave  Spring, 
where  I  spent  the  day  collecting  sub- 
scriptions until  I  had  a  considerable 
sum  of  money.  I  was  afraid  to  go  to 
the  hotel,  lest  I  might  be  robbed  or 
miss  the  stage  coach,  which  was  due 
to  leave  for  Rome  at  midnight,  so  after 
dark  I  slipped  into  the  coach,  croucher? 
in  a  corner  and  waited  until  the  driver 
climbed   onto   his  box   and   made    off. 

"Once  I  went  to  Summerville,  and 
saw  two  men  arguing  politics  in  the 
town  square.  Buchanan  was  running 
for  president.  One  man  seemed  to 
have  the  advantage  of  the  other,  and 
I  championed  the  weaker  side,  asking 
the  other  man  a  question  he  couldn't 
answer.  The  crowd  whooped  and  yell- 
ed, and  the  man  turned  on  me  and 
said,  'Look  here,  my  little  fellow,  you 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


271 


ought      to     be     at     home     with     your 
mammy!'     That  year   I   made   $450. 

"Mother  soon  decided  that  I  must  go 
to  school  on  what  Little  Dolph  and  I 
had  made,  so  I  went  two  terms  to 
Prof.  Peter  M.  Sheibley,  one  of  the 
finest  teachers  Rome  ever  had.  In 
1858  we  removed  to  the  farm  of  Uncle 
Jimmie  Meredith  in  Broomtown  Val- 
ley, Cherokee  County,  Ala.,  and  farm- 
ed there  until  the  war  broke  out.  The 
people  were  very  kind  to  us,  although 
the  young  farmers  laughed  at  us  be- 
cause we  plowed  in  gloves  and  large 
straw  hats,  and  could  not  lay  off 
straight  rows.  I  often  amused  a  crowd 
telling  them  of  schemes  I  had  to  make 
farming  easier,  like  boring  a  hole  in 
the  end  of  the  plow  foot,  and  putting 
up  an  umbrella  to  plow  under. 

"I  also  said  a  man  ought  to  be  able 
to  ride  while  he  plowed,  and  I  per- 
fected a  three-foot  plow  that  would 
list  land  with  two  furrows,  and  save 
the  labor  of  two  men  and  one  horse. 
For  irons  I  used  hickory  withes  and 
attached  them  to  the  front  wheels  of 
a  tv/o-horse  wagon  and  pulled  the  con- 
traption with  two  oxen,  Mike  and 
Bright.  I  demonstrated  that  this  plow 
would  work,  but  lack  of  means  and 
the  taunt  from  the  Alabama  farmers 
that  it  was  a  lazy,  mean  method, 
caused  me  to  give  it  up.  Years  later 
I  saw  men  patent  this  idea  and  de- 
velop it  into  some  of  our  labor-sav- 
ing plows  of  today,  and  I  have  always 
thought  my  plow  deserved  the  priority. 

"Our  life  in  the  country  was  not 
only  a  pleasant  and  happy  one,  but 
I  verily  believe  it  paved  the  way 
for  our  future  success  in  business. 
It  taught  us  to  work  and  brought  us 
a  knowledge  of  the  people  from  whom 
in  after  years  we  received  our  great- 
est help  in  building  and  maintaining 
our  wholesale  grocery  and  cotton  bus- 
iness. 

"We  learned  nature  and  the  sea- 
sons and  the  peculiarities  of  agricul- 
tural products  of  the  section.  We 
were  taught  the  value  of  money,  how 
hard  it  was  to  make,  and  at  the  char- 
acter-forming time,  instead  of  carous- 
ing en  the  streets  of  a  city  until  mid- 
night, we  went  to  sleep  soon  after 
supper  and  slept  the  sleep  of  the  in- 
nocent and  the  just.  In  later  years 
we  opened  our  store  at  daylight  and 
closed   it  at  midniglit." 


COST  OF  A  COLLEGE  EDUCA- 
TION.—The  following  letter  was  sent 
recently  by  a  Floyd  County  man  to  his 
son   at  college :     "I  write  to   send  you 


two  pairs  of  old  breeches,  that  you 
may  have  a  new  coat  made  of  them; 
also  some  new  socks,  which  your 
mother  has  just  knit  by  cutting  down 
some  of  mine.  Your  mother  sends  you 
$10  without  my  knowledge,  and  for 
fear  you  might  not  spend  it  wisely,  I 
have  kept  back  half,  and  send  you  only 
five.  We  are  all  well,  except  that 
your  sister  has  got  the  measles,  which 
may  spread  among  the  other  girls.  I 
hope  you  will  do  honor  to  my  teach- 
ings. If  you  do  not,  you  are  an  ass, 
and  your  mother  and  myself  are  your 
affectionate  parents." — Rome  Tri- 
Weekly    Courier,    Jan.    21,    1860. 

ROBT.  BATTEY'S  TROUBLES 
AT  SCHOOL.— At  11  years  of  age 
and  under  date  of  May  12,  1839,  Robert 
Battey  wrote  as  follows  to  his  mother 
in  Augusta  from  Phillips-Andover 
Academy,  Andover,  Mass.  His  brother 
George,  13,  was  there  with  him  at  the 
time : 

"My  dear  Mother:  We  received  a 
bundle  from  you  not  long  since  con- 
taining a  letter,  4  dollars,  some  cot- 
ton seed,  a  pocket  handkerchief,  2 
flags,  2  knives,  2  books,  the  violet  and 
Juvenile  Forget-me-not  which  I 
thought  was  very  good  and  interest- 
ing. Brother  goes  to  writing  school 
to  Mr.  Badger  and  is  improving  very 
fast.  As  soon  as  he  has  done  his 
coarse  of  lessons  he  will  write  you  a 
letter  so  that  you  can  see  how  much 
he  has  improved.  Chas.  Hall  is  here 
at  present.  We  have  got  a  new  boarder, 
his  name  is  Daniel  E.  Safford.  Brother 
has  five  rabbits  and  one  of  them  has 
or  is  a  going  to  have  some  young  ones. 
I  have  been  reading  Rolo  Learning  to 
Read  and  Rolo's  Vacasion.  I  like  them 
very  much  indeed.  Last  Tuesday  we 
had  a  company  of  100  Latin  and  Eng- 
lish students.  They  marched  up  and 
down  town  and  then  they  had  a  re- 
ces  of  about  15  minutes.  They  had 
water  and  molasses  and  water.  After 
that  they  marched  around  again; 
their  dress  was  simply  their  Sunday 
best  clothes,  a  cane  and  a  role  of  paste- 
board with  a  blue  ribbon  tied  around 
it.  I  have  found  a  very  great  fait 
in  brother,  that  is,  tolling  tilings 
arround  town  that  I  never  told  him. 
and  when  he  gets  caught  in  telling 
a  lie  he  says  that  I  told  him  some- 
thing like  it".  His  object  in  doing  this 
is  to  make  folks  think  better  of  him 
and  worse  of  me.  Sometimes  he  is 
kind  and  affectionate.  I  believe  you 
wrote  me  to  tell  Mrs.  Green  when  he 
imposes  uppon  me,  but  I  do  not  like 
to  tell  her  but  I  do  not  do  anything  to 


272 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


him  but  stand  and  bare  it.  The  other 
day  I  went  down  to  Mr.  Abbott's  and 
bought  some  sugar  to  put  in  some 
chocolate  as  I  and  D.  E.  Safford  used 
to  go  over  in  a  field  and  build  up  a 
fire  in  an  old  tea  kettle  for  a  stove 
and  had  an  old  coffee  pot  which  we 
found  out  there  which  we  made  our 
chocolate  in.  However  one  day  I  had 
the  sugar  in  my  pocket  and  Mrs.  Green 
took  it  out  and  said  it  was  hers.  I 
told  her  it  was  not  for  I  bought  it 
down  to  Mr.  Abbott's  and  if  she  was 
a  mind  to  she  might  ask  him  but  after 
that  she  got  pretty  cool  about  it.  I 
have  got  a  book  called  My  Brother's 
Letters  which  I  think  is  a  very  good 
book.  Give  my  love  to  father,  Aunt 
Mary  Anna  and  all  other  inquiring 
friends  and  my  best  love  for  your- 
self. I  hope  you  will  write  me  soon. 
"Your  affectionate  son, 

"ROBERT." 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  his  father, 
Cephas  Battey,  from  yellow  fever, 
Robert  wrote  his  mother  from  Ando- 
ver    (under  date  of  Dec.  8,  1839)  : 

"My  dear  Mother:  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Aunt  Susan  last  Thursday 
morning.  Wednesday  before  last  there 
was  a  great  fire  up  town.  Wednes- 
day before  last  the  book  bindery  burnt 
it  belonged  to  Mr.  Wm.  Waters  there 
has  been  a  subscription  for  him. 
Thanks  be  unto  the  Lord  it  was  not 
our  house  for  I  was  sick.  I  had  eaten 
something  that  did  not  agree  with  me. 
Mr.  Green  had  his  hog  killed  last  Wed- 
nesday. Some  body  set  fire  to  our 
chicken  house  la-.3t  Thursday.  George 
lost  7  rabbits.  My  little  pigeon  is  do- 
ing very  well.  Daniel  came  last  Fri- 
day. Mrs.  Green's  flowers  are  doing 
very  well.  Tell  me  is  cousin  Miller 
alive.  Tell  aunt  creasy  I  am  well. 
Mrs.  Blanchard,  Rhoda  &  I  all  send 
their    love. 

"Your  son, 

"ROBERT." 

George  added  a  postscript,  saying: 
"You  will  see  by  Robby's  letter  that 
we  have  had  a  fire.  I  have  been  play- 
ing chess  with  Robby  and  he  can  play 
pretty  well  for  the  time  he  has  been 
learning." 

FRANK  L.  STANTON'S  SANC- 
TUM.—The  casual  visitor  to  Frank 
L  Stanton's  sanctum  in  the  Atlanta 
Constitution  building  is  deeply  and 
lastingly  impressed  with  the  physical 
aspects  of  the  place;  a  roll-top  desk 
over  in  a  corner;  a  swivel  chair  for 
the   poet  which  he  seldoms  "swivels;" 


a  cane-bottom  chair  for  a  friend;  on 
the  dark,  smoky,  spider-webbed  walls 
a  Lewis  Gregg  pen  sketch  of  Joel 
Chandler  Harris  ("Uncle  Remus") 
and  cartoons  by  Opper  and  Fox  past- 
ed up  without  frames;  a  sea  of  old 
newspaper  exchanges,  the  accumula- 
tion of  months,  stacked  so  high  on 
both  sides  of  the  desk  as  to  obscure 
the  pigeon  holes,  which  are  crammed 
with  letters,  papers  and  poems;  the 
top  of  the  desk  burdened  with  daily  ' 
and  weekly  journals  from  all  over  the 
country,  and  surmounting  them  a  tan- 
gled heap  of  spider  nests  and  ancient 
dust;  on  the  floor  a  discarded  shower 
of  his  literary  sheaves;  a  single  elec- 
trip  drop  globe  and  a  clouded  window 
to  admit  a  little  more  light;  a  rat's 
nest  in  nearly  every  drawer  of  the 
desk. 

Stanton  is  always  absorbed  in  plots 
for  poems  and  paragraphs;  he  moves 
solitarily  between  office  and  home; 
year  in  and  year  out  he  grinds  his 
daily  grist,  a  column  known  as  "Just 
From  Georgia,"  and  his  political 
quips  and  a  serious  editorial  daily;  he 
is  one  of  the  most  prolific  writers  in 
the  United  States;  he  is  friendly  and 
reminiscent,  but  he  seldom  invites  any- 
body to  his  den,  and  when  they  come 
they  do  not  consume  much  of  his  time. 
His  office  is  in  a  rather  remote  part 
of  the  building;  not  so  remote  as  it  is 
"unsuspected"  and  undiscovered,  for 
the  human  stream  that  flows  out  of 
the  elevator  and  the  stairway  does  not 
pass  his  door. 

In  a  sense,  Stanton  is  comparable 
to  Sir  Walter  Scott,  who  used  to 
throw  his  manuscript  over  his  shoul- 
der, to  be  picked  up  later  by  some- 
body and  put  into  print.  He  exudes 
so  much  poetry  that  it  sometimes  gets 
out  of  his  reach  in  the  junk  that  sur- 
rounds him,  and  does  not  appear  for 
days,  weeks  or  months  afterward.  In 
a  sense,  he  is  comparable  to  Horace 
Greeley,  who  wrote  such  a  miserable 
hand  that  but  one  compositor  on  the 
New  York  Tribune  could  read  it. 
Stanton  can  write  plainly  and  pleas- 
ingly when  he  takes  the  time.  How- 
ever, he  usually  leaves  much  to  the 
imagination,  and  unless  the  printer 
reads  it  who  is  accustomed  to  his  style, 
there    is    trouble    in    the    plant. 

A  story  is  told  of  Stanton  which 
will  illustrate  his  accustomed  environ- 
ment: 

John  Temple  Graves,  editor  of  the 
Tribune  of  Rome,  had  hired  a  new  of- 
fice boy,  to  whom  these  instructions 
were  given: 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


1273 


274 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"One  of  your  duties,  son,  will  be  to 
carry  the  copy  to  the  composing  room. 
Whenever  I  write  anything,  you  come 
in  here  and  get  it,  and  whenever  Mr. 
Stanton  writes  anything,  go  in  there 
and  take  it  back.  I  think  Mr.  Stan- 
ton  has   some  now." 

The  boy  returned  in  a  minute  to  Col. 
Graves'    desk   and   said: 

"I    couldn't    make    him    answer." 

"What's    that?" 

"He  just  kept  on  working  when  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  wrote  anything." 

"Oh!"  exclaimed  Col.  Graves  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  eye.     "Let's  see." 

They  went  to  the  doorway  and  peek- 
ed in.  There  sat  Stanton  with  his 
elbows  aspread,  his  head  low  and  his 
right  hand  fighting  furiously  with  a 
pencil.  He  had  dug  so  deeply  into  a 
mountain  of  papers  that  no  part  of 
him  was  discernible  below  his  should- 
ers. He  would  make  a  great  effort 
and  out  would  come  a  sheet  of  long 
hand,  suggestive  of  a  doodle-bug  play- 
ing in  a  sand  hill  or  a  mole  starting 
a    direct    route    to    China. 

"I  forgot  to  tell  you  the  way  you 
should  approach  Mr.  Stanton.  The  boy 
that  had  your  job  understood  it.  You 
notice   the   rope    on    the    hook    here    at 


FRANK  LEBBY  STANTON.  Georgia's  lyric 
poet,  who  served  as  night  editor  of  The 
Tribune  of  Rome  under  Jno.  Temple  Graves. 


the  door  is  attached  to  the  chandelier 
in  the  middle  of  the  room.  The  easiest 
and  quietest  way  to  get  in  there  is  to 
grab  the  rope  and  swing  from  the 
door  to  the  table  beside  his  desk, 
where  you  will  be  able  to  get  the  copy. 
Then  you  swing  back.  The  idea  is  not 
to  disturb  his  muse.  Let's  see  how 
well   you   can   do   it.' 

"Colonel  Graves,  I  ain't  lost  nothin' 
in   there." 

"Why,  what's  the  matter?" 
"A  man  from  Mt.  Alto  just  come 
out,  sayin'  he  wanted  a  write-up,  but 
saw  Mr.  Stanton  was  busy,  so  just 
left  his  box  on  the  table  and  said  he 
v/ould  be  back.  No,  sir,  I  ain't  goin' 
in    there!" 

"What  sort  of  write-up  did  he 
want?" 

"He  said  he  had  broke  the  record  at 
Mt.  Alto  for  ketchin'  the  biggest  rat- 
tlesnake!" 

Mr.  Stanton  was  the  owner  of  a 
small  dog  which  had  the  distinction 
of  having  been  named  after  a  famous 
expression.  Sam  Jones  used  to  come 
to  Rome  and  exclaim  at  his  great 
meetings,  "My,  my,  man — can  not  you 
see  the  error  of  your  ways?"  So  the 
dog  was  named  "My-my." 

"My-my"  was  a  product  of  the  flood 
of  1886.  He  has  been  born  in  the 
Fourth  Ward  in  February  of  that 
year;  when  the  high  water  came,  he 
swam  into  Rome  proper  for  the  first 
time,  and  anchored  on  Broad  Street. 
It  was  cold  and  the  puppy  took  refuge 
in  a  hallway,  where  he  was  found  and 
adopted  by  Col.  Graves,  who  carried 
him  home  to  402  First  Avenue.  Here 
the  little  dog  forgot  his  late  experi- 
ences, and  his  humility  at  the  same 
time.  He  bit  Dr.  Henry  Battey  sav- 
agely on  the  ankle,  so  that  ever  after 
the  "doctor  bowed  himself  out  of  the 
house   backwards. 

The  dog  soon  became  a  pet  at  The 
Tribune  office,  and  since  Stanton  fed 
him  and  kept  him  as  a  "paperweight" 
on  his  desk,  he  soon  forsook  his  orig- 
inal benefactor.  Presently  Col.  Graves' 
first  wife  died  and  they  buried  her 
over  on  Myrtle  Hill.  Bishop  Warren 
A.  Candler  came  to  Rome,  called  on 
Col.  Graves  and  proposed  that  they  go 
to  the  cemetery  for  a  silent  word  of 
prayer.  As  they  approached  the  tomb, 
they  saw  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanton,  ac- 
companied  by   "My-my." 

"Even  my  dog  seems  to  have  de- 
serted me!"  exclaimed  Col.  Graves  dis- 
consolately. "My-my,  you  must  choose 
this    day  whom    you    will    serve."      So 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


275 


saying,  Col.  Graves  walked  off,  and 
Bishop  Candler  followed.  "My-my" 
hesitated  a  moment,  swallowed  hard, 
smacked  his  lips  meekly  and  tucking 
his  tail  between  his  legs,  followed  the 
Stantons.  Col.  Graves  declared  philo- 
sophically, "Thus  it  is  with  all  earthly 
friends!" 

Stanton  soon  moved  to  Atlanta  at 
the  instance  of  Wm.  A.  Hemphill  and 
brought  "My-my"  along,  and  the  dog 
became  a  prime  favorite  around  his 
sanctum.  When  "My-my"  died  at  the 
age  when  all  good  dogs  are  supposed 
to  die,  The  Constitution  printed  his 
picture  and  recorded  that  many  of  his 
friends  among  the  children  followed 
him  sorrowfully  to  a  decent  burial 
place,  and  concluded:  "My-my  was  in 
many  respects  a  remarkable  dog,  but 
particularly  so  because  he  was  the 
only  canine  we  ever  heard  of  who  was 
knock-kneed  in  front  and  bow-legged 
in  the  rear." 

FRANK  L.  STANTON  TO  HIS 
MOTHER.*— The  beloved  Georgia 
poet  once  penned  this  beautiful  son- 
net: 

Thou  shalt  have  grave  where  glory  is 
forgot, 
Thy  star  all  luminous  in  the  world's 
last  night, 
Thy  children's  arms  shall  be  thy  neck- 
lace bright. 
And   all   love's  roses  clamber   to  thy 
cot; 
And  if  a  storm  one  steadfast  star  shall 
blot 
From    thy    clear    Heaven,    God's    an- 
gels   shall    re-light 
The  lamps  for  thee  and  make  the  dark- 
ness write — 
The    lilies   of   His   love    shall   be   thy 
lot! 
He    shall    give    all    His    angels    charge 
of    thee, 
Thy  coming  and  thy  going  shall   be 
known, 
Their    steps    shall     shine     before     thee 
radiantly. 
Lest    thou    shouldst     dasli     thy    foot 
against  a   stone; 
The   cross   still    stands;    who   will    that 
love   condemn 
Whose   mother   lips  kissed    Christ  at 
Bethlehem? 

FROM  A  SHERMAN  SCOUT.— 
Thos.  D.  Collins,  of  Middletown,  N.  Y., 
courier,    guide    and    scout    of   the    20th 

*From  The  Mothers  of  Some  Fa'inous  Geor- 
gians. 

**SiKnal  sent  by  Gen.  Wm.  Vandever,  who 
for   a   time   occupied   the  post   at   Rome. 


corps,    Army    of    the    Cumberland    (U. 
S.),  writes: 

"I  was  at  Rome  on  the  night  of  Oct. 
3,  1864,  having  been  sent  with  orders 
to  Brig.  Gen.  Jno.  M.  Corse  to  move 
his  conimand  at  once  to  Allatoona  Pass 
and  reinforce  the  post  there,  where 
Sherman  had  stored  1,000,000  rations. 
We  reached  Allatoona  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  4th;  John  B.  Hood,  in  com- 
mand of  the  Rebel  forces,  had  got  in 
our  rear,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
5th,  Gen.  S.  G.  French,  in  command 
of  a  division  of  Rebels,  sent  us  by  flag 
of  truce  information  that  if  we  would 
surrender,  we  would  be  treated  well, 
but  if  he  was  forced  to  attack,  every 
one  of  us  would  be  massacred.  To  this. 
Corse  replied  after  consulting  the 
small  force  at  hand,  'Come  and  take 
us   if   you  can!' 

"On  they  came,  and  I  assure  you 
French  paid  dearly  for  his  assault, 
and  tov/ard  night  he  began  withdraw- 
ing his  forces,  or  what  was  left  of 
them.  During  the  battle,  a  signal  was 
seen  flying  from  the  top  of  Kennesaw 
Mountain,**  telling  us  to  hold  out, 
that  help  was  coming  to  us.  Corse 
answered,  'I  am  minus  a  cheek  bone 
and  part  of  an  ear,  but  am  able  to 
whip  all  hell  yet!'  Corse  had  been 
hit  late  in  the  afternoon  by  a  rifle  ball 
and  knocked  senseless.  We  thought 
him  killed,  but  he  soon  rallied.  We 
suffered  severely  for  the  number  en- 
gaged. My  horse  was  killed  in  the 
fracas.  The  gun  I  used  that  terrible 
day  of  slaughter  stands  this  moment  in 
my  bedroom,  and  money  couldn't  buy 
it.  It  is  an  8-shot  Spencer  repeating 
rifle. 

"French's  troops  were  heroes,  every 
one.  They  were  in  the  open  and  we 
were  behind  strong  breastworks.  They 
had  no  chance  to  dislodge  us.  French 
had  cut  our  wires.  Americans  against 
Americans,  and  I  am  glad  to  hope  that 
North  and  South  are  now  one  united 
country." 

THE  BARTOWS  IN  FLOYD 
COUNTY.— Comparatively  few  people 
know  that  the  Bartow  family,  of  Sa- 
vannah, once  maintained  (luite  an  es- 
tablishment at  Gave  Spring.  It  is 
likely  that  they  removed  to  Floyd 
County  prior  to  1850,  and  that  they 
lived  "there  part  of  the  time  for  five 
years  or  more.  Mrs.  Bartow  moved 
back  to  Cave  Spring  after  the  death  of 
her  husband  and  her  .son.  The  head  of 
the  house  was  Dr.  Theodosius  Bartow, 
who    was    born    at    Savannah    Nov.    2, 


276 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


1792,  and  married  Frances  Lloyd  Feb. 
26,   1812. 

Says  The  Mothers  of  Some  Famous 
Georgians: 

"After  Francis  S.  Bartow's  sad  end, 
Mrs.  Bartow  returned  to  her  home  in 
Floyd,  now  endeared  to  her  by  many 
sacred  memories,  which  threw  a  halo 
around  her  pathway,  for  it  lay  in 
shadows  the  rest  of  her  days  since  the 
lip:ht  of  her  life,  her  counsellor  and 
friend,  would  no  more  ro  in  and  out 
with  words  of  peace.  Her  GOth  birth- 
day was  Nov.  1,  1852,  and  her  son 
wrote : 

"  'I  now  take  advantage  of  the  clos- 
ino-  hours  of  this  day  which  completes 
your  GOth  year.  It  has  been  one  of 
those  bland,  bright  days,  more  like 
spring  than  autumn,  neither  warm  nor 
cold,  and  I  have  thought  of  the  green 
hills  of  Floyd  and  wished  myself  there, 
that  I  might  walk  with  you  through 
the  quaint  garden  and  see  the  sun,  as 
he  sets  behind  the  mountains,  light  up 
the  sky  with  golden  radiance.  How 
beautiful  does  nature  present  to  the 
mind  the  evening  of  a  well-spent  life; 
how  few  are  the  dark  hours  between 
the  mellow  twilight,  so  full  of  peace 
and  rest  and  the  glorious  reappear- 
ance of  the  rosy  beams  of  morning. 

"  'For  you  I  cannot  wish  those  many 
years  on  earth  which  is  the  customary 
greeting.  I  know  enough  of  life's 
meridian,  of  its  fleeting  joy  and  con- 
stant cates  to  feel  that  the  happiest 
home  is  where  the  soul  is  freed.  But 
for  me  my  prayer  would  be  that  you 
who  first  held  me  up  to  the  light  of 
day  should  close  my  eyes.  A  selfish 
prayer,  at  least,  that  I  may  so  live 
that,  like  you,  some  golden  light  may 
ba   reflected   in   my  evening  days! 

"'God's  will  be  done!  May  He  guide 
you  and  me  and  all  of  us!  My  heart 
is  with  you  always!'" 

For  quite  a  while  Mrs.  Bartow's 
daughter,  Theodosia  (Mrs.  Edward  E. 
Ford) ,  was  the  principal  of  a  girls' 
school  at  Cave  Spring.  This  place  be- 
came known  as  "Woodstock,"  and  it 
was  conducted  by  Mrs.  Ford  before  and 
after  the  war;  it  was  once  owned  by 
the  Nobles,  of  Rome.  The  Bartows 
were  the  principal  donors  of  the  Epis- 
copal church  at  Cave  Spring,  and  sev- 
eral of  the  old-time  residents  remem- 
ber them  with  deep  affection.  Mrs. 
Bartow  died  at  about  80  years  of  age. 
She  was  a  kindly  and  true  Southern 
gentlewoman,  typical  of  a  race  that  is 
no  more. 


GEN.  NEAL  DOW  PRISONER  OF 
A  ROMAN. — It  is  not  commonly  known 
that  Neal  Dow,  once  Mayor  of  Port- 
land, Me.,  and  a  general  in  command 
of  colored  soldiers  durinp-  the  Civil 
War,  was  taken  to  Libby  Prison,  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  probably  in  1863,  by  Leon- 
idas  Timoleon  ("Coon")  Mitchell, 
brother  of  Mrs.  Hiram  Hill,  of  Rome. 
"Little  Neal"  Dow,  as  he  was  known, 
had  carried  his  negro  troops  against 
the  Confederate  works  at  Port  Hudson, 
Mississippi  River,  La.,  May  28,  1863, 
had  lost  500  in  killed  and  wounded 
from  his  brigade,  and  himself  had 
been  wounded  twice.  Subsequently  he 
was  captured  and  put  in  prison  at 
Mobile.  Feeling  was  so  intense  against 
him  there  on  account  of  the  fact  that 
he  had  led  colored  troopers  that  it  was 
deemed  best  to  remove  him  north.  A 
Roman,  "Coon"  Mitchell,  member  of 
the  Rome  Light  Guards  of  the  Eighth 
Georgia  Infantry,  was  selected  to  take 
him. 

The  route,  for  sake  of  safety,  was 
through  New  Orleans.  Gen  Dow,  dress- 
ed as  a  private,  was  taken  there,  and 
lodged  over  night  at  a  hotel.  Some- 
how the  secret  got  abroad  and  a  crowd 
of  angry  people  gathered  at  the  hotel, 
demanding  the  body  of  the  prisoner. 
The  proprietor  sent  word  to  the 
room  of  captive  and  escort  to  flee. 
Mitchell  had  been  guarding  his  charge 
and  had  had  little  sleep;  had  not  re- 
moved his  clothing;  but  in  spite  of  his 
fatigue  he  smuggled  Gen.  Dow  out  of 
a  rear  passageway  and  caught  a  train 
at  a  way  station  and  landed  him  at 
Richmond.  Gen.  Dow  was  later  ex- 
changed for  Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee,  neph- 
ew of  Robt.  E.  Lee. 

Gen.  Dow  got  his  commission  as 
brigadier  from  President  Lincoln  and 
was  regarded  as  a  capital  prize  by 
the  Confederate  hosts.  He  was  a  great 
temperance  leader  and  as  prohibition 
candidate  for  president  in  1880  he  re- 
ceived 10,000  popular  votes.  He  died 
at  Portland  Oct.  2,  1897,  at  the  ripe 
old  age  of  93. 

"Coon"  Mitchell  himself,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  imprisoned  shortly 
after  the  war  by  Capt.  Chas.  A.  de  la 
Mesa  for  his  participation  in  a  Con- 
federate uniform  in  the  tableau  "The 
Officer's  Funeral"  at  Rome.  Capt.  de  la 
Mesa  was  in  charge  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau  at  that  time,  and  objected  to 
the  presentation  of  the  tableau  as  an 
insult  to  the  United  States  flag. 

Mitchell  was  born  in  March,  1839, 
hence  was  24  when  he  took  "Little 
Neal"   in  tow.      He   died  a   good  many 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


277 


years  ago  and  was  buried  in  the  Sol- 
diers' Section  of  Oakland  Cemetery, 
Atlanta. 

*      *     * 

"GINRUL"  VANDEVER  AND 
"THE  WIDOW  LUMPKIN."— When 
Maj.  William  Vandever,  of  Sherman's 
Army,  took  charge  of  Rome  in  1864, 
one  of  the  early  callers  at  his  head- 
quarters (whether  by  official  invita- 
tion or  otherwise  it  is  not  known) 
was  the  handsome  widow  of  Judge 
John  H.  Lumpkin,  congressman,  who 
had  died  four  years  before.  A  state- 
ly ex-congressman  from  Iowa  and 
a  splendid  gentleman.  General  Van- 
dever had  been  cited  for  bravery 
on  many  a  battlefield,  but  he  was 
a  married  man  and  there  was  undoubt- 
edly no  justification  for  the  gossip 
which  wagging  tongues  soon  spread 
concerning  his  "affair"  with  Mrs. 
Lumpkin,  who,  by  the  way,  had  been 
Miss  Mary  Jane  Crutchfield,  daughter 
of  Col.  Thos.  Crutchfield,  of  Chatta- 
nooga. Mrs.  Lumpkin  lived  on  Eighth 
Avenue  in  Rome's  finest  home,  five 
blocks  from  the  General's  headquar- 
ters. 

However,  the  tongues  did  wag,  and 
on  numerous  occasions  connected  the 
names  of  the  two  in  a  way  that  must 
have  been  embarrassing  to  both,  but 
furnished  them  considerable  amuse- 
ment at  the  same   time. 

Enter  a  mischievous  young  Rome 
woman  determined  to  protest  in  her 
own  way  at  the  Yankee  occupation,  as 
General  Vendever's  carriage  passed 
by. 

"Ginrul,  Ginrul,  may  I  stop  you  a 
moment?" 

"Hold  up  there.  Bob;  let's  see  what 
the  lady  wants.  What  can  I  do  for 
you,   ma'am?" 

"Ginrul,  would  you  be  kind  enough 
to  lend  me  a  planner?" 

"Madam,  I'm  sorry,  but  I've  got  no 
piano." 

"Why,  Ginrul,  I  hearn  ye  had  seven 
at  the   Widow    Lumpkin's!" 

Mrs.  Thos.  Hawkins,  formerly  the 
beautiful  and  cultured  Miss  Pauline 
Bryant,  whose  father  was  pi'osperous 
in  a  comfortable  estate  on  the  Cave 
Spring  road,  got  a  pass  through  the 
lines  and  appeared  at  General  Vende- 
ver's headciuarters  ("Bill  Arp's"  old 
home  on  Fourth  Avenue)  and  asked 
for  protection  from  maraud  in  o-  bands 
of  soldiers.  Her  husband  was  away 
with  the  "Rebels"  and  she  was  practi- 
cally alone  in  a  great  big  house. 
General    Vandever    courteously   offered 


her  a  guard,  to  which  she  replied  feel- 
ingly: 

"Oh,  General,  I  can  not  express  my 
gratitude!  I  can  only  hope  that  be- 
fore you  die  you  will  succeed  in  win- 
ning the  heart  of  the  Widow  Lump- 
kin!" 

Mrs.  Hawkins  went  through  trials 
second  to  none  during  the  war.  After 
the  evacuation  of  Rome  Capt.  Jack 
Colquitt  maintained  a  band  of  bush- 
whackers around  Rome,  Cave  Spring 
and  Cedartown  who  had  formerly  been 
members  of  a  Texas  unit  opposing 
Sherman's  attack  on  Rome.  This  band 
traveled  under  the  name  of  Colquitt's 
Independent  Scouts.  A  foraging  party 
of  Union  soldiers  having  gone  out  in 
wagons  toward  the  present  site  of 
Lindale  the  Scouts  ambushed  it  in 
front  of  the  Bryant-Hawkins  home, 
killed  several  men  and  stampeded  the 
horses.  In  retaliation  Gen.  Jno.  M. 
Corse,  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Northern 
commander,  claiming  Mrs.  Hawkins' 
husband  and  son  had  led  the  attack- 
ing party,  caused  the  home  to  be  burn- 
ed to  the  ground.  It  was  stated  by 
neighbors  that  Mrs.  Hawkins  had 
time  to  save  only  the  family  Bible; 
also  that  a  soldier  invited  her  to 
rescue  the  portraits  of  her  ancestors, 
to  which  she  replied  contemptuously, 
"I  would  not  lower  myself  to  accept 
such  an  invitation!  I  will  stand  here 
and  watch  it  all  burn  together!  The 
piano  and  the  funiture  and  the  grand- 
father clock  are  equally  sacred  to 
me!" 

Mrs.  Hawkins  was  then  arrested 
and  sent  to  share  the  roof  and  the 
scanty  wardrobe  of  sympathetic 
friends. 

:{:  :J:  H« 

STORY  OF  THE  WHITE  PA- 
POOSE.—Mrs.  Pattie  Wright  Stone, 
of  Farill,  Ala.,  contributes  the  fol- 
lowing story  of  Alexander  Thornton 
Harper,  of  Cave  Spring,  who  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Whatley  Sparks,  the 
girlhood  sweetheart  of  Gen.  John  B. 
Gordon : 

"On  Mar.  28.  1832,  there  was  born 
in  Vann's  Valley,  near  the  beautiful 
Little  Cedar  Creek,  to  Thornton  Har- 
per and  his  wife,  Frances  Long  Rich- 
ardson, a  baby  boy  named  Alexander 
Thornton.  On  the  night  of  the  third 
day  of  the  child's  birth  there  came  a 
knocking  at  the  door  of  the  Harper  log 
cabin.  At  that  time  the  valley  swarmed 
with  Red  Men,  and  well  did  the  in- 
mates of  the  forest  home  know  when- 
ever a   red   knuckle   rapped. 

"'Oh,    dear,    dear,    it's    the    Indians,' 


278 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Mrs.  Harper  whispered,  and  with  one 
hand  she  drew  her  baby  nearer  her 
breast,  and  with  the  other  gathered 
up  little  Elizabeth,  their  only  other 
child. 

"  'Don't  be  alarmed,  "Chick,"  reas- 
sured the  husband.  'There  is  no  harm 
in  them.' 

"Mr.  Harper  opened  the  door  and  in 
filed  several  Cherokees,  the  leader  of 
whom  said  with  a  grunt  and  in  gut- 
tural tones,  'Indians  want  to  see  white 
papoose.' 

"It  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in   Floyd   County. 

"'Give  white  papoose  to  Indian;  In- 
dian   hold    him    in    his    arms.' 

"Mr.  Harper,  confident  of  the  In- 
dian's good  intentions,  placed  his 
young  son  in  the  Red  Man's  arms,  and 
then  each  Indian  insisted  on  holding 
the  baby  in  turn,  and  on  scrutinizing 
the  little  fellow  to  determine  how  the 
Great  Spirit  had  made  him  so  pale 
instead  of  red.  When  the  baby  told 
them  in  his  own  peculiar  way  that  he 
wanted  to  go  back  to  his  mother,  the 
Indians  knew  it  was  not  the  sound  of 
the  brown  papoose.  They  went  away 
reverently  and  were  swallowed  up  in 
the  gloom  of  the  nearby  forests. 


THE  HOTEL  ARMSTRONG  in  fire  of  Mar. 
8,  1921.  Note  burning  cupola  and  fireman 
at    top    of    ladder. 


"Mr.  Harper  was  a  pioneer  of  the 
highest  type,  and  his  savage  neigh- 
bors admired  his  hum^anizing  quali- 
ties. On  one  occasion  an  Indian  boy 
was  sentenced  to  receive  40  lashes  for 
horse  theft,  and  he  pleaded  that  Mr. 
Harper  be  allowed  to  apply  the  pun- 
ishment. 

"The  valley  was  full  of  game  and 
the  Indian  boys  hunted  much  on  their 
fleet  footed  ponies.  Often  they  would 
expend  a  quiver  of  arrows  at  wild 
turkeys  and  come  home  laden  with  the 
great  black  birds;  they  also  killed 
deer  and  exchanged  the  venison  for 
beads  and  other  things  the  settlers  had 
to  offer. 

"Mr.  Harper  built  the  first  house  of 
size  in  that  neighborhood.  It  was  a 
two-story  affair  and  was  known  as 
the  White  House.  Practically  all  the 
other  establishments  were  log  cabins, 
with  a  room  on  each  end  and  a  pas- 
sageway through  the  middle,  or  a  sin- 
gle room  without  hall.  He  made  his 
plantation  blossom  with  slave  labor 
brought  from  South  Georgia.  Pres- 
ently there  were  five  white  papooses 
instead  of  two,  and  when  Alexander 
and  Elizabeth  had  grown  up  some- 
what they  used  to  play  with  the  In- 
dian boys  and  girls.  The  boys  played 
a  game  with  thick  stones  shaped  like 
wheels.  These  would  be  rolled  across 
an  open  space  and  shot  at  with  ar- 
rows, and  the  side  which  scored  the 
most  hits  was  declared  the  winner. 

"Once  when  Alexander  and  Eliza- 
beth were  playing  with  a  lot  of  pearls 
and  wampum  in  a  bureau  drawer  at 
David  Vann's  home  they  heard  some- 
body ask  Mrs.  Vann  if  she  were  not 
afraid  the  pale-faces  would  drive  the 
Indian  out.  'No,'  she  answered  scorn- 
fully, 'right  now  I  could  sound  the 
war  whoop  and  a  thousand  braves 
would  answer  from  forest  and  field.' 

"Little  did  she  realize  how  soon  the 
Indians  were  to  inarch  sullenly  by 
for  the  west  as  Alexander  and  Eliza- 
beth hung  on  the  fence  and  waved 
them  farewell.  We  have  their  val- 
leys, rivers  and  hills  and  they  are  gone 
to  the  land  of  the  setting  sun;  but  so 
has  the  little  white  papoose  gone  to 
the  happy  hunting  ground  of  Heaven. 
On  Saturday,  Jan.  2,  1905,  Alexander 
Thornton  Harper  died  at  his  Cave 
Spring  home.  'A  noble  man  has  gone 
to  that  reward  promised  the  faithful 
in  Holy  Writ.  He  fought  the  good 
fight,  he  kept  the  faith  throughout  the 
allotted  years  of  life  and  now  enjoys 
that  bliss  accorded  the  righteous  who 
die  in  the  Lord.'  " 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


279 


A  FAMOUS  LEAP-YEAR  PARTY. 
The  Rome  News  of  Dec.  29,  1920,  car- 
i-ied  the  following  story: 

Only  two  more  days  of  Leap  Year, — 
two  more  days  and  then  a  lapse  of 
four  long  years! 

Look  before  you  leap,  young  ladies 
of  Rome,  but  leap  while  ye  may!  Next 
year,  1921,  is  not  divisible  by  four  to 
a  nicety,  nor  is  it  divisible  by  twos 
or  couples  if  the  plaints  of  the  hard 
time  croakers  are  to  be  taken  seri- 
ously. 

'Twas  the  same  in  the  old  days,  and 
'tis  the  same  now.  The  love  song  is 
sung  in  season  and  out.  Fair  maids 
sing  it  one  year  in  four  and  handsome 
men  the  remaining  three. 

Back  in  1860,  just  before  the  muffled 
drums  started  beating  for  the  Civil 
War,  there  resided  in  Rome  a  young 
bachelor  by  the  name  of  George  T. 
Stovall,  member  of  one  of  Georgia's 
most  prominent  families,  who  in  ad- 
dition to  being  a  lawyer,  wrote  ed- 
itorials for  The  Rome  Courier. 

He  was  one  of  the  first  to  fall  in 
the  First  Battle  of  Manassas  in  1861. 
His  senior  editor  on  The  Courier  was 
M.  Dwinell,  who  was  also  a  bachelor, 
and  who  went  away  with  Stovall  as 
a  second  lieutenant  in  the  Rome  Light 
Guards.  The  Courier  having  no  so- 
ciety editor  Jan.  27,  1860,  a  leap-year 
party  was  handled  in  the  editorial  col- 
umn  as   follows   by   Bachelor   Dwinell : 

"It  was  our  pleasure  on  last  Friday 
night  to  attend  a  most  delightful  party 
gotten  up  and  entirely  managed  by  the 
young  ladies  of  Rome.  Everything  was 
arranged  in  excellent  good  taste  and 
the  young  ladies  played  the  gallants 
most  admirably.  They  showed  that 
they  not  only  knew  how  to  gracefully 
receive  the  attentions  of  the  sterner 
sex  but  also  that  they  can  most  charm- 
ingly bestow  them.  It  was  a  sweet 
season  of  joyous  hilarity,  mirth  and 
social  amusements, — a  genuine  'feast 
of  reason  and  flow  of  soul.'  There  are 
many  more  young  ocntlemen  than 
young  ladies  in  the  place,  and  if  the 
former  did  not  all  get  special  invita- 
tions, we  see  no  reason  why  they 
should  be  growling  about  it.  The  ladies 
deserve  great  credit  for  the  pleasing 
exhibition  they  made  of  their  'rights' 
for  the  coming  year.  May  they  all 
live  long  and  happily  and  each  be  the 
pure  center  of  sacred  household  joys." 

Having  read  this  squib  in  the  proof. 
Bachelor    Stovall   wrote  the  following: 

"Now,  we  wish  to  say  a  word  or  two 
on   the  subject.     All  that  sounds  very 


nice  and  pretty  coming  from  our  ed- 
itorial senior,  and  although  he  insists 
we  must  not,  we  will  say  it,  senior  in 
years  as  well  as  editorial  experience. 
He  can  aff'ord  to  write  that  way  about 
Leap  Year  parties  when  he  gets  a  spe- 
cial invitation  to  go  and  has  an  escort. 
But  there  are  two  sides  to  every  ques- 
tion and  we  are  on  the  other  side  of 
this  one,  for  we  did  not  have  a  'pecu- 
liar institution'  in  embryo  to  come  and 
hand  us  a  sweetly-scented  billet  doux 
written  in  the  most  delicate  chirog- 
raphy,  respectfully  soliciting  the  pleas- 
ure of  our  company. 

"It  is  true  we  did  get  through  the 
postoffice  a  sort  of  general  invitation 
or  permission  or  something  of  the  kind 
which  seemed  to  say  'If  you  are  not 
afraid  to  come  by  yourself,  you  can 
come,  or  you  can  stay  away,  just  as 
you  please;  if  you  come  you  can  take 
care  of  yourself,  and  if  you  stay  away, 
nobody  will  miss  you  anyhow.' 

"We  have  never  done  anything  we 
know  of  that  makes  us  deserve  such 
treatment.  We  have  never  been  caught 
disturbing  the  midnight  slumber  of 
anybody's  hen  roost  or  in  mistaking 
another  man's  pocket  for  our  own.  We 
don't  recall  ever  having  said  that  wom- 
en were  intellectually  inferior  to  Be- 
con,  or  Newton  or  Bonaparte  or  J. 
Caesar  or  Pompey  or  Solomon  or  Brig- 
ham  Young  or  Joe  Brown,  and  we  are 
satisfied  we  have  never  compared  them 
to  a  huge  fodder  stack  with  a  little 
piece  of  ribbon  or  turkey  feather  flut- 
tering from  the  top  of  it.  However 
much  we  have  thought  all  this,  we 
have  prudently  kept  it  to  ourselves; 
but  we  vow  we  won't  do  so  any  longer! 

"On  the  other  hand,  ever  since  we 
had  heard  there  was  to  be  a  Leap 
Year  party  we  had  been  studiously  at- 
tentive and  polite  to  every  one  of  the 
'Dear  (Bah!)  creatures.'  Whenever 
we  have  met  them  on  the  street  we 
have  invariably  tipped  our  hat  as 
gracefully  as  we  knew  how  and  smiled 
a  little  sweeter  than  we  ever  thought 
we  could  before,  and  ever  can  again; 
and  in  one  or  two  instances  we  fol- 
lowed them  several  lilocks  hojiing  we 
might  have  an  opportunity  of  ])icking 
up  and  returning  to  its  owner  a  glove 
or  a  handkerchief  she  may  have  'un- 
intentionally' dropped. 

"And  yet,  after  all  this,  not  one  of 
them  otfercd  to  escort  us  to  the  party; 
and  we  waited  as  patiently  as  Job  un- 
til 9:30  that  night.  Then  hope  and 
our  fire  going  out  about  the  same 
time,  we  concluded  to  follow  their  ex- 
ample   and    stroll   up    to   the   city   hall, 


280 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


A   TRULY   COSMOPOLITAN    ASSEMBLAGE. 

In  this  group  are  three  physicians,  a  lawyer,  a  sheriff,  a  merchant,  a  mining  engineer,  a 
minister  and  a  college  professor.  They  are,  left  to  right.  Dr.  Harry.  Huzza,  Dr.  Geo.  R.  West, 
of  Chattanooga,  and  Lyle  B.  West;  Edwin  Watters,  Rev.  R.  B.  Headden,  long  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  church;  Judge  Robt.  D.  Harvey,  Jake  C.  Moore,  Robt.  D.  Van  Dyke,  of  Atlanta;  Prof. 
Jos.    Lustrat,    of    Athens,    and    Dr.    Geo.    B.    Glover,    of    Monticello,    Fla. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


281 


only  to  see  how  many  and  who  were 
there.  We  very  foolishly  went  in  by 
way  of  testing  the  matter  a  little  fur- 
ther, and  just  as  we  expected,  nobody 
came  to  ask  us  to  promenade  or  insist 
on  our  singing  Jeremiah,  or  to  play 
the  elephant  or  any  other  animal,  or 
to  ask  us  how  we  were  enjoying  the 
evening,  or  even  to  inform  us  of  the 
state  of  the  weather. 

"One  young  lady  (bless  her  sweet 
soul)  did  offer  to  take  our  hat,  and  it 
was  such  an  extraordinary  act  of  at- 
tention that  we  would  have  given  it 
to  her  if  it  had  not  cost  us  five  dollars 
and  was  the  last  one  we  had.  We 
were  satisfied  from  what  we  saw  that 
our  senior's  rhapsodies  are  all  put  on, 
for  he  was  a  most  neglected  wall  flow- 
er. It  may  be  called  spite  or  spleen, 
but  to  us  the  whole  aff"air  was  a  per- 
fect  humbug. 

"We  would  rather  eat  sour  grapes 
any  time  than  attend  one  for  half  an 
hour.  The  man  that  started  the  idea 
of  giving  up  for  twelve  months  the 
dearest  privileges  of  his  sex  to  a  par- 
cel of  unappreciative  and  capricious 
women  deserved  a  coat  of  tar  and 
feathers,  and  on  Friday  night  w^e  had 
the  great  satisfaction  of  burning  the 
wretch  in  effigy  and  singing  his  re- 
quiem. 

"So  far  as  any  advancement  of  our 
own  from  a  state  of  single  blessedness 
to  one  of  double  wretchedness  is  con- 
cerned, when  we  record  in  our  journal 
the  events  of  1860  we  will  simply  leave 
a  blank  page. 

"We  think  Patrick  Henry  could  have 
made  the  expression  a  great  deal 
stronger  if  he  had  said  'Give  me  Lib- 
erty or  give  me  Leap  Year!'  We  only 
wish  it  were  1861;  we  would  see  how 
far  another  Leap  Year  would  catch  us 
in  this  fix  again.  As  it  is  we  have  a 
notion  to  spend  the  balance  of  this 
one  in  Utah.  There  we  reckon  the 
ladies  are  not  so  independent.  Leap 
Year  indeed!" 

Bachelor  Dwinell  read  the  proof  on 
the  above  sally  by  Bachelor  Stovall 
and  tacked  on  the  following: 

"Our  junior  has  fully  justified  the 
fable  of  the  Fox  and  the  Grapes.  We 
pity  him;  but  since  he  wrote  the  above 
we  discover  unmistakable  signs  of 
convalescence  and  assure  the  ladies 
that  he  will  be  in  his  right  mind  in 
a  few  days." 

CARRYING  ON.— The  following 
items  from  The  Rome  Weekly  Courier, 
Vol.  20,  New  Series  No.  1,  Thursday, 
Aug.    31,    1865,    will    give    further    in- 


formation on   the   status  of   Rome  and 
Romans  directly  after  the   Civil   War: 

To  Former  Patron.^. — Greeting:  On 
the  16th  of  May,  1864,  the  last  number 
of  this  paper  was  published.  The  Fed- 
eral forces  occupied  Rome  on  the  next 
day,  and  since  then,  up  to  about  the 
first  of  last  May,  it  was  not  deemed 
prudent  for  such  a  'Reb"  as  we  have 
been  to  engage  in  any  permanent  busi- 
ness in  Rome. 

Some  three  months  since  we  returned 
to  the  old  office  and  found  it  in  great 
confusion.  What  a  pickle  it  was  in, 
to  be  sure!  Stands,  tables,  cases, 
presses,  stones  and  stove  pipe,  impos- 
ing stone,  cabinets,  racks  and  every- 
thing else  all  turned  topsy-turvy;  and 
then  the  whole  chawdered  up  and 
beaten  to  pieces  with  sledge  hammers 
and  crowbars  until  the  office  looked 
like  the  Demons  from  the  Infernal  Re- 
gions had  been  holding  high  carnival 
there. 

Of  course  we  felt  bad.  It  looked 
very  much  like  "Othello's  occupation 
was  gone!"  It  would  do  no  good  to 
think  hard  things  and  still  less  to  say 
wicked  words;  we  at  once  resolved 
that  as  for  us  and  our  house,  we  would 
arise  and  go  back  to  the  old  fold  again. 
Well,  the  first  thing  to  be  done  was 
to  take  the  Amnesty  Oath.  Now,  about 
that  we  felt  a  little  like  the  keeper  of 
a  cheap  boarding  house  did  about  eat- 
ing crow,  after  he  had  foi'ced  down 
a  little  for  a  wager.  He  said  he  could 
eat  crow,  but  he  "didn't  hanker  arter 
it!"  We  took  the  oath  and  have  been 
feeling  better  ever  since.  It  was  prob- 
ably just  the  medicine  needed.  We 
would  advise  every  citizen  of  tho  state 
to  embrace  the  first  opportunity  to 
take  the  Oath  of  Allegiance.  It  is  as 
little  as  could  possibly  be  asked  of  us 
after  four  years  of  most  determined 
and  earnest  eff'ort  to  disrupt  the  Fed- 
eral Nation,  and  besides  it  is  really 
our  duty  to  give  an  honest  jiledge  that 
hereafter  we  will  give  a  full  and  cor- 
dial support  of  that  government,  which 
after  all  our  sins  against  it  proposes 
now  not  only  to  pardon  (with  a  few 
exceptions)  but  also  to  spread  over  us 
the   aegis   of   its   protecting  wings. 

Having  taken  the  Oath,  we  went  in- 
dustriously to  work  and  with  tlie  as- 
sistance of  one  good  printer,  by  pick- 
ing up  the  debris,  assorting  the  type, 
))atching  some  marhim'ry  and  buying 
a  little  (with  borrowed  money),  we 
are  now  enabled  to  come  out  with  the 
paper  as  you  see  it.  It  is  our  deter- 
mination to  publish  a  first-rate  family 
newspaper,    giving    the    subscriber    as 


282 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


much  reliable  and  interesting  informa- 
tion on  Commercial,  Political  and  Mis- 
cellaneous subjects  as  the  columns  will 
contain.  All  Military  and  Govern- 
ment orders  and  Proclamations  that 
pertain  to  the  people  of  this  section 
will  be  published  as  soon  as  received. 
The  paper  will  be  neither  partisan  nor 
sectarian,  but  we  shall  do  all  in  our 
power  to  support  President  Johnson 
and  the  Provisional  Governor  in  their 
present  policy  of  restoring  the  Empire 
State  of  the  South  to  its  once  proud 
position  in  the  great  family  of  States. 

Wanted — One  Thousand  Subscribers 
to  This  Paper — Our  rates  are  low.  The 
paper  will  be  the  best  News  Paper  we 
can  possibly  make  it.  Terms,  $1  for 
three  months;  $2  for  six,  or  $4  for 
12  months.  We  will  take  in  payment 
currency  or  produce,  anything  we  can 
eat,  drink  or  wear,  at  market  price; 
also  clean  cotton  or  linen  rags  at  2 
cents  per  pound.  No  name  will  be 
entered  on  the  Subscription  Book  until 
the  paper  is  paid  for,  and  the  paper 
will  be  stopped  as  soon  as  the  time 
paid  for  expires. 

Bill  Arp. — We  are  promised  a  series 
of  communications  from  this  inimitable 
wit  and  satirist.  Probably  we  may 
have  one  article  from  him  next  week. 

Important  Military  Order. — Capt. 
Kyes,  commandant  of  this  post,  re- 
ceived a  telegraphic  dispatch  from 
Gen.  Steedman  on  the  29th  inst.  or- 
dering that  no  cotton  shall  be  shipped 
from  this  place  after  that  date  until 
further  orders.  It  is  supposed  that  this 
order  is  general  throughout  the  cotton 
states,  and  that  all  cotton  will  have  to 
remain  where  it  is  for  the  present — 
one  object  of  this  order  is  to  prevent 
the  stealing  of  cotton  that  is  now  car- 
ried on  to  such  a  shameful  extent  in 
some  sections. 

Taking  the  Ooi/i.— While  Capt. 
Heirs  was  Provost  Marshal,  from  June 
10  to  July  26,  he  administered  the  Oath 
to  342  persons;  since  August  14  Jesse 
Lamberth,  ordinary  of  the  county,  has 
administered  it  to  770,  making  the 
total  number  up  to  noon  yesterday 
1,112,  and  still  they  come. 

Schools  ill  Rome. — Arrangements 
are  made  for  a  good  number  of  ex- 
cellent schools  for  the  children  of 
Rome  and  vicinity.  Mrs.  Dr.  Brown 
still  continues  her  school  at  the  former 
place.  Mrs.  Reeves  has  returned  and 
will  reopen  her  school  on  Monday  next. 
See  Advertisement.  Mrs.  Susan  Smith 
is  also  about  to  commence  another 
school,  and  Misses  Maggie  Riley  and 
Mattie    Sawrie    each   have    prosperous 


schools  now  in  operation.  Mrs.  J.  W. 
M.  Berrien  also  has  a  fine  school,  and 
Mrs.  Jennings,  her  sister,  teaches  mu- 
sic. Mr.  Nevin  has  a  school  for  boys 
that  we  understand  is  well  patronized 
and   doing  well. 

Rolling  Mill  and  Machine  Shop. — We 
are  pleased  to  learn  that  H.  M.  An- 
derson &  Co.  are  preparing  to  rebuild 
their  rolling  mill.  Messrs.  Noble 
Brothers  are  also  arranging  to  rebuild 
their  Machine  Shops  and  Foundry,  and 
we  hope  ere  long  to  hear  the  genial 
hum  of  machinery  all  along  Railroad 
Street  as  in  times  before  the  war. 

Business  of  Rome. — The  business  of 
this  place  has  increased  nearly  100  per 
cent  a  week  for  the  last  three  months. 
We  now  have  twelve  dry  goods  stores, 
nearly  all  keeping  more  or  less  hard- 
wai-e,  crockery  and  groceries;  seven 
family  grocery  stores,  two  wholesale 
and  retail  grocery  stores,  two  hotels, 
three  eating  saloons,  six  bar  rooms, 
two  billiard  rooms,  two  livery  stables, 
etc.,  and  all  doing  a  good  business. 

"Home  Again." — Nearly  all  the  for- 
mer citizens  of  Rome  and  vicinity  have 
returned  and  others  intend  coming 
soon.  Among  those  who  are  still  ab- 
sent are  Dr.  H.  V.  M.  Miller,  who  is 
now  in  Macon  but  still  claims  Rome 
as  his  home  and  will  soon  return;  A. 
M.  Sloan,  now  in  Thomasville,  but  ex- 
pects to  move  back  in  October;  D.  R. 
Mitchell  and  Dr.  Jas.  B.  Underwood, 
now  in  Valdosta,  intend  to  return  this 
fall;  Wade  S.  Cothran,  now  at  Valula, 
is  expected  soon;  Jno.  R.  Freeman,  now 
at  Flat  Shoals,  Meriwether  County,  is 
due  before  Christmas;  Asahel  R.  Smith 
expects  to  move  here  again  in  a  short 
time.  In  fine,  nearly  every  one  of  the 
former  residents  are  certain  to  return, 
and  before  long  Rome  will  be  herself 
again. 

M^ist  Ladies  Take  the  Oath?— "The 
orders  are  very  plain  on  this  subject. 
The  ladies  are  required  to  take  the 
Oath  before  taking  their  letters.  By 
command  of  Maj.  Gen.  Steedman,  S. 
B.  Moe,  Adjutant."  The  above  is  an 
extract  of  an  order  received  by  our 
Postmaster  in  reference  to  ladies  re- 
receiving   letters    by   mail. 

Drouth. — This  section  is  suffering 
from  drouth  to  an  extent  almost  un- 
precedented. Since  July  16  there  has 
been  but  one  little  shower  here,  and 
then  only  one-fourth  of  an  inch  of  wa- 
ter fell.  The  consequence  is  that  all 
corn  is  greatly  injured,  and  the  late 
corn  nearly  ruined.  The  garden  vege- 
tables and  potato  crop  are  nearly  cut 
off. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


283 


Coiinty  Meeting. — A  call  has  been 
published  for  a  meeting  at  the  City 
Hall  in  Rome  on  Saturday,  Sept.  9,  to 
nominate  candidates  for  the  State  Con- 
vention at  Milledgeville.  The  State 
Convention  will  be  entrusted  with  the 
most  important  and  vital  interests  of 
the  people,  and  the  very  truest  and 
best  men  should  be  sent  from  every 
county. 

Neiv  Steamboat. — Our  friends  down 
the  river  and  many  others  elsewhere 
will  be  glad  to  learn  that  fine  progress 
is  being  made  by  H  M.  Anderson  & 
Co.  in  constructing  a  new  boat  for  the 
Coosa  River.  The  boat  is  being  built 
at  McArver's  Ferry,  and  we  under- 
stand that  a  portion  of  the  machinery 
of  the  old   Alfarata  will  be  used. 

Specimen  Copies. — We  send  this 
number  of  The  Courier  to  many  of 
our  old  subscribers,  in  hopes  that  they 
will  subscribe  again.  We  can  not  fur- 
nish the  paper  on   a  credit. 

Garrison. — The  military  force  now 
stationed  here  is  Co.  C,  29th  Indiana 
troops,    Capt.    Kyes    commanding. 

Hymeneal. — Married  on  the  20th 
inst.,  by  Hon.  Augustus  R.  Wright, 
Dr.  Miller  A.  Wright  and  Miss  Sallie 
Park,  formerly  of  Columbia.  On  the 
24th  inst.,  by  the  Rev.  Jesse  Lamberth, 
Mr.  John  Holland  to  Mrs.  S.  A.  Stans- 
bury;  all  of  this  city. 
*     *     * 

A  WAR-TIME  LOTHARIO.— After 
having  attended  the  Confederate  Vet- 
erans' Reunion  at  Chattanooga,  Curtis 
Green,  of  Oglesby,  Tex.,  came  to  Rome 
Saturday,  Oct.  29,  1921,  to  visit  his 
relatives,  Mrs.  M.  B.  Eubanks  and  Ed 
A.  Green;  then  developed  a  story  of 
Civil  War  romance  that  it  is  the  for- 
tune of  few  in  a  lifetime  to  hear  or 
experience.  Miss  Sarah  (Sallie)  Wal- 
lace Howard  appears  as  the  heroine, 
and  the  meeting  between  the  two,  for 
the  first  time  in  57  years,  is  staged 
at  the  home  of  R.  E.  Griffin,  101  West 
Eighth  Avenue,  where  the  circum- 
stances  are  recalled. 

In  May,  1864,  shortly  after  Rome 
was  first  occupied,  Gen.  Wm.  T.  Sher- 
man's headquarters  for  the  Union  Ar- 
my were  at  "Spring  Bank,"  Bartow 
County,  home  of  Capt.  (Rev.)  Chas. 
Wallace  Howard,  father  of  Miss  Sallie 
Howard  and  of  Miss  Frances  Thomas 
Howard,  who  in  1905  vividly  recount- 
ed the  family's  war  experience  in  a 
book  entitled  "In  and  Out  of  the 
Lines."  "Spring  Bank"  was  about 
midway  between  Kingston  and  "Barns- 
ley  Gardens,"  the  palatial  estate  of 
the     Englishman,     Godfrey     Barnsley. 


The  neighborhood  was  alive  with 
"Yankees,"  but  the  confusion  incident 
to  the  chase  after  Gen.  Jos.  E.  John- 
ston's stubbornly  retreating  columns 
gave  Curtis  Gi*een  an  opportunity  to 
come  within  100  yards  of  Gen.  Sher- 
man's headquarters  and  to  speak  with 
Miss  Sallie,  then  a  slip  of  a  girl  at 
18.  Mr.  Green  had  been  detailed  as  a 
spy  to  obtain  information  of  Gen.  Sher- 
man's movements,  and  he  had  boldly 
walked  through  the  lines  in  a  Union 
uniform,  using  a  stretch  of  woodland 
to  cover  the  dangerous  distance  be- 
tween his  own  men  and  the  enemy. 

Miss  Sallie  was  incredulous  at  first, 
but  when  he  told  her  in  a  decided 
Southern  accent  that  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Sixth  Georgia  Cavalry  un- 
der command  of  Gen.  Jos.  Wheeler, 
she  believed  his  story,  and  admiringly 
declared  she  was  so  glad  to  see  a  Con- 
federate soldier  that  she  desired  to 
make  him  a  nice  present.  It  was  his 
privilege  to  choose  what  the  gift  should 
be.  Quite  possibly  he  exacted  a  for- 
feit expressive  of  the  happiness  they 
felt  at  meeting,  but  history  must  record 
simply  the  fact  that  he  asked  her  to 
make  him  a  suit  of  home-spun  clothes 
— not  a  military  uniform,  but  a  habit 
that  might  serve  him  better  in  gath- 
ering information  for  his  chief. 

"But,  little  lady,  we  have  only  a 
minute  more  to  talk,"  he  warned  her. 
"I  must  hurry  back.  If  you  would  do 
your  honored  father  and  the  Confed- 
eracy a  service,  you  will  meet  me  at 
1  o'clock  after  midnight  tonight  in  the 
clump  of  pines  at  the  top  of  yonder 
hill.  Lucky  for  our  cause  if  the  clouds 
obscure  the  moon!" 

Miss  Sallie's  heart  beat  warm  for 
the  boys  in  gray.  Her  father  was  bat- 
tling to  save  the  home  fron^  the  in- 
vader. Her  sisters  and  her  mother 
were  dyed-in-the-wool  Rebels,  and  with 
all  the  strength  at  their  command  they 
had  resisted  the  efforts  of  the  foe.  It 
was  a  perilous  task  but  she  could  not 
be  less  brave  than  Curtis  Green,  for 
what  is  life  without  liberty  and  hon- 
or? Her  smile  told  him  she  would  be 
there,  and  he  rushed  away,  as  if  to 
transact  some  important  business  at 
the  front  of   the    Union   line. 

Miss  Sallie  took  into  her  confidence 
Miss  Fannie,  who  was  19,  and  undoubt- 
edly "Mother"  Howard  knew,  for  they 
never  kept  anything  from  her.  At 
any  rate,  the  young  ladies  dressed 
themselves  in  dark  waists  and  dark 
skirts.  If  they  were  caught  they  would 
probably  be  "shot,  but  they  might  es- 
cape by   pleading   that    they   had   ven- 


284 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ROMANS   AND   "NEAR  ROMANS"    HERE   AND   THERE. 

Wm.  M.  Hardin,  Judge  Harry  Johnson,  Chas.  W.  Morris,  Richard  Venable  Mitchell  and  James 
D'Arcy;  Miss  Elizabeth  Lanier  and  a  group  of  Romans  at  "Oak  Hill",  home  of  Mrs.  Thos.  Berry; 
Col.  Hamilton  Yancey;  George  Rounsavillc  on  parade;  Little  Miss  Jean  Landrum;  Ernest  E. 
Lindsey;  Hughes  Reynolds  and  W.  S.  Rowell  in  a  playful  argument;  Wm.  J.  Vincent;  Little  Miss 
Patti  O'Neill;  a  Kiwanis  Club    group   helping   to   dedicate   the   Municipal   bandstand. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


285 


tured  forth  with  heavy  hearts,  unable 
to  sleep,  to  search  for  the  body  of 
kinsman  or  friend.  These  heavy  hearts 
were  in  their  slender,  white  throats  as 
they  approached  the  most  advantage- 
ous point  in  the  line.  Sentries  stalked 
heavily  to  and  fro  at  intervals  while 
the  snores  of  the  rank  and  file  told 
that  they  were  at  peace  with  the  world 
for  the  nonce. 

By  dodging  behind  an  ammunition 
wagon  here  and  a  friendly  tree  there 
the  girls  managed  to  get  through,  and 
how  they  did  fly  up  the  hill!  They  had 
reached  the  clump  of  pines  before  Cur- 
tis Green,  and  they  crouched  low,  and 
held  their  breaths;  the  pine  needles 
seemed  to  spring  up  around  and  half 
to  envelop  them.  Presently  the  young 
Confederate  appeared.  He  was  24  and 
handsome.  He  greeted  them  with  a 
warmth  that  reflected  his  admiration  of 
their  courage;  pressed  them  to  make 
haste;  received  valuable  pointers  on 
the  number  of  Sherman's  men  and 
their  disposition;  bade  them  foi'ewell 
with  a  promise  to  call  presently  for 
the  suit  of  clothes,  and  bespoke  the 
tender  care  of  the  Almighty  in  their 
return  to  the  Howard  home.  The  girls, 
having  found  the  path  one  way,  trod 
it  safely  again,  and  spelt  soundly  until 
morning. 

In  two  days  the  wool  for  Curtis 
Green's  suit  had  been  carded  and  spun. 
The  outfit  was  ready,  but  lo!  the  hero 
v/as  gone.  Private  arrangements  with 
fair  damsels  in  war  are  one  thing,  and 
stern  army  commands  are  quite  an- 
other. Curtis  Green's  unit  had  been 
ordered  on  a  scouting  expedition  near 
State  Line,  between  Floyd  County,  Ga., 
and  Cherokee  County.  Ala.,  and  here 
he  had  been  cut  off  and  captured.  After 
a  considerable  stay  elsewhere,  he  was 
removed  Sept.  23,  1864,  to  a  rough 
wooden  shack  in  Rome  which  stood  at 
the  southwest  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue 
and  West  Second  Street,  about  150 
feet  north  of  the  Floyd  County  jail  and 
200  feet  east  of  the  Oostanaula  River. 
A  drum-head  courtmartial  had  found 
him  guilty  of  espionage  and  he  had  been 
sentenced  to  be  shot  Oct.  4  at  sunrise. 

The  prison  was  a  rudely-improvised 
affair,  either  with  a  loose-plank  floor- 
ing or  a  flooring  of  native  earth.  It 
contained  a  number  of  other  prisoners 
whose  capture  had  greatly  increased 
their  docility,  and  who  did  not  become 
actively  interested — at  least  not  for 
themselves- — in  Green's  plan  to  escape. 
The  prisoners  were  mustered  and 
counted  every  hour  during  daylight, 
so  Green  was  forced  to  do  his  digging 
quickly. 


On  the  night  before  his  execution 
''"'iT^  -v  ^  l^^^^*^'  ^^  ^^'is  singing  that 
old  familiar  Confederate  air,  "The  Bon- 
nie  Blue  Flag:" 

"We  are  a  band  of  brothers, 

And  native  to  the  soil 
Fighting   for   our   liberty 

With    treasure,    blood    and    toil 
And  when  our  rights  were  threatened 

Ihe  cry  rose  near  and  far: 
Hurrah   for  the  Bonnie   Blue   Flag 

That   bears   a   single   star!' 
Chorus : 
"Hurrah,  hurrah,  for   Southern   rights 

— hurrah ! 
Hurrah  for  the  Bonnie  Blue  Flag 
That  bears   a   single  star!" 

^u'^.^l'^^^'P^^'^^  °^  *h^  ^ai'd  remarked 
that  he  would  be  singing  a  different 
tune  at  daybreak  and  asked  if  he  had 
any  request  or  statement  to  make  The 
fiery  "Rebel"  lit  into  the  petty  officer 
with  a  volley  of  vituperative  abuse  of 
the  Union  army  and  cause.  Then  he 
went  about  his  digging,  and  by  mid- 
night or  shortly  after  had  scooped  out 
with  hands  and  an  old  soup  spoon 
enough  earth  to  permit  of  his  crawling 
to  freedom.  It  is  only  fair  to  his  com- 
P^f'ons  to  say  that  they  assisted  him 
with  the  excavation,  and  as  he  was 
about  to  make  his  getaway,  snored 
loud  enough  to  prevent  the'  scraping 
of  his  brass  buttons  against  the  silh 
of  the  jail  from  being  heard  outside./ 
A  miserable  gas  lamp  at  the  corner 
flickered  and  sputtered;  it  shed  a  dim 
glow  about  the  front  of  the  prison  and 
the  sentry  box,  and  cast  a  comforting 
shadow  down  a  gulch  that  led  to  the 
Oostanaula  River.  Through  this  de- 
pression the  escaped  spy  ran,  tripped 
and  rolled.  He  was  greatlv  handi- 
capped because  they  had  handcuffed 
him  in  front,  but  liberty  was  sweet, 
and  when  he  reached  the  river  he  slid 
into  it  and  began  to  swim  as  best  he 
could,  kicking  hard  with  his  feet, 
working  his  hands  together  in  a  side- 
wise  position,  and  occasionally  turning 
over  on  his  back  and  churning  the  wa- 
ter with  his  feet  like  the  paddle  wheel 
of  a  steamboat.  His  escape  was  soon 
detected,  and  the  firing  of  muskets  let 
Gen.  Jefferson  C.  Davis'  garri.son  know 
something  unusual  had  happened. 

When  Mr.  Green  came  to  Cave 
Spring  at  17  years  of  age  he  began 
swimming  regularly  in  Big  and  Little 
Cedar  Creeks;  he  possessed  a  strong 
and  clever  stroke;  and  he  was  so  fa- 
miliar with  Rome  that  instead  of 
merely  crossing  the  river  and  landing 
at   the   other   side,    as    his    guards    be- 


286 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


lieved  he  would  do,  he  set  out  for 
Black's  Bluff,  three  miles  down  the 
Coosa,  which  in  this  day  and  time  is 
considered  a  fair  distance  for  a  swim- 
mer to  make  with  hands  free.  Here  and 
there  he  could  touch  bottom,  or  he 
would  snake  himself  on  a  half  sub- 
merged log  and  admire  the  stars.  Fi- 
nally, after  several  tedious  hours,  he 
reached  the  bluff,  where  he  knew  there 
were  Confederate  scouts  or  natives, 
and  with  the  aid  of  a  bit  of  soap  sup- 
plied by  a  farmwife,  slipped  off  the 
manacles  from  his  wrists. 

In  the  meantime.  Miss  Sallie  How- 
ard had  been  wonderng  what  could 
have  happened  to  Curtis  Green,  and 
had  been  keeping  the  home-spun  suit 
beyond  any  "Yankee"  reach.  Eventu- 
ally her  father  received  a  serious 
wound  and  was  paroled  to  Athens,  and 
Miss  Sallie  went  there  to  attend  him, 
charging  her  good  mother  that  if  the 
Confederate  trooper  returned,  the  suit 
should  be  delivered  to  him.  One  day 
a  dust-covered  traveler  in  a  tattered 
gray  uniform  rode  up  on  a  limping 
horse.  He  had  surrendered  with  the 
Sixth  Ga.  Inf.  in  North  Carolina  and 
was  on  his  way  to  Texas,  to  grow  up 
with  the  "new  country."  He  was  very 
sorry  indeed  that  pretty  Miss  Sallie 
was  absent,  but  said  he  with  a  note 
of  hope  in  his  voice,  it  would  be  some 
consolation  in  view  of  the  eventuali- 
ties of  1865  if  he  could  take  with  him 
the  substantial  garments  she  had 
made  with  her  own  hands  the  year 
before.     It  was   Curtis   Green. 

"God  bless  you,  Mrs.  Howard!"  he 
cried  as  he  mounted  his  steed  and 
started  for  the  Etowah  ford;  "and 
may  your  halls  and  lawn  never  again 
be  defiled  Vvith  such  a  motley  throng! 
I'll  keep  this  suit  as  long  as  nature 
will  spare  it;  and  I'll  save  these  hand- 
cuffs to  remind  me  of  a  pleasant  voy- 
age   around    Rome!" 

*         :>=        * 

SAM  P.  JONES  AT  ROME.— When 
Sam  Jones  was  9  his  mother  died  and 
his  father  married  Jessie  Skinner;  and 
in  1859  they  went  to  live  at  Carters- 
ville.  The  young  man  was  being  pre- 
pared for  college,  but  he  developed  a 
wild  streak,  started  drinking  heavily 
and  by  21  had  practically  wrecked  his 
health.  Straightening  up  for  a  time, 
he  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  but  never  carried  his  practice 
far.  His  devoted  father  died  in  1878 
and  San'  promised  him  on  his  death- 
bed to  reform.  His  experiences  had 
not  broken  his  spirit  and  he  saw  in 
them  an  opportunity  to  benefit  his  fel- 
low men.     A   week   after   his   father's 


death  he  preached  his  first  sermon  at 
New  Hope  church,  two  miles  from  Car- 
tersville.  His  first  appointment  was 
to  Van  Wert  circuit,  where  he  served 
three  years  until  1875,  when  he  was 
assigned  to  the  DeSoto  (Rome)  Cir- 
cuit as  pastor  of  the  Second  Methodist 
(now  Trinity)  church  and  six  small 
churches  through  the  county,  includ- 
ing Prospect  Methodist  at  Coosa.  He 
built  his  church  in  the  Fourth  Ward; 
when  Trinity  Methodist  was  erected, 
the  old  structure  was  moved  to  402 
W.  Fifth  Avenue,  next  door  to  the 
Second  Christian  church,  and  was  con- 
verted into  a  dwelling.  It  is  standing 
today.  He  and  his  wife  occupied  the 
lower  story  of  733  Avenue  A,  south- 
west corner  of  W.  Tenth  Street,  now 
the  home  of  Varnell  Chambers. 

Mr.  Jones  continued  to  fight  the  devil 
and  also  to  tamper  with  the  devil's 
firewater.  He  was  not  sensitive  to  the 
extent  of  excluding  his  own  shortcom- 
ings fror:  his  pulpit  discourses,  and 
ofteJi  told  of  this  harrowing  experience 
and  that,  and  warned  young  men  to 
go  the  other  way.  Rome  was  a  wide- 
open  barroom  town,  so  Mr.  Jones  found 
many  human  wrecks  to  shoot  at,  and 
an  occasional  door  that  swung  open 
for  himself.  On  one  occasion  the 
Fourth  Ward  brethren  discovered  Mr. 
Jones  unable  to  proceed  with  his  du- 
ties and  they  wired  Rev.  Thos.  F. 
Pierce,  presiding  elder  of  the  district, 
asking  what  to  do.  Dr.  Pierce  wired, 
"Tell  him  to  go  to  preaching."  He 
went  to  preaching  and  recovered  his 
mental  and  physical  equilibrium.  His 
lodge  brethren  expelled  him  from 
membership,  but  years  later  when  his 
reformation  was  complete  and  fame 
crowned  his  brow  like  a  benediction  he 
accepted  reinstatement  with  the  grace 
of  a  prince. 

His  first  revival  work  was  done  at 
the  First  Methodist  church  (where  the 
Candler  Duilding  now  stands)  in  At- 
lanta, with  Rev.  Clement  A.  Evans, 
who  had  previously,  in  1879,  filled  the 
pulpit  of  the  First  Methodist  at  Rome, 
but  it  was  not  until  January,  1883,  at 
Memphis,  +,hat  his  fame  began  to  grow, 
as  thousands  hit  the  "sawdust  trail." 
Thereafter  he  preached  all  over  the 
United  States  and  converted  countless 
sinners.  It  is  estimated  that  he  ad- 
dressed 1,000,000  people  a  year.  Every 
now  and  then  he  would  come  back  to 
Rome.  The  South  Broad  Methodist 
church  sponsored  his  visit  in  1897  and 
received  its  share  of  the  proceeds  of 
the  collection.  No  church  in  Rome  was 
large  enough  to  hold  the  crowd,  so  the 
Howel  cotton  warehouse  was   selected. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


287 


Romans  will  not  soon  forget  his  pow- 
erful arraignment  of  Satan  and  his 
works. 

"Shams  and  the  Genuine"  was  his 
subject   on   this   occasion. 

Several  years  before  this  Mr.  Jones 
had  come  to  Rome  to  conduct  a  two 
weeks'  revival.  On  the  very  first  night 
he  painted  a  glowing  picture  of  the 
sins  of  the  community.  Judge  Jno. 
W.  Maddox  happened  to  be  presiding 
officer  of  the  Superior  Court  at  the 
time,  and  when  he  read  of  Sam  Jones' 
castigations  on  Rome  and  Floyd  Coun- 
ty he  laid  the  matter  before  the  grand 
jury,  with  the  demand  that  Mr.  Jones 
be  made  to  appeal''  and  prove  his 
charges.  The  evangelist  cut  his  Rome 
engagement  short.  He  explained  later 
that  he  was  dealing  in  generalities 
which  he  knew  to  be  true,  whether  he 
could  prove  them  or  not. 

The  story  is  told  that  one  Saturday 
Mr.  Jones  left  Rome  to  fill  the  pulpit 
at  Prospect  church,  Coosa.  There  was 
a  narrow  gauge  railroad  known  as 
the  Rome  &  Jacksonville,  which  was 
"limited"  to  the  Rome-Coosa  reglion 
and  at  the  latter  point  "quit."  Mr. 
Jones  drove  horse  and  buggy  along 
the  railroad  for  several  miles,  mutter- 
ing that  if  a  train  could  run  on  such 
a  track,  with  the  help  of  the  Almighty 
HE  certainly  could,  and  his  mare  could 
hit  the  crossties  like  the  devil  in  the 
ten-pin  alley  of  irresolute  souls. 

Mr.  Jones  was  fond  of  telling  stories 
incident  to  his  travels.  His  favorite 
was  the  following  from  an  old-time 
darkey,  a  compliment  he  always  said 
was  the  highest  he  had  ever  received: 

"Well,  Brudder  Jones,  you  sholy  does 
preach  like  a  nigger!  You  may  have 
a  white  skin,  but  I  tell  you,  sir,  you 
has  a  big  black  heart!" 

Mr.  Jones'  churchmen  and  neigh- 
bors at  Cartersville  were  accustomed 
to  gather  yearly  to  celebrate  his  birth- 
day. They  had  made  elaborate  prepa- 
rations in  1906  to  welcome  him  home 
from  a  swing  through  the  west.  He 
died  Oct.  15,  of  that  year  while  his 
train  sped  homeward,  a  day  before 
the  event,  and  the  rejoicing  was  turned 
into  a  funeral  dirge.  The  brave  heart, 
the  massive  brain  had  worn  themselves 
out  in  the  strenuous  effort  to  pilot  sin- 
ful   humanity    through    the    heavenly 

gates. 

*     *     * 

RAZZING  MR.  GRADY.— Captain 
Dwinell  reproduced  the  following  squib 
in  The  Courier  of  Nov.  2G,  18(i9,  and 
added  a  touch  of  his  own: 

"  'Gloria  MnncU — which,  being  inter- 


preted, might  mean  that  Rome  is  to 
have  glory  on  Monday,  the  22d  inst., 
from  "G.  G.  Grady's  old-fashioned  cir- 
cus." As  there  seems  to  be  a  consid- 
erable number  of  the  Grady  family 
connected  with  this  saw-dust  enter- 
tainment, we  beg  leave  to  inquire  if 
the  immortal  "six"  or  the  prolific 
"King  Hans,"  concerning  which  a  vast 
amount  of  inky  tears  have  been  shed, 
have  been  retained.  If  not,  the  pro- 
prietor has  lost  a  trump  card. — Au- 
gusta Constitutionalist.' 

"Our  junior  is  attending  the  fair  at 
Macon,  and  since  he  is  well  known  as 
a  Hans-ome  man,  is  doubtless  think- 
ing more  of  diamond  than  of  sawdust 
rings.  As  to  the  'immortal  six,'  they 
may  be  tumbling  around  somewhere 
but  whether  it  is  'ground'  or  'lofty' 
tumbling  we  are  not  advised." 

*  *  :|: 

ONE  WAY  TO  MAKE  MONEY.— 
"Skinning  a  flea  for  his  hide  and  tal- 
low" was  a  popular  occupation 
throughout  the  South  after  the  Civil 
War.  There  was  little  to  eat  and  lit- 
tle money.  Along  came  Zachariah  B. 
Hargrove,  Jr.,  in  1869  as  mayor,  and 
decided  on  an  easy  way  to  relieve  the 
local    money    shortage. 

"Hell,"  exclaimed  'Little  Zach"  with 


SAM  V.  JONKS.  f\aiiv,'i'list.  who  built  a  Meth- 
odist Church  in  Home  and  became  its  pastor, 
later  removing  to  Cartersville. 


288 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


characteristic    directness,    "I'll    PRINT 
some  money!" 

And  he  did.  An  expert  engraver 
was  hired,  and  before  he  had  ceased 
his  operations  he  had  gi'ound  out  $50,- 
000,  which  was  considered  sufficient. 
About  the  time  the  last  $1,000  was 
being  spent  to  "ease  things,"  word 
came  from  the  Treasury  Department 
informing  the  Rome  mayor  that  the 
money  printing  monopoly  was  located 
in  Washington.  After  cussing  out  the 
"ti'oublesome  Yankees,"  "Little  Zach" 
reluctantly  called  the  money  in.  Now 
and  then  a  bill  that  didn't  get  caught 
in  the  call  bobs  up  and  is  stuck  in  a 
scrap  book  as  a  precious  relic  of  those 
palmy  printing  press  days. 
*     *     * 

A  PLEASANT  HOUSE  PARTY.— 
All  kinds  of  entertainments  were  en- 
joyed by  the  guests  of  a  house  party 
at  the  F.  M.  Freeman  home  at  Free- 
man's Ferry  in  1898.  A  lawn  party 
there,  a  band-wagon  ride  to  Mobley 
Park  for  an  evening  theatrical  per- 
formance and  dance  following,  a  swell 
supper  at  the  Armstrong,  then  the 
ride  by  moonlight  back  to  the  banks 
of  the  gurgling  Etowah,  formed  part 
of   the    entertainment 

Among  the  guests  were  Mrs.  J.  G. 
Blount,  chaperon;  Misses  Lou  Flem- 
ing, Eldith  Carver,  Julia  and  Edith 
Smith,  Mary  Berry,  Hazel  Adkins,  Ce- 
leste Ayer,  Clara  and  Ella  Johnson, 
Laura  Jones,  Orie  Best,  Mayme  Hud- 
gins,  Lillian  Hurt,  Susie  Freeman,  Lil- 
lian Lochi'ane  and  "Merrimac"  Arnold, 
and  Messrs  Harry  Patton,  W.  Addi- 
son Knowles,  Bernard  Hale,  Walter 
Ross,  Sproull  Fouche,  Waring  Best, 
Oscar  H.  McWilliams,  Langdon  Gam- 
mon, Dr.  Wm.  J.  Shaw,  Griff  Sproull, 
Sam  Hardin,  J.  A.  Blount,  John  M. 
and  Tom  Berry,  Nick  Ayer,  Paul 
Jones,  Horace  Johnson,  Julian  Hurt, 
R.  S.  Best,  Wm.  McWilliams  and  Hor- 
ace  King. 

WROTE  WHAT  HE  THOUGHT.— 
"Nathan  Yarbrough,  former  mayor, 
was  sheriff  in  186(5-7,"  says  Judge 
Joel  Branham's  booklet,  "The  Old 
Court  House  in  Rome,"  (p.  65).  "He 
was  a  stout,  broad-shouldered,  red- 
headed man,  abrupt  in  manner,  firin 
and  fearless  in  conduct  and  opinion. 
He  moved  to  Texas  many  years  ago, 
and  died  there.  His  docket  shows 
these  characteristic  entries: 

J.    J.    Cohen    Admr. 

Vs. 

J.  L.  Ellis 

Judgt.   1866,  $22.50. 


"Cost  paid  to  J.  M.  Langston,  clerk. 
Principal  and  interest  of  this  fi.  fa. 
paid  by  me  at  the  request  of  the  de- 
fendant. He  has  kept  me  out  of  this 
money  two  years  by  lying,  and  then 
swindled  me  out  of  $10"  by  lying.  Fi. 
fa.  given  to  him  satisfied." — Docket, 
p.  4. 

Robt.   T.   McCay 

Vs. 

A.   M.  Kerr 

$93.87  and  cost.  Nov.  13,  1859.  Nulla 
bona. 

"Bad  eggs.  Both  gone  up  the  spout. 
Kerr  has  since  come  to  life,  and  like 
a  good  many  of  us,  is  kicking  to  make 
a  living,  but  can't  pay  old  debts.  Let 
them  go  with  the  past.  Feb.  3,  1860." 
—Docket,  p.   40. 

Magnus  &  Wise 

Vs. 

J.  J.  Skinner 

$178  and  cost. 

"Joe  may  come  to  it  after  a  while, 

but    the    Radicals    have    released    him. 

April  13,  1867."— Docket,  p.  45. 


JUDGE  BRANHAM  ON  OLD 
TIMES.— The  Rome  News  of  Oct.  3, 
1921,  carried  the  following  reminis- 
cences from  the  late  Judge  Joel  Bran- 
ham  : 

"The  first  time  I  ever  saw  the  city 
of  Rome  was  in  April,  1861,  and  again 
on  the  20th  day  of  that  month.  The 
population  then,  I  suppose,  was  about 
3,500.  Sam  Stewart  was  the  marshal 
and  had  been  for  several  years,  and 
he  ruled  the  discordant  elements  of  the 
city  successfully.  He  had  no  pistol. 
He  carried  a  gold  headed  cane.  When 
he  said  stop,  they  stopped.  I  wish  we 
had  his  like  again. 

"I  came  from  Kingston  to  Rome  on 
the  Rome  railroad,  then  the  only  rail- 
road to  this  city.  The  track  was  laid 
on  stringers  with  bar  iron  a  little 
thicker  than  the  iron  tire  that  goes 
around  a  wagon  wheel.  Holes  were 
punched  in  the  iron  and  it  was  spiked 
down  on  the  stringers.  Such  a  thing 
as  a  "T"  rail  was  unknown.  The  depot 
stood  where  the  Stamps  wholesale 
fruit  house  now  stands  on  the  north 
side  of  Broad  Street.  The  cars  con- 
sisted of  a  little  engine  which  burned 
wood,  a  baggage  car.  a  passenger  car 
with  side  seats  such  as  is  used  on 
street  railroads.  The  passengers  faced 
one  another  in  this  little  car.  The 
depot  building  was  as  long  as  the  train 
and  no  cars  stood  across  Bi-oad  Street. 
Wade  S.  Cothran  was  the  president. 
He   was    a    man    of    magnificent   mind, 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


289 


the  most  progressive  citizen  of  the  city 
of  Rome,  and  a  man  of  strict  hon- 
esty. C.  M.  Pennington,  whose  house 
stood  where  the  Country  Club  now 
stands,   was   the  superintendent. 

"The  Shorter  block  between  Broad, 
Second  Avenue  and  the  river  was  all 
vacant  property  except  the  depot 
building  referred  to.  It  was  seven  feet 
below  the   present   grade. 

"The  Etowah  Hotel  stood  on  that 
parcel  of  ground  now  embraced  by 
the  Norton  Drug  Store  and  all  the 
buildings  down  to  and  including  the 
Rome  Hardware  Store  and  extended 
back  from  Broad  Street  of  the  same 
width  to  East  First  Street.  The  hotel 
was  a  wooden  building,  three  stories, 
with  a  veranda  around  it  and  stood 
back  from  Broad  Street.  I  stopped 
there  when  I  came  to  Rome  to  be 
married  on  the  20th  of  April,  1861.  It 
was    kept   by    Geo.    S.    Black. 

"The  block  between  First  and  Sec- 
ond Avenue,  East  First  and  East  Sec- 
ond Streets  was  vacant,  and  it  was 
also  vacant  when  I  moved  to  Rome  in 
January,  1867.  I  had  a  barley  patch 
where  the  Cooper  warehouse  now 
stands  and  my  cow  grazed  in  that  bar- 
ley   patch. 

"The  block  on  which  I  now  live,  264x 
400,  was  vacant  except  for  my  resi- 
dence, then  a  six-room  house,  four 
rooms  on  the  first  floor  and  two 
above,  and  a  little  old  dwelling  on  the 
extreme  corner  opposite  the  Methodist 
church.  In  the  middle  of  this  block 
v/here  the  Rounsaville  warehouse  now 
stands  there  was  a  pond  of  stagnant 
and  green  water.  In  the  summer  time 
the  frogs  croaked  their  'jug-o'-rum,' 
'jug-o'-rum,  'jug-o'-rum,'  an  article 
which  we  do  not  now  have  in  that 
neighborhood. 

"Asahel  R.  Smith,  father  of  Bill 
Arp,  my  partner,  resided  on  the  lot 
where  the  Methodist  church  now 
stands. 

"The  town  was  originally  built  on 
245,  23rd  and  3rd;  276  belonged  to 
Alfred  Shorter.  It  contained  the  old 
farm  house,  a  log  building  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  north  half  of  the  block 
lying  between  Third  and  Fourth  Ave- 
nues and  East  Second  and  East  Third 
Streets.  Only  the  farm  house  and  the 
residence  of  P.  M.  Sheibley  was  on 
that  block.  There  were  no  other 
houses  on  it. 

"Maj.  Chas.  H.  Smith's  home  em- 
braced all  the  territory  lying  between 
Fourth  Avenue,  Shorter  College  alley 
and  East  Third  and  East  Fourth 
Streets.      Mrs.    Charlie     Hight's     resi- 


dence and  a  number  of  other  residences 
are   now   on   this    property. 

"I  came  through  the  country  from 
Milner,  Ga.,  with  a  friend  of  mine  in 
a  buggy  in  February,  1865.  He 
brought  $10,000  buckled  around  his 
waist;  I  had  $12,000.  We  came  here 
to  buy  land;  we  didn't  buy  it;  we 
still  have  our  money.  We  crossed  on 
a  ferry  boat.  There  was  not  a  man 
to  be  seen  on  Broad  Street.  The  town 
was   desolate. 

"I  came  to  Cartersville  just  after  the 
surrender  of  Lee  in  a  wagon  driven 
by  Harrison  Watters  and  owned  by 
Z.  B.  Hargrove.  They  were  running 
a  passenger  line  between  Atlanta  and 
Cartersville.  At  Cartersville  we  took 
the  railroad  to  Rome.  It  was  then  op- 
erated by  Federal  troops,  and  they 
were  cursing  and  swearing  and  drink- 
ing on  the  train  in  the  presence  of 
my  wife.  Just  before  I  left  Macon  on 
this  occasion  a  company  of  lawyers 
were  gathered  at  the  corner  of  Zeiland 
&  Hunt's  drug  store.  There  was  but 
one  dollar  of  green  back  in  the  crowd. 
Not  a  single  one  of  us  had  a  cent  of 
money.  I  said,  'I  am  going  to  leave 
this  country  and  go  to  a  country  where 
there  are  no  negroes.'  At  this  Clif- 
ford Anderson,  who  was  afterwards 
attorney  general,  laughed  heartily.  He 
said  it  reminded  him  of  a  man  who 
was  sitting  on  a  cart  tongue  and  the 
steers  were  running  away  with  him. 
Some  man  cried  out,  'Why  don't  you 
jump  off?'  'Hell,'  he  says,  'it's  all  I 
can  do  to  hold  on.'  " 
*      *     * 

PAYING  THE  FIDDLER  HIS 
MITE.— The  following  letter  to  E.  F. 
Shropshire,  clerk  of  the  City  Council, 
from  Cave  Spring,  dated  Feb.  24,  1871, 
will  illustrate  the  penchant  many  peo- 
ple have  of  piping  "economy  notes" 
unto   worthy    "scops    and    gleemen:" 

"Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  19h  inst.,  en- 
closing check  for  $4,  balance  due  Cave 
Spring  Band  for  services  rendered  the 
citizens  of  Rome  at  the  Waterworks 
Celebration,  has  been  received.  As 
that  amount  does  not  pay  our  leader 
(outside  of  the  other  performers),  we 
very  respectfully  return  it. 

"The  hotel  charges  are  wrong.  Only 
six  members  of  the  band  stopped  at 
Mr.  Graves',  which  number  had  two 
meals  each  with  the  exception  of  my- 
self, who  had  three  meals.  He  also 
makes  a  bar  bill  which  I  am  author- 
ized by  each  and  every  member  of 
the    band   to    say   is    false. 

"Hoping  that  when  the  city  of  Rome 
again  needs  the  services  of  a  band  that 


290 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


it  will  procure  those  of  one  that  will 
give  it  better  satisfaction,   I  am,  dear 
sir,    as    representative    of   the   band, 
"Very  respectfully  yours, 
"P.    E.    ALEXANDER, 
"Secretary    Star    Cornet   Band." 
"P.  S. — Our  understanding  was  that 
we    were    to    receive    $25    and    all    ex- 
penses. P.   E.   A." 

Mr.  Shropshire  eased  the  municipal 
conscience  by  appending  on  the  outside 
of  the  sheet  the  trite  notation,  "Cave 
Spring  Band  Busted." 

:J;  :t:  =!: 

A  RELATIONSHIP  EXPLAINED. 
— Since  many  people  are  confused  as 
to  the  relationship  between  Woodrow 
Wilson  and  the  Bones  family,  once 
residents  of  Rome,  a  lady  close  to  them 
offers    the    following    explanation: 

"The  Bones  family  are  related  to 
the  Wilson  family  through  Mrs.  Bones, 
who  before  her  marriage  to  Mr.  James 
W.  Bones  was  Miss  Marion  Woodrow, 
the  sister  of  Miss  Jennie  Woodrow,  who 
married  Mr.  Joseph  Wilson,  the  father 
of  President  Woodrow  Wilson.  Hence 
Mrs.  Bones  Vas  Woodrow  Wilson's 
aunt,  whom  his  mother,  he  and  his 
brother  Joseph  used  to  visit  when  Mrs. 
Bones    lived    on    upper    Broad    Street, 


ELLEN  LOU  AXSON.  as  she  looked  in  1882 
during  the  courtship  of  Woodrow  Wilson  at 
Rome,  which   included  a   Silver   Creek   picnic. 


in  the  house  at  709  known  as 
the  Featherston  place.  When  Wood- 
row  Wilson  later  became  a  young  man 
he  visited  Mrs.  Bones,  then  living  in 
East  Rome,  and  his  cousin,  Mrs.  A. 
Thew  H.  (Jessie  Bones)  Brower.  It 
was  at  Mrs.  Brower's  home  that  he 
met  Miss  Ellen  Louise  Axson,  who 
later  became  his  wife  in  Savannah.  At 
this  time  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brower  was  on  the  hill  just  west  of 
the  Southern  depot,  and  then  was  the 
only  house  on  the  hill,  and  the  grounds 
extended  down  to  the  Terhune  place 
(and  may  have  included  it)  and  em- 
braced the  ground  on  which  the  Ted- 
castle  home  was  built,  now  known  as 
'Hillcrest,'  the  residence  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  M.  Graham.  Mr.  Brower 
was  interested  in  the  East  Rome  Land 
Co.,  which  owned  most  of  East  Rome. 
"The  Brower  house  was  afterwards 
bought  by  Judge  John  W.  Maddox,  and 
when  the  Ragan  home  was  erected  next 
to  it.  Judge  Maddox  moved  it  some 
distance  to  the  site  it  now  occupies. 
The  present  occupants  are  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Arthur  D.  Hull,  and  the  location 
is  6  Coral  Avenue.  The  Browers  re- 
moved to  Chicago  in  April,  1884." 

WOODROW  WILSON'S  COURT- 
SHIP.— The  chance  circumstance  of  a 
slack  legal  practice  for  a  young  law- 
yer quite  possibly  explains  how  Rome 
was  put  more  prominently  in  the  pub- 
lic eye  than  in  any  other  chain  of 
circumstances  since  the  city's  estab- 
lishment. Woodrow  Wilson  was  born 
Dec.  28,  1856,  at  Staunton,  Va.,  hence 
was  26  years  old  in  1882,  when  Judge 
George  Hillyer,  of  Atlanta,  and  others 
signed  his  license  to  practise  his  pro- 
fession in  that  city,  shortly  before  he 
paid  a  visit  to  Rome.  Judge  Hillyer 
is  authority  for  the  statement  that 
Mr.  Wilson  first  practised  a  short  time 
in  the  Central  building,  southwest  cor- 
ner of  E.  Alabama  and  S.  Pryor 
Streets,  and  then  on  Marietta  Street 
near  the  southeast  corner  of  N.  For- 
syth, where  the  Ivan  Allen-Marshall 
Co.  office  supply  store  is  now  located, 
and  in  the  second  story.  At  this  lat- 
ter place  he  was  in  partnership  with 
Edward  J.  Renick,  later  assistant  sec- 
retary of  state  in  President  Cleve- 
land's second  administration,  and  still 
later  special  legal  representative  of 
th(-  banking  concern  of  Coudert  Broth- 
ers. He  had  graduated  at  Princeton 
University  in  1879  and  in  law  at  the 
University  of  Virginia  in  1880,  and 
after  the  usual  preliminaries  of  pri- 
vate study  a  committee  examined  him 
two   hours    in   the    Fulton    County    Su- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


291 


perior  Court  and  decided  he  was  well 
qualified.  Attorney  Gadsden,  of  South 
Carolina,  was  chairman  of  the  bar 
committee,  and  Judge  Hillyer  was  a 
member  of  it. 

The  shingle  of  Wilson  &  Renick 
failed  to  produce  business  in  spite  of 
their  earnest  application,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1882  Mr.  Wilson  found  it 
convenient  to  take  a  two-months'  va- 
cation in  Rome  as  the  guest  of  his 
cousin,  Mrs.  A.  Thew  H.  Brewer, 
and  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Jas.  W.  Bones, 
whose  husband  was  maintaining  the 
Rome  branch  of  the  well-known  Au- 
gusta hardware  concern  of  J.  &  S. 
Bones  &  Co.  The  Bones  home  was 
built  by  Mr.  Bones,  and  is  identified 
today  as  the  residence  of  S.  L.  Han- 
cock, in  Oak  Park,  East  Rome,  south- 
west of  the  Yancey  place.  Some  years 
previously  the  family  had  lived  on 
Broad.  Half  a  mile  away  lived  a  first 
cousin,  Jessie  Bones,  who  had  become 
the  second  wife  of  A.  Thew  H.  Brower. 
Col.  Brewer's  first  wife,  Mary  Mar- 
garet (Minnie)  Lester,  had  died  Feb. 
6,    1878. 

The  Bones  family  were  staunch 
Presbyterians.  Mrs.  Bones'  father 
was  Dr.  James  Woodrow,  a  teacher  in 
the  old  Oglethorpe  University  at  Mil- 
ledgeville,  and  whose  championship  of 
the  Darwinish  theory  and  other  ad- 
vanced ideas  after  the  war  caused  his 
suspension  by  the  Presbyterian  Synod 
of  South  Carolina  from  the  faculty  of 
the  Columbia  Theological  Seminary  at 
Columbia.* 

Mr.  Bones  was  a  high  official  in  the 
Rome  church,  and  Woodrow  Wilson's 
father.  Dr.  Jos.  R.  Wilson,  was  a 
Presbyterian  minister  at  Augusta; 
hence  when  Sunday  rolled  around 
there  was  no  conflict  as  to  whether  the 
young  barrister  should  attend  services, 
and  where.  With  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bones 
and  his  first  cousin.  Miss  Helen  Bones 
(who  became  Mrs.  Wilson's  White 
House  secretary) ,  Mr.  Wilson  went  to 
the  brick  church  at  Third  Avenue  and 
E.   First    Street. 

The  sermon  was  not  so  engrossing 
that  the  visitor  failed  to  notice  the 
piquant  beauty  of  a  girl  with  brown 
eyes  and  hair  that  fell  in  graceful 
curls   upon   her   forehead,    sitting  hard 

*The  synod  later  exonci-atcd  him  by  electing 
him  moderator,  the  hishest  office  in  its  power  ; 
and  still  later  he  became  president  of  the 
University  of  South  Carolina.  Thus  his  own 
evolutions  and  theirs  were  of  a  pronouncea 
character.  Dr.  Woodrow  tauprht  Sidney  Lanier, 
Southern  poet,  at  OKlethorpe,  and  Mr.  Lanier 
proclaimed  his  old  teacher  the  greatest  moral 
influence  in  his  life.  Authority:  Dr.  Thorn- 
tvall  Jacobs,  president  of  Oglethorpe  University, 
Atlanta. 


by.  He  looked  not  once,  but  several 
times  before  the  sermon  was  concluded, 
and  stole  a  glance  or  so  as  the  congre- 
gation were  leaving  for  their  homes. 
He  was  so  fascinated  by  this  young 
lady's  beauty  that  he  inquired  as  to 
who  she  might  be  and  if  by  some 
chance  he  might  not  be  privileged  to 
meet  her.  He  was  told  that  it  was 
Ellen  Louise  Axson,  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Edward  Axson,  the  pas- 
tor, who  was  living  in  a  cottage  on 
the  Third  Avenue  lot  where  Jno.  C. 
Glover   now   resides. 

Mrs.  Brower  found  that  she  could 
do  her  Atlanta  cousin  a  good  turn,  so 
proposed  that  they  invite  Miss  Axson 
and  several  others  to  go  on  a  picnic 
east  of  Lindale,  to  a  spring  which 
forms  part  of  the  headwaters  of  Silver 
Creek.  The  meeting  place  was  at  the 
Brower  home,  and  when  young  Wood- 
row  asked  if  he  hadn't'  better  take 
some  lunch.  Miss  Ellen  Lou  readily 
suggested  that  she  had  plenty  for 
two,  and  this  offer  left  no  room  for 
argument.  Others  who  were  invited 
and  went  were  Edith  Lester,  6  years 
old,  now  Mrs.  Wm.  P.  Harbin;  her 
nephew,  Jno.  Lefoy  Brower,  4,  de- 
ceased; Ella,  Mary  Florence,  Harry 
and  Frank  Young,  of  East  Rome;  and 


(THOMAS)  W'OODROW  WILSON,  about  the 
time  he  first  saw  ?;ilen  Lou  Axson  in  the 
First    Presbyterian    Church,    Rome. 


292 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Helen  and  Marion  M.  Bones  (died  Mar. 
6,  1888).  The  distance  was  eight  or 
nine  miles,  and  two  rigs  were  used; 
the  more  attractive  of  the  two  for  the 
young  folks  was  Col.  Brower's  wagon 
with  side  seats,  in  the  body  of  which 
plenty  of  wheat  straw  had  been  piled; 
and  then  there  was  the  buggy,  which 
carried  Col.  and  Mrs.  Brower  and  their 
baby,  and  Mrs.  B.  S.  Lester,  mother 
of  Edith  Lester  and  of  Mr.  Brower's 
first  wife. 

'Tis  said  Woodrow  and  Ellen  Lou 
chose  the  back  of  the  wagon  that  they 
might  dangle  their  feet  behind,  and 
away  went  the  future  president  of  the 
United  States  and  the  future  First 
Lady  of  the  Land,  caring  little  wheth- 
er school  kept  or  law  business  were 
remunerative  or  not. 

After  bumping  along  country  roads 
for  an  hour  and  a  half  they  arrived 
at  the  picnic  ground.  The  lisping  of 
the  gentle  waters  and  the  droning  of 
the  bees  in  a  nearby  field  of  wild  flow- 
ers furnished  the  systematic  tremolo 
for  the  young  lawyer's  love  sonata,  and 
soon  they  strayed  off  from  the  crowd. 
Lunch  time  came  and  all  were  sum- 
moned to  the  well-filled  baskets.  All 
save  two  were  ravenously  hungry  after 
a  session  of  romping  and  wading. 
These  two  were  industriously  search- 
ing for  four-leaf  closers  on  the  pasture 
greensward;  playing  "Love-me;  love 
me  not"  with  flower  petals;  blowing 
the   downy  tops  off  dandelion  stems. 

"I    wonder    where    Ellie    Lou     and 


A.  THEW  H.  BROWER. 


Woodrow  can  be?"  asked  Mrs.  Brower, 
as  if  aware  of  nothing. 

"I  know,"  piped  one  of  the  chil- 
dren; "he's  over  there  cutting  a  heart 
on  a  beech  tree!" 

The  preliminaries  were  all  disposed 
of  that  day  and  fervent  resolutions 
made  if  not  promises  exacted.  The 
fates  which  had  been  cruel  to  Rome 
smiled  upon  the  dilemma  of  the  young 
Atlanta  lawyer.  A  freshet  in  1881  and 
swept  away  the  first  East  Rome  bridge 
(over  the  Etowah  at  Second  Avenue). 
The  river  separated  Woodrow  and  El- 
len Lou,  so  the  former  borrowed  a  bat- 
teau  built  personally  by  Col.  Brower, 
and  they  not  only  crossed,  but  paddled 
up  and  down."  We  hear  much  of 
President  Wilson's  famous  typewriter, 
and  of  how  he  would  put  on  his  old 
gray  sweater  of  his  Princeton  days  and 
peck  away  at  it  on  the  George  Wash- 
ington; League  of  Nations  "dope" 
ground  out  on  the  high  seas,  as  well  as 
Gay  Paree  and  Washington.  But 
again  we  must  go  back  to  Rome.  He 
brought  his  typewriter  with  him  in 
1882  and  did  some  copying  for  Col. 
Brower  in  the  Cothran-Brower  suit 
over  the  East  Rome  land. 

However,  all  was  not  so  smooth  for 
the  youthful  lovers  as  the  surface  of 
the  crooning  Etowah;  they  would  be 
obliged  to  wait  until  the  wherewithal 
was  forthcoming.  Woodrow  came  back 
now  and  then.  A  year  or  two  passed 
and  Ellen  Lou  (who  removed  to  Sa- 
vannah) went  to  New  York  with  Anna 
Lester  (older  sister  of  Edith)  and 
Florence  Young.  The  girls  were  bound 
for  the  Art  Students'  League,  to  study 
art  and  kindergarten  work.  Mr.  Wil- 
son may  have  been  teaching  at  Bryn 
Mawr  then,  and  again  he  mayn't,  but 
he  got  on  the  train  at  Philadelphia 
and  soon  joined  the  young  ladies  and 
escorted  them  to  the  big  city  of  the 
East.  The  three  boarded  at  an  es- 
tablishment similar  to  the  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
of  the  present  time.  Alas !  as  long  as 
they  were  here  they  were  supposed  to 
be  hard  at  work  and  not  to  receive  their 
gentlemen  friends.  This  rule  did  not 
comport  with  the  desires  of  Miss  Axson 
or  Mr.  Wilson,  so  she  found  more  con- 
genial surroundings.  She  was  un- 
usually talented  with  the  brush,  and 
their  homes  wherever  they  lived  in 
later  years  contained  numerous  evi- 
dences of  her  handiwork.  On  June 
24,  1885,  they  were  married  at  Sa- 
vannah, at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
grandparents,  with  whom  she  was  then 
residing.  On  visits  of  Mrs.  Wilson  to 
Gainesville  two  of  her  daughters  were 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


293 


RECALLING  WOODROW  WILSONS  COURTSHIP. 

anriilver    Creek,    on    which    a    picnic    brought    the    young    couple    together. 


294 


A  History  of'Rome  and  Floyd  County 


born;  there  she  was  the  guest  of  her 
aunt,  Mrs.  Louisa  C.  Hoyt-Brown, 
mother  of  Col.  Edward  T.  Brown,  of 
Atlanta  and  Washington,  D.  C.  Most 
of  the  time  they  lived  in  the  North. 
From  1890  to  1910  they  were  residents 
of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  the  last  eight  years 
of  which  Mr.  Wilson  was  president  of 
Princeton  University.  Then  he  was 
chosen  governor  of  New  Jersey,  and 
in  1912  became  twenty-eighth  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States. 

From  the  executive  mansion  at  Tren- 
ton Mrs.  Wilson  engaged  in  welfare 
work  throughout  New  Jersey,  and  she 
continued  her  efforts  two  years  in  the 
White  House,  where  she  died  Aug.  6, 
1914.  The  grief-stricken  husband  ac- 
companied her  to  the  Old  Home  Town 
and  to  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery,  there  to 
lay  her  beside  her  loving  parents.  On 
the  hill  above  the  depot  stood  the  two- 
story  frame  dwelling  where  he  had  first 
met  her,  and  beyond  the  hill  Silver 
Creek  murmured  its  old-time  love-song 
as  it  -went  tumbling  on  down  toward 
the  sea. 

::-         *         t- 

HOME  GUARDS  (THE  ROME 
TRUE  BLUES).— This  military  com- 
pany, with  tents  pitched  July  6,  1884, 
at  Camp  DeForrest,  Forrestville 
(North  Rome),  and  Gov.  Henry  D. 
McDaniel  looking  on,  received  a  hand- 
some flag  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Nevin,  containing  on  one  side  the 
Stars  and  Stripes,  and  on  the  other 
the  Georgia  coat  of  arms. 

The  "ossifers"  were  Richard  V. 
Mitchell,  Jr.,  captain;  Jas.  B.  Nevin, 
first  lieutenant;  Chas.  J.  Warner,  Jr., 
first  sergeant;  Louis  S.  Rosenberg, 
second;  Paul  P.  Fenner,  third;  Wm. 
Coleman,  fourth;  Jno.  W.  Bale,  first 
corporal;  Herbert  T.  Amos,  second; 
Wyly  Snider,  third;  Frank  Omberg, 
fourth ;  Dr.  J.  M.  Gregory,  surgeon ; 
Julius    S.    Mitchell,   color   bearer. 

The  "privates,"  outnumbering  the 
"ossifers"  by  two,  were  Dickson  C. 
Stroud,  George  Snider,  Baker  and  Wal- 
ter Weems,  Gregory  Omberg,  Henry 
Adkins,  Sam  and  Max  Kuttner,  Hugo 
Spitz,  Ed  Lamkin,  Frank  S.  Bale,  Ben 
Cooper,  Wm.  Harbour  and  Frank  D. 
Edge. 

The  company's  captain  tells  the  fol- 
lowing "tales  out  of  school:" 

"Most  of  the  boys  were  very  young, 
and  they  were  quartered  in  three  large 
tents  next  to  the  state  troops,  who 
were  in  annual  encampment  in  For- 
restville. During  the  night  a  terrific 
wind  storm  broke  on  the  camp,  making 
the  tents  behave  like  balloons,  and  caus- 
ing the  True  Blues   to  think  of  home. 


A  faithful  sentry  was  ordered  to  round 
up  the  scattered  members,  but  could 
not  find  them  until  next  morning,  and 
then  all  were  at  church  in  Rome.  The 
captain  was  found  there,  too,  and  after 
a  while  the  bunch  disbanded. 

"In  the  winter  of  1884,  several 
months  prior  to  this  incident,  the  ladies 
gave  a  bazaar  in  Noble  Hall  (the  old 
City  Hall)  for  the  benefit  of  the  Rome 
Light  Guards  or  the  Hill  City  Cadets. 
A  prize  drill  at  night  was  on  the  pro- 
gram for  Broad  Street,  with  the 
Guards,  the  Cadets,  the  True  Blues 
and  a  Cave  Spring  company  com- 
manded by  Col.  H.  D.  Capers  as  con- 
testants. 

"The  True  Blues  were  sure  their 
drill  was  the  best,  and  when  they  failed 
to  receive  even  'honorable  m'ention,' 
they  left  for  their  armory  in  consider- 
able disorder.  On  passing  an  alley 
back  of  the  Choice  House,  they  were 
confronted  by  a  Ku  Klux  'ghost'  in 
spooky  white.  The  captain  was  seized 
by  the  'ghost,'  and  the  company  left 
him  for  the  light  of  a  gas  burner 
down  on  Broad.  If  the  'ghost'  had 
taken  full  advantage  of  the  situation, 
he  could  have  had  more  guns  and  ac- 
coutrements than  he  could  have  car- 
ried. The  captain  got  away  by  scratch- 
ing and  biting  the  'ghost.'  " 


AN  OBSTREPEROUS  MAYOR.— 
A  good  many  years  ago, — it  may  have 
been  before  the  Civil  War  and  again 
it  may  have  been  after — Rome  had  a 
mayor  who  often  wrestled  with  "John 
Barleycorn"  and  nearly  always  got 
"thrown."  On  this  occasion  he  ate  a 
little  lunch  and  drank  a  lot  of  beer 
and  licker  at  the  bar  at  Fifth  Avenue 
and  Broad,  and  was  trying  to  make  it 
to  the  next  "station"  when  a  policeman 
accosted  him.  His  "Irish"  was  now  up 
and  he  pulled  away  from  the  officer, 
saying,  "Don't  you  know  the  mayor 
of  this  (hie)  town?"  Then  he  went 
back  into  the  saloon  and  loaded  up 
good ;  proceeded  home  with  outraged 
feelings  and  armed  himself  to  the 
teeth. 

Some  said  his  gun  was  30  inches  long 
and  weighed  nine  pounds;  others  that 
it  was  18  and  weighed  seven.  Anyway, 
he  went  back  to  town  looking  for  po- 
licemen, and  when  he  saw  two,  backed 
behind  a  telephone  pole  and  shouted 
defiance.  The  officers  took  him  in  tow 
and  chucked  him  into  the  "jug,"  where 
he  became  so  noisy  that  they  confined 
him  in  a  sort  of  cage  in  the  rear  of 
the  station.  He  obtained  a  hose  and 
turned    it    on    himself;    Etowah    water 


Anecdotes  and  Reminsicences 


295 


sobered  him  and  he  called  for  the  turn- 
key to  bring  the  "Black  Maria"  so  he 
could   go   home  again   in   style. 

It  was  said  that  on  one  of  his  sprees 
he  "kissed  the  candy  man's  wife,"  no 
doubt  thinking  she  was  his  own;  and 
that  he  was  "put  in"  on  another  occa- 
sion. When  "at  himself,"  said  the  old 
timers,  he  made  one  of  the  best  mayors 
Rome    ever    had. 


A  PEACE  PRAYER  IN  1898— Sup- 
plications for  international  amity  did 
not  start  after  the  German  Armistice 
Nov.  11,  1918.  In  the  Rome  Georgian 
of  May  28,  1898  (Beulah  S.  Moseley, 
editor),  we  find  the  following  from 
Capt.  Christopher  Rowell,  a  veteran  of 
the    Civil    War: 

"There  is  much  in  the  pomp  of  war 
to  attract  the  multitude ;  the  noise  of 
contending  legions,  the  shouts  of  vic- 
tory, of  strains  of  martial  music.  The 
outward  panoply  of  war  always  com- 
mands close  attention,  more  of  those 
who  are  not  familiar  with  the  details 
than  of  those  who  in  retrospect  contem- 
plate the  progi'ess  of  such  a  state  of 
things.  A  war  waged  for  humanity's 
sake  would  look  like  a  contradiction, 
but  it  is  through  the  ordeal  of  shed- 
ding blood  that  many  of  the  changes 
in  the  progress  of  civilization  have 
been  brought  about.  A  war  of  defense 
is  jilways  justifiable,  but  a  war  for  ac- 
quisition of  territory  or  political  ag- 
grandizement, in  fact,  for  any  pur- 
pose except  for  defense  of  humanity's 
sake,  must  be  of  questionable  pro- 
priety in  this  so-called  civilized  age. 
May  we  not  hope  that  there  will  always 
be  a  redeeming  spirit  of  law  and  hu- 
manity in  war?  It  may  be  many  days 
yet  before  'gi-im  visaged  war  shall 
smooth  its  wrinkled  front,'  but  we  hope 
it  will  not  be  long  before  our  bugles 
will  again  sing  truce,  when  the  storm 
cloud  of  war  has  fled.  It  may  be  that 
the  writer's  views  of  war  may  not 
accord  with  the  notions  of  this  utili- 
tarian age;  but  the  time  is  surely  com- 
ing when  the  first  streaks  of  morning 
shall  broaden  into  the  full  fruition  of 
the  coming  day — on  some  occasion,  too, 
when  the  great  Arch  Angel  standing 
with  one  foot  upon  the  land  and  one 
foot  upon  the  sea  shall  proclaim  that 
time  shall  be  no  more." 
*     *     * 

BESSIE  MOORE'S  THRILLING 
FLIGHTS.— Miss  Bessie  A.  Moore, 
former  society  editor  of  The  Rome 
News,  made  the  first  flight  taken  by  a 
Roman  from  Towers  Aviation  Field  at 
the    North    Georgia    Fair    grounds,    in 


West  Rome,  and  was  perhaps  the  first 
woman  to  fly  over  the  Hill  City.  This 
was  a  day  following  the  dedication  of 
the  field,  Tuesday,  October  11,  1919, 
by  Commander  John  H.  Towers  of  the 
navy.  The  flight  was  made  at  I'l  a.  m 
with  Lieut.  Kenneth  B.  Wolfe,  U.  S. 
A.,  in  his  Hispania  Suiss  plane,  and 
lasted  30  minutes. 

In  1920  Miss  Moore  participated  in 
fl-  Piore  mteresting  and  sensational 
flight.      Major   Lawrence   S.    Churchill, 

c  ■  .r  ^'-  nS^'"^  "P  ^«  ^^^^^  fi-om 
bouther  Field,  Americus,  to  claim  her 
for  his  bride.  He  flew  to  Rome  in  his 
airship  and  flew  away  after  the  cere- 
mony with  the  blushing  Miss  Bessie. 
Let  her  tell  in  her  own  words  of  what 
she  saw  in  Rome  on  the  first-mentioned 
flight: 

"Strapped  in  and  ready  to  go!  The 
feeling  is  indescribable.  While  the 
propeller  raises  a  cloud  of  dust  and 
sends  a  stiff  wind  into  your  face,  your 
emotions  are  mixed.  You  are  curious, 
pleased,  anxious,  filled  with  wonder  as 
to  how  it  will  feel,  if  you  will  be  fright- 
ened, if  you  will  be  sick,  and  every 
minute  seems  like  five  before  you 
get    away. 

"We  took  off  facing  town.  The  plane, 
once  started,  ran  along  over  the 
ground,  then  got  smoother.  Pleased 
irfinitely,  I  was  anxious  to  rise, 
and  eager  for  the  sensation  that  comes 
when  you  ascend  in  your  first  flight. 
I  had  waved  my  handkerchief  to  all 
the  spectators  and  was  sitting  still 
waiting  for  the  big  thrill  to  come  when 
we  would  actually  go  up,  and  looking 
from  the  side  I  caught  a  glimpse  of 
telegraph  wires  and  I  knew  we  were 
already  flying  over  the  Land  Company 
bridge.  Then  we  crossed  the  river.  To 
the  right  was  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery. 
Then  I  saw  Broad  Street,  and  we  went 
higher  and  higher,  sailing  toward  East 
Rome  at  100  miles  per  hour.  What  a 
sheer  exquisite  pleasure!  I  was  actual- 
ly flying.  It  was  delightful.  I  sat 
back,  surprised  that  I  wasn't  fright- 
ened, my  hands  which  at  first  held 
tensely  to  the  sides  of  the  car,  were 
relaxed.  I  was  flying  higher  and  higher. 
A  thing  I  had  wanted  for  years  had 
happened  to  me,  and  I  was  supremely 
glad.  Thus  I  sat,  musing  and  think- 
ing. I  was  up  in  an  aeroplane.  I  had 
no  knowledge  of  fear.  The  thing  I 
had  dreaded,  getting  sick,  had  not  hap- 
pened. I  never  felt  better.  Then  re- 
membering that  I  wanted  to  see  more 
of  Rome,  I  came  out  of  my  delirium  of 
pleasure,  and  took  a  look  over. 

"I  saw  a  beautiful  space  of    woodland, 


296 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


a  wonderful  panoramic  view  of  the 
country  beneath  me,  a  stretch  of  moun- 
tain, blue  and  purple,  whose  top  melt- 
ed into  the  low  clouds  of  a  damp  Octo- 
ber morning.  Yes,  it  was  Rome,  and 
how  tiny  everything  was!  I  couldn't 
find  out  where  we  were,  nor  did  I  rec- 
ognize a  single  land  mark.  I  knew 
by  instinct  it  must  be  far  out  of  the 
city,  and  later  learned  it  was  quite  a 
distance  east  of  the  town.  Then  we 
circled  around  coming  in  the  direction 
of  Rome,  but  swinging  far  out  toward 
West  Rome. 

"It  was  nothing  less  than  a  beautiful 
canvas  painting  in  tones  of  green  and 
dull  brown.  Houses  looked  like  minia- 
ture toys,  straight,  precise  little  rows 
of  growing  things  on  farm  lands  took 
on  the  aspect  of  a  piece  of  striped  silk, 
roof-tops  of  white,  red  and  brown 
skirting  the  farm  lands,  nestled  close 
to  the  trees,  which  were  tiny  green 
bushes.  As  I  looked  in  wonder  upon 
the  town  I  knew  so  well,  I  laughed  to 
think  of  a  plane  as  strong  and  defiant 
as  ours  ever  being  caught  or  hung  up 
on  a  tree-top  like  the  little  ones  I  saw. 
Then  we  crossed  a  river,  and  there  was 
a  great  stretch  of  green  velvet,  much 
like  a  carpet.  Presently  I  saw  the 
George  Stiles  race  track  in  West  Rome, 
and  growing  directly  in  the  center  was 
a  tree  which  looked  larger  than  any  I 
had  seen.  Around  and  around  we  fiew, 
then  back  toward  town  over  Shorter 
College,  which  looked  like  a  set  of 
child's  playing  bricks.  Circling  high- 
er, climbing  up,  up,  up,  the  car  be- 
came filled  with  steam.  A  fine  spray 
of  rain  pelted  my  face  and  hands  and 
the  wind  roared  by  my  ears  like 
thunder.  I  attributed  the  steam  to 
some  exhaust  or  defect  of  the  engine, 
but  looking  down  saw  a  fine  white  veil 
between  plane  and  earth  and  knew  we 
were  in  the  clouds.  The  indicator  reg- 
istered 2,000  feet.  The  clouds  were 
damp,  cold  and  refreshing,  with 
flecks  of  yellow  and  brown  rolling  here 
and  there  in  the  white. 

"Presently  I  felt  myself  hanging  en- 
tirely to  the  plane  by  the  support  of 
my  iielt.  I  learned  later  it  had  been 
a  loop.  Looking  to  the  right  I  saw 
the  great  wings  of  the  plane  turn  high- 
er and  higher,  and  was  told  afterward 
we  had  done  some  king  overs,  which  is 
a  popular  form  of  stunt.  Above  the 
city  clock,  which  resembled  a  spool  of 
brown  thread,  we  came  down  in  a 
spiral.  I  didn't  know  what  particular 
feat  we  were  performing,  but  felt  the 
sensation  one  has  when  shot  down  to 
earth  suddenly  in  a  swift  elevator.  I 
did    not    look    down    as    we    did    these 


stunts  but  kept  my  eye  directly  on  the 
instruments  in  front  of  me.  I  had 
previously  been  told  this  would  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  any  sickness. 

"We  came  around  to  West  Rome 
again.  This  time  we  were  nearer 
Shorter  College.  The  girls  outside  were 
taking  exercise.  We  could  discern  that 
plainly.  They  stopped  to  wave  their 
hands  as  we  sailed  overhead. 

"Then  I  recognized  the  circus  ring 
of  the  Coosa  Golf  course,  and  saw  a 
tiny  trough  of  water  which  I  knew  was 
the  swimming  pool.  The  club  house 
seemed  entirely  concealed  by  a  tiny 
bunch  of  green  bushes.  Then  over  the 
cemetery  we  flew.  The  cemetery  seem- 
ed flat  and  scattered  with  broken 
china.  The  extreme  summit,  where 
stands  the  Confederate  monument,  re- 
sembled a  nicely  browned  dough-nut. 
Then  over  the  Etowah  River,  a  narrow 
winding  strip  of  brown  ribbon,  laid 
in  green  velvet.  I  saw  the  perfect  Y 
where  the  two  rivers  form  the   Coosa. 

"I  was  trying  to  place  a  certain  queer, 
looking  red  brick  house,  and  discovered 
it  was  the  courthouse,  and  one  inch 
away  from  it  was  Broad  Street.  None 
of  the  blocks  in  Rome  appeared  over 
one  inch  square.  Around  we  circled 
again.  The  third  time  we  came  over 
Shorter  we  sailed  at  a  low  altitude. 
The  girls  were  wearing  white  middies 
and  blue  bloomers;  they  looked  up  and 
shouted.  We  were  closer  than  ever 
before.  Then  around  again.  This  time 
above  the  fair  grounds.  Towers  Field 
with  its  big  white  T  could  be  seen 
plainly.  We  were  approaching  from 
East  Rome.  We  were  getting  lower 
and  lower,  and  just  like  a  huge  bird 
with  out-stretched  wings  we  sailed 
down  smoothly,  without  a  bobble,  land- 
ed in  the  upper  end  of  the  field,  and 
like  the  same  big  bird,  hopped  along 
the  field,  until  two  of  the  mechanics 
who  had  signaled  a  safe  landing  ran 
up  and  swung  themselves  on  the 
wings.  The  engine  stopped  and  we 
were  down.  The  taking  off  and  the 
landing,  which  I  had  always  heard  was 
most  difficult,  was  the  easiest,  smooth- 
est part  of  the  entire  flight." 

Miss  Bessie  took  part  in  a  more  in- 
teresting and  thrilling  episode  Jan.  17, 
1920 — her  flight  from  the  state  of  sin- 
gle blessedness.  Major  Lawrence  S. 
Churchill,  U.  S.  A.,  aspired  to  be  the 
pioneer  in  an  airplane  romance  that 
would  thrill  Rome.  He  started  in  an 
airplane  from  Souther  Field,  Ameri- 
cus,  with  Lt.  Perry  W.  Blackler  as 
pilot.  In  an  accompanying  plane  were 
Lieut.    Wolfe,    of    the    aforementioned 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


297 


ROME   AS   VIEWED   FROM   AN   AIRPLANE. 

A  daredevil  aviator  came  buzzing  over  Rome  in  the  spring  of  1921.  He  was  on  his  way  to 
Texas  and  was  willing  to  carry  up  a  few  passengers  for  the  price  of  his  gasoline.  David  A. 
Sparks  flew  and  got  some  snaps.  We  see  the  Municipal  Building,  the  business  section,  Myrtle 
Hill  Cemetery  (in  center),  the  wings  of  the  plane  and  Shorter  College  through  them,  and  lastly, 
the    beautiful    Etowah. 


298 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


flight,  and  Sergeant  Jones.  The  last- 
named  pair  landed  at  Towers  Field, 
where  they  were  received  by  City  Com- 
missioner Ike  May,  with  the  keys  of 
the  city,  and  by  a  curious  crowd.  The 
other  machine  encountered  unfavorable 
winds  and  was  forced  to  land  at  King- 
ston, whence  the  remainder  of  the  trip 
was  made  by  Maj.  Churchill  in  an  au- 
tomobile. Lieut.  Blackler  flew  the 
plane  to  Rome  on  Saturday  morning 
of  the  wedding,  and  although  the  at- 
mospheric conditions  were  unfavorable, 
he  thrilled  the  bride  with  a  series  of 
barrel  rolls  over  her  apartments  at 
the  home  of  Miss  Camilla  Fouche.  Mr. 
Blackler  was  killed  at  Souther  Field, 
Americus,  May  10,  1920,  when  the 
wings  of  his  German  Fokker  machine 
came  off  while  he  was  executing  one 
of  these    same    aerial    contortions. 


THE  BOYS  IN  GRAY.— The  recent 
story  by  Bessie  Moore  Churchill  in  the 
History  Series  on  the  Rome  Light 
Guards  in  the  Civil  War  was  read  by  a 
good  many  people,  but  by  none  more 
appreciatively,  perhaps,  than  Frank 
Stovall  Roberts,  a  cousin  of  Judge  Joel 
Branham,  who  wrote  from  Apartment 
312,    "The    Cordova,"    Washington,    D. 

C,  under  date  of  January  7,  1921: 

"Thank  you  very  much  for  the  story 
of  the  Rome  Light  Guards.  Many  of 
the  names  given  in  the  article  are 
quite  familiar  to  me.  I  knew  many 
of  them,  a  few  having  been  my  school- 
mates, though  older  than  myself,  back 
in  1855,  1856  and  1857.  Geo.  W.  Fleet- 
wood was  one  of  them  who  went  to 
Mr.    Stevens'    school    in    these    years. 

(Mr.  Fleetwood  died  last  fall  in  "Okla- 
homa and  was  buried  in  Myrtle  Hill 
cemetery,      Rome.    —    Editor).      Virgil 

CVirge')     Stewart    was    another.       H. 

D.  Cothran  and  "Coon"  Mitchell  also 
attended  this  school. 

"I  do  not  recall  Captain  Magruder, 
who  took  the  company  to  Virginia,  but 
I  remember,  as  a  boy,  Miss  Florence 
Fouche,  whom  he  married.  I  recall 
many  members  of  that  company:  Mel- 
ville Dwinell,  Geo.  R.  Lumpkin,  Wil- 
liam ('Bill')  Skidmore,  Dr.  J.  M.  Greg- 
ory (as  memory  serves,  he  married 
a  sister  of  Mrs.  Daniel  S.  Printup)  ; 
R.  D.  DeJournett,  F.  M.  Ezzell  (he 
married  Miss  Lena  Sherwood,  of  Ma- 
con, lived  in  Macon  after  the  war  and 
then  went  to  Atlanta)  ;  A.  R.  Johnson, 
Chas.  B.  and  George  C.  Norton,  W.  F. 
(Bill)  Omberg  (went  to  Mr.  Stevens' 
school,  and  after  the  war  lived  in 
Louisville,  Ky.)  ;  A.  R.  (Arch)  Pem- 
berton,   'Zach'   Hargrove,   M.   A.   Ross, 


Geo.  T.  Stovall  (my  cousin)  ;  Henry  A. 
Smith  (he  kept  a  book  store  before  and 
after  the  war;  I  met  him  once  early 
in  the  eighties)  ;  F.  M.  Stovall  (my 
cousin,  went  from  Athens  to  Virginia 
and  joined  the  Light  Guards)  ;  Chas. 
H.  Smith  ('Bill  Arp'),  Scott  Hardin, 
and  others.  Clinton  Hargro;ve  was 
another  one  I  knew.  He  was  a  friend 
of  my  half-brother,  Wm.  A.  ('Bill') 
Roberts. 

"This  story  brings  up  memories  of 
a  handsome,  gallant  and  brave  lot  of 
young  men  in  Rome.  I  doubtless  knew 
many  more  than  are  named,  but  nearly 
64  years  have  passed  since  I  lived  in 
Rome. 

"The  Light  Guards  had  their  first 
taste  of  fighting  at  Firt  Manassas,  Va., 
July  21,  1861.  The  Eighth  Georgia, 
under  the  gallant  Francis  Bartow,  who 
was  killed  there,  covered  itself  with 
glory  and  gave  up  many  of  its  best 
members,  including  Chax'lie  Norton, 
Geo.    T.    Stovall   and   'Clint'   Hargrove. 

"These  recollections  are  very  inter- 
esting, with  a  tinge  of  sadness  to 
those  who  knew  and  were  associated 
with  these  boys  long  ago.  I  daresay 
I  am  one  of  the  very  few  of  that  day 
who  are  now  living  to  recall  them." 

Mr.  Roberts  was  among  the  boys  of 
Rome  who  sent  their  older  brothers 
and  cousins  off  to  war  with  a  shout 
and  who  stayed  behind  and  helped  their 
families  care  for  still  younger  ones. — 
Jan.  12,  1921. 

*     *     * 

A  LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT. 
— James  Madison  Gartrell,  younger 
brother  of  Gen.  Lucius  J.  Gartrell  and 
Capt.  Henry  A.  Gartrell  (of  Rome), 
wrote  Mrs.  J.  D.  Thomas,  then  Miss 
Mary  Fort,  under  date  of  April  21, 
1864,  from  Dalton.  (Mr.  Gartrell,  it 
will  be  recalled,  was  an  uncle  of  Henry 
W.    Grady). 

"I  hope  in  my  next  to  be  able  to  give 
the  details  of  a  grand  battle  which  re- 
sulted in  the  overthrow  of  Sherman's 
and  Thomas'  armies  which  will  tend  to 
a  speedy  termination  of  this  unholy, 
unwise  and  unpleasant  war  .  .  .  You 
need  have  no  fears  as  to  the  safety  of 
Rome.  Those  sacred  hills  will  never 
be  polluted  by  the  foul  tread  of  the 
Yankee  soldiery  until  our  army  is 
crushed,  which  to  accomplish  Sherman 
with  his  present  force  is  quite  inade- 
quate. 

"The  little  tobacco  bag  you  gave  me 
is  now  in  daily  use.  I  have  quit  chew- 
ing and  learned  to  smoke  a   pipe. 


Anecdotes  and'Reminiscences 


299 


"You  say  you  were  expecting  Henry 
Gartrell  in  Macon  on  the  8th.  I  should 
like  to  hear  from  the  gentleman.  If 
he  is  as  prompt  in  the  discharge  of  his 
military  duties  as  he  is  in  answering 
letters,  he  must  be  a  splendid  soldier. 
I  don't  see  how  Forrest  has  succeeded 
so  well  without  him!" 

J.  M.  Gartrell  was  killed  a  short  time 
later  at  New  Hope  church,  near  At- 
lanta. 

Capt.  Henry  A.  Gartrell  wrote  Mary 
Fort  January  1,  1865,  from  Johnson's 
Island,  Ohio,  where  he  was  a  prisoner 
of  war: 

"A  happy  new  year  to  you.  I  was 
captured  near  Nashville  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  17th  ultimo.  I  was  cut  off, 
made  a  desperate  effort  to  escape  on 
the  night  of  the  16th  by  running  over 
the  Federal  pickets.  At  least  20  shots 
were  fired  at  me  from  not  more  than  20 
to  100  yards,  but  with  the  exception 
of  a  wound  to  my  horse  and  a  ball 
through  my  coat,  they  did  no  harm  to 
me.  I  am  going  to  write  to  Gen.  For- 
rest in  a  day  or  two  asking  him  to  pro- 
ciire  a  special  change  for  me. 

"I  employ  my  time  reading  and  vis- 
iting my  friends  and  acquaintances  on 
this  ice-bound  island.  Major  Printup 
is  very  well.  He  hasn't  heard  from 
home  in  five  months.  I  never  saw  a 
braver  soldier  than  Dick  Fort.  He  and 
Joe  Stillwell  could  not  be  beaten  the 
world  over.  I  don't  know  whether  any 
of  my  men  wei-e  captured  or  not." — 
Sept.   16,  1921. 

*      *     * 

WHO  ARE  THEY?— The  following 
letter  has  been  handed  us  by  Col.  Stew- 
ai't,  for  publication.  The  name  of  the 
writer  we  suppress  for  obvious  rea- 
sons. 

"Mr.  Steward. 

"As  you  is  the  Mar- 
shal of  this  town  I  thoght  I  would  tell 
you  how  I  am  treated.  My  husband  is 
lying  sick  and  one  of  my  children 
to  an  yesterdy  my  cow  dide,  I  had  to 
come  to  town  to  git  a  little  mele  an 
when  I  was  gone  some  boys  from  rome 
went  huntin  up  the  River  and  found 
my  ducks  an  shot  um — two  of  um  dide 
this  morning  an  one  never  come  home 
yit  and  I  ant  got  but  one  drake  just  by 
his  self,  a  friend  of  mine  said  thay  was 
three  boys  one  boy  was  a  big  hi  boy, 
and  one  was  a  little  boy  and  one  was  a 
short  thick  set  boy.  if  you  can  find 
out  who  was  the  boys  tell  them  to  pay 
m,e  for  the  ducks  as  I  have  a  mity  hard 
time  to  git  along.  I  ant  mad  much 
about  it  only  I  can't  aford  to  loose  my 


ducks  after  the  cow  dide  and  the  fam- 
ily so  sick,  plea.se  hunt  up  the  boys 
and  tell  them  how  it  stands  and  how 
pore  I  am.  Respectfully, 


Col.  Stewart  informs  us  he  has 
"hunted  up  the  boys,"  and  knows  who 
they  are,  and  requests  us  to  say  that 
unless  they  fully  remunerate  this  poor 
woman  for  the  injury  they  have  done 
her,  he  will  give  their  names  to  the 
public  next  week.  We  hope  a  sense  of 
justice  will  prompt  them  to  do  this, 
and  that  such  a  case  may  never  hap- 
pen again  in  a  thousand  miles  of  Rome. 

"TAKEN  IN  AND  DONE  FOR."— 
A  young  gambler  from  an  adjoining 
county,  who  had  made  up  a  game  of 
"seven  up,"  in  Rome  last  week,  and 
desired  a  secret  room  to  play  in,  was 
admirably  accommodated  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  our  City  Marshal,  Col.  Stew- 
art. The  gamester  expressed  his  want 
in  the  presence  of  Col.  S.,  who  is  a  bit 
of  a  wag  and  loves  a  practical  joke 
as  well  as  any  one,  and  he  gave  a  slight 
wink  to  the  person  enquired  of,  and 
at  the  same  time  handed  him  the  key 
of  the  Calaboose.  The  contract  was 
soon  made  for  the  use  of  a  small  office, 
of  which  the  gentleman,  at  that  time, 
had  the  control,  takes  the  gamester 
and  his  friends  to  the  Calaboose — 
opens  the  door — and  just  then  hap- 
pens to  think  that  he  has  no  matches, 
and  he  requests  the  young  novice  to 
remain  there  until  he  can  go  and  get 
them.  This  he  consents  to  do,  and  they 
all  step  out  and  lock  the  door  after 
them  and  leave  him  there  to  play  sol- 
itaire in  the  dark,  until  next  morning. 
We  hope  this  gavie  will  prove  to  be  a 
profitable  one  to  the  young  man. — • 
Weekly  Courier,  Feb.  28,  1866. 
*      *      * 

"PARSON"  WINN'S  "HELPING 
HAND."— Rev.  Genuluth  Winn  was 
an  old  settler  who  "rode  the  circuit"  of 
the  Methodist  church  in  the  Coosa 
Valley  during  the  Indian  days. 

Dr.  Winn  was  noted  for  his  aggres- 
siveness in  practical  business  affairs 
as  well  as  the  work  of  the  Lord.  He 
came  to  Floyd  County  with  the  early 
inhabitants  and  either  bought  or  drew 
by  lottery  large  tracts  of  land  in  and 
j>round  Cave  Spring,  and  lived  on  one 
of  them  five  miles  south  of  Rome  on 
the  Cave  Spring  road,  where  he  owned 
m;iny  .slaves.  He  was  exempt  from 
miitary  service  and  went  among  the 
Confederate  sodiers  exhorting  them  to 
express  their  divine  faith  by  slaying 
Yankees. 


300 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


The  following  story  is  told  of  his 
response  to  a  call  for  help  from  a 
brother    of    the    Methodist    persuasion : 

D.  R.  Mitchell,  a  pillar  in  the  First 
Methodist  church,  then  located  at  Sixth 
Avenue  and  East  Second  Street,  had 
picked  a  hardy  settler  or  two  to  run 
his  ferries  where  the  eccentric  char- 
acter known  to  the  Indians  as  the 
"Widow  Fool"  had  run  them  some  fif- 
teen years  before,  at  the  forks  of  the 
rivers  of  Rome.  One  day  a  ferry- 
man went  to  Colonel  Mitchell  with  the 
story  that  the  "strong-arm"  men  of  a 
rival  pioneer  had  seized  the  ferries 
and  driven  off  the  Mitchell  men.  The 
old  Colonel  grabbed  his  stout  hickory 
stick,  called  to  the  ferryman  to  follow, 
and  gathering  up  a  number  of  his  sup- 
porters, charged  the  invaders  on  the 
ferry  boat.  The  fight  proved  fast  and 
furious.  Reinforcements,  including  a 
number  of  half-drunken  Indians,  hav- 
ing also  reached  the  other  side,  the 
Mitchell  crowd  were  about  to  be 
worsted,  when  along  happened  Rev. 
Genuluth  Winn  in  a  buggy  drawn  by 
a  somewhat  broken-down  pony,  want- 
ing to  cross  the  river. 

Seeing  Rev.  Dr.  Winn,  Col.  Mitchell 
yelled,  "Help,  Bro.  Winn!  If  you  never 
did  anything  for  the  Lord  and  D.  R. 
Mitchell,  do   it  now!" 

Dr.  Winn  sprang  out  of  the  buggy 
seized  a  long  pole  fi'om  the  bank,  and 
handled  it  so  dexterously  that  in  little 
more  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it  he 
had  knocked  all  of  Colonel  Mitchell's 
enemies,  including  the  Indians,  into 
the  river,  and  Col.  Mitchell  had  the 
ferry  for  keeps. 

*     *     * 

A  SAILOR'S  ODD  "CRUISE."— A 
touching  story  is  told  of  a  lieutenant 
of  the  United  States  navy  who  lies 
buried  in  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery.  Bayard 
E.  Hand,  a  step-son  of  Col.  Nicholas  J. 
Bayard,  had  just  graduated  from  the 
naval  academy  at  Annapolis,  Md., 
when  he  fell  in  love  with  a  beautiful 
young  lady  of  Virginia.  His  court- 
ship resulted  in  an  early  wedding 
and  the  honeymoon  was  spent  in  the 
Old  Dominion.  The  budding  young 
officer  was  on  30-day  leave,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  he  bade  his  bride 
farewell  and  rejoined  his  ship,  which 
immediately  sailed  for  South  America. 

While  Lieut.  Hand  was  on  his  trip, 
his  wife  came  to  visit  Col.  and  Mrs. 
Bayard  at  Rome,  anticipating  that  he 
would  return  ere  long.  The  ship  tied 
up  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  and  the  of- 
ficer hurried  to  Rome  to  rejoin  his 
young   wife.      His    second    leave    being 


up,  he  departed  for  Wilmington.  In 
some  manner  he  had  contracted  pneu- 
monia, and  on  July  16,  1855,  he  died 
at  that  city.  Out  of  respect  for  the 
wishes  of  Col.  and  Mrs.  Bayard,  the 
Hands  agreed  that  he  should  be  buried 
in  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery  at  Rome.  Col. 
Bayard  had  his  tombstone  engraved 
with  navy  characters,  and  there  he 
lay  in  peace   several   years. 

Soon  came  the  Civil  War,  and  in 
1864  a  band  of  Sherman's  men,  read- 
ing that  Lieut.  Hand  had  been  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  decided 
they  would  send  him  to  a  "better  land." 
They  dug  up  the  coffin  and  expressed 
it  to  the  National  cemetery  at  Arling- 
ton, Va.,  across  the  Potomac  River 
from  Washington.  This  high-handed 
procedure  did  not  suit  the  fiery  Col. 
Bayard,  who  after  the  war  went  north 
and  brought  the  body  back  to  Rome  at 
an   expense  to  himself  of   $300. 

An  appropriate  line  decorates  the 
sailor's  tomb:  "The  anchor  of  his  soul 
was  faith  in  Christ." 


REMINISCENCES  OF  1886.— The 
late  B.  I.  Hughes  wrote  in  The  Rome 
News  of  Dec.  10,  1920,  as  follows  con- 
cerning the  experience  the  First  Na. 
tional  Bank  had  in  the  flood  of  March- 
April,   1886: 

"At  that  time  we  had  $55,000  in 
paper  money  in  the  vault,  in  $5,000 
packages,  each  package  containing  ten 
$500  packages.  We  opened  the  safe, 
and  found  that  notwithstanding  the 
water  had  seeped  through  two  combina- 
tions, these  packages  were  so  covered 
with  muck  that  you  would  not  have 
known  they  contained  money.  We 
washed  them  off  just  as  we  would  if 
they  had  been  brick,  and  then  the  ques- 
tion was  as  to  how  we  would  treat  the 
wet  currency. 

"Finally,  we  hit  upon  the  plan  of 
building  a  big  fire  in  the  grate  and 
setting  in  front  of  it,  on  a  slant,  a 
piece  of  glass,  about  three  by  four 
feet.  The  glass  was  soon  hot  and  we 
opened  up  the  packages  and  placed  the 
separate  bills  on  it.  The  space  would 
take  about  the  number  of  bills  that 
were  in  each  $500  package,  and  the 
heat  of  the  glass  and  fire  was  suffi- 
cient to  dry  them  out  as  rapidly  as  we 
could  place  them. 

"The  result  was  that  in  less  than  an 
hour,  we  had  dry  currency  that  we 
could  use,  and  as  far  as  I  can  re- 
member, not  a  single  dollar  had  to  be 
sent  to  the  treasury  department.  The 
year's    business,    as    we    have    before 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


301 


stated,  was  perhaps  the  most  prosper- 
ous that  Rome  ever  saw. 

"Altogether,  within  a  week's  time, 
our  business  was  running  practically 
as  smooth  as  before.  Wasn't  this  a 
wonderful  outcome  for  such  condi- 
tions?" 


TO  ARMS,  ROMANS!— There  may 
be  more  modern  speakers  than  our 
friend  Mrs.  Beulah  S.  Moseley,  but  few 
can  serve  up  an  introduction  better. 
It  fell  to  Mrs.  Moseley's  lot  to  intro- 
duce Judge  Max  Meyerhardt  to  the 
League  of  Women  Voters,  (Mrs.  An- 
nie Freeman  Johnson,  president) ,  and 
she  said  in  effect  the  following: 

"I  well  remember  an  introduction 
which  Judge  Meyerhardt  gave  to  Judge 
Branham  at  a  meeting  of  the  women 
of  the  Order  of  Eastern  Star.  'Ladies,' 
he  said,  'we  welcome  you  to  our  city 
with  open  arms,  which  is  with  me 
merely  a  figure  of  speech,  but  with 
my  young  companion  Judge  Branham 
is  a   matter  of  action.' 

"So  I  say  to  Judge  Meyerhardt  that 
the  women  voters  welcome  him  in  the 
same  fashion.  With  me  that  is  a  fig- 
ure   of    speech,    but    with    our    lovely 

president, !" — Rome  News,  Dec. 

10,  1920. 

*     *     * 

ANECDOTES  OF  MAJOR  DENT. 
— Maj.  Jno.  H.  Dent  lived  at  Big  Ce- 
dar Creek,  Vann's  Valley,  two  miles 
north  of  Cave  Spring,  and  for  quite  a 
number  of  years  contributed  articles 
on  farming  and  poultry  to  Northern 
agricultural  journals  and  to  Southern 
newspapers.  Once  upon  a  time,  a 
Pennsylvania  farmer,  who  had  been 
reading  the  Major's  wise  rules  for 
farming,  visited  Rome  and  took  a  hack 
down  to  Vann's  Valley.  The  hackman 
stopped  and  announced  that  Maj.  Dent 
lived  up  the  hill  in  the  two-story  brick 
house.  The  traveler  expressed  some 
doubt  that  the  Major  resided  there  (for 
nothing  out  of  the  ordinary  was  grow- 
ing) ,  but  he  went  to  the  door  and 
knocked. 

"Is  this  Major  Dent?"  inquired  the 
visitor. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Well,  I  came  down  from  near  Phila- 
delphia to  see  your  chicken  runs." 

"I'm  sorry,  sir,  but  I  haven't  got 
any   chicken  runs  or  chickens   either." 

"But  I've  been  reading  your  advice 
on    chickens    for    several    years." 

"Oh,  I  don't  write  for  myself,  but 
for    the    other    fellow!" 


Walter  D.  Wellborn,  formerly  of 
New  Orleans,  now  of  Atlanta,  and 
brother  of  M.  B.  Wellborn,  relates  how 
he  visited  his  grandfather  Dent  many 
years  ago  as  a  boy.  Young  Walter 
wanted  to  go  over  and  see  Col.  Benj. 
C.  Yancey,  a  neighbor,  and  asked  his 
grandfather  if  he  didn't  want  to  go  too. 

"No,  son,"  replied  Maj.  Dent.  "I 
admire  Col.  Yancey  very  much,  but  he 
can  talk  a  saint  out  of  patience." 

Walter  went  over  and  met  Col.  Yan- 
cey, who  was  superintending  the  erec- 
tion of  a  barn. 

"How  is  your  grandfather  getting 
along,  my  boy?"  asked  the  colonel. 

"He's    doing    all    right,    thank    you." 

"Well,  I  am  very  fond  of  Major  Dent, 
but  he  bores  me  to  death;  he  could 
talk  the  wings  off  of  an  angel." 

PAT  CONWAY  AND  THE 
"GOAT." —  Patrick  Conway,  said  to  be 
residing  in  Texas,  was  a  well-known 
and  efficient  tinner  of  Rome.  In  1890 
he  contracted  to  repair  the  stove  in 
the  hall  of  Cherokee  Lodge  No.  66  in 
the  Masonic  Temple,  and  also  to  fix  the 
roof  so  the  weather  would  not  beat 
down  upon  the  assembled  brethren.  He 
was  due  to  start  the  job  one  morning, 
but  decided  he  could  mend  the  stove 
at  night  and  thus  save  time.  Climbing 
the  long  stairway  with  a  repair  kit, 
he  opened  the  lodge  room  door,  when 
out  dashed  a  white  object  like  a  streak 
of  greased  lightning,  upsetting  the 
stove  and  sending  clinkers  and  soot 
all  over  the  floor.  The  stovepipe  must 
have  hit  Pat,  for  he  emerged  with  some 
fine  smudges  of  soot.  It  was  not  known 
which  got  to  Broad  Sti'eet  first— the 
biped  or  the  quadruped — but  neither 
hit  the  stairs  many  times  coming  down. 
Pat  lost  his  hat  and  didn't  stop  until 
he  had  reached  a  corner  light,  there 
to   "review"    himself. 

It  is  said  Pat  never  went  back  for 
his  tools,  nor  did  he  mount  the  roof 
to  complete  his  undertaking.  Asked 
why  by  a  committee  from  the  Lodge, 
he  "said,  "Faith,  1  never  bargained  for 
to  be  chased  out  by  the  bloody  goat! 
And  now,  begorra,  he  will  nivver  be 
caught  again,  and  you  will  be  foriver 
blamin'    me!" 

The  "goat"  was  a  white  bird  dog 
left  in  the  hall  by  a  hunter  member. 

*  !(:  * 

A  RELIC  OF  LONG  AGO.— Floyd 
County  has  a  "show  place,"  now  some- 
what in  a  state  of  disrepair,  that  in 
some  respects   suggests   Barnsley  Gar- 


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A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


dens  in  the  neighboring  county  of  Bar- 
tow. On  a  ridge  about  a  mile  north 
of  Silver  Creek  Station,  Southern  rail- 
way, near  Lindale,  is  a  residence  built 
like  they  used  to  build  them:  cement 
walls  two  feet  thick,  rooms  approxi- 
mately 50  feet  square,  including  re- 
ception and  ball  rooms,  and  a  barn 
in  keeping  with  the  rest.  It  was  the 
property  of  Elmer  E.  Kirkland,  of 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.  Rumor  had  it  that 
the  mansion  and  the  beautiful  and  ex- 
tensive grounds  would  be  converted 
into  a  country  club,  but  the  place  was 
recently  acquired  by  Will  Collins,  de- 
veloper of  Collinwood  Park,  East 
Rome's  residence  subdivision,  and  will 
probably  be  used  for  manufacturing 
purposes. 

*  :;:  * 

GEMS  FROM  "UNCLE  STEVE." 
— Steve  Eberhart,  the  slavery  time  dar- 
key whose  gyrations  around  Confed- 
erate veterans'  reunions  with  live 
chickens  under  his  arm  always  stir  up 
the  ebullitions  of  guilty  bystanders 
and  others,  yesterday  submitted  to  an 
interview  as  he  filled  a  place  in  the 
picket  line  at  their  meeting  at  the 
Carnegie    Library. 

"Steve,  how  does  your  corporosity 
seem  to   segashuate?" 


"Fine  as  split  silk,"  promptly  re- 
turned Steve,  who  had  borrowed  that 
expression   in   Cedartown. 

"Well,  Steve,  do  you  suppose  your 
opsonic  index  would  coagulate  should 
the  Republican  administration  at 
Washington  send  down  here  and  try 
to  get  you  to  accept  an  office?" 

"It  mout,  boss,  but  dere  ain't  no 
chance  to  git  dis  here  Steve  to  'cept 
no    place   wid   dem   folks." 

"Wouldn't  you  like  to  represent  your 
country    in   the   jungles   of   Africa?" 

"Lordy,  boss,  I's  skeered  enuf  o'  de 
varmints  we  have  right  here  around 
Rome.  And  as  fer  dem  cannibalists, 
you  sholy  don't  ketch  dis  old  nigger 
furnishin'  de  bones  for  none  o'  dat 
missionary  stew.  Naw,  sir,  I's  bleeged 
to  decline  with  profound  deliberation. 
Dem  'publicans  jes'  want  de  nigger's 
vote.  Steve  Eberhart's  a  lily  white 
Democrat,   Steve  is!" — Aug.  7,  1921. 


STEVE  EBERHART,  an  old  slav,-  wh..  ua- 
Henry  Grady's  valet  in  colleKe  at  Athe^^^ 
and    is    now  mascot   of   the  Veterans. 


Steve  Eberhart,  the  ancient  Sene- 
gambian  who  dresses  up  in  flags  and 
feathers,  mostly  just  before  Confeder- 
ate reunion  time,  has  written  a  card  in 
which  he  pours  out  his  libations  of  joy 
and  gratitude  to  the  "white  folks"  for 
their  generosity  in  giving  him  enough 
money  to  attend  the  state  meeting  at 
Albany. 

Steve  hopes  the  fountain  of  satis- 
faction may  overflow  for  his  friends 
and  the  wax  tapers  burn  brightly  on 
high,  while  he  stews  in  the  sacred  unc- 
tion   here  below.— May    16,   1921. 

"I  want  to  thank  the  good  white 
people  of  Rome  for  sending  me  to 
Texas  to  the  Old  Soldiers'  Reunion. 
I  am  thankful.  I  shall  ever  remain 
in  my  place,  and  be  obedient  to  all  the 
white  people.  I  pray  that  the  angels 
may  guard  the  homes  of  all  Rome,  and 
the  light  of  God  shine  upon  them.  I 
will  now  give  you  a  rest  until  the  re- 
union next  year,  if  the  Lord  lets  me 
live  to  see  it.  Your  humble  servant, 
Steve    Eberhart."— 1920. 

ONE  WEEK  A  ROMAN.— Harry 
A.  Etheridge,  Atlanta  lawyer,  once 
said  goodbye  to  Rome  after  a  brief 
stay.  His  folks  were  living  on  the  old 
Sequoyah  "ranch"  at  Alpine,  Chat- 
tooga County,  when  he  finished  his 
studies  at  the  University  of  Virginia. 
He  came  home;  no  opportunity,  and 
wise  heads  advised  him  to  seek  his  for- 
tune in  Rome.  That  was  about  1891. 
He  became  connected  with  the  law  of- 
fice  of   Capt.    Christopher    Rowell    and 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


303 


was  doing  a  thriving  business  for  one 
so  young,  until  something  happened,  a 
week  later. 

Mr.  Etheridge's  uncle,  Wm.  J. 
Northen,  was  governor  at  the  time.  He 
mentioned  the  connection  to  Capt. 
Rowell,  who  said,  "That's  fortunate; 
I  should  like  to  fill  a  judgeship  va- 
cancy. You  go  to  Atlanta  and  see 
what  a  high  recommendation  you  can 
give  me." 

The  young  lawyer  agreed;  went  to 
see  his  uncle  at  the  capitol  in  Atlanta, 
and  presented  Capt.  Rowell's  attain- 
ments with  the  eloquence  of  a  com- 
mencement orator.  He  also  shook 
hands  with  some  Atlanta  lawyer 
friends.  The  result  was  that  Capt. 
Rowell  did  not  land  the  judgeship,  but 
Harry  Etheridge  landed  in  Atlanta, 
and  has  been  there  ever  since. 

TRIBUTE  TO  A  PRINC:e.— A 
young  lawyer,  a  highly  eligible  bache- 
lor named  Eli  S.  Shorter,  Jr.,  son  of 
the  war-time  Governor  of  Alabama, 
and  nephew  of  Col.  Alfred  Shorter, 
came  to  Rome  perhaps  50  years  ago 
from  Eufaula,  Ala.,  to  practise  his 
profession.  He  was  a  tall,  handsome, 
dashing  fellow — a  social  lion  as  well 
as  a  clever  barrister — and  he  became 
immensely  popular.  His  acquaintance 
was  wide  geographically  and  many 
were  the  invitations  which  the  post- 
man brought  to  him  from  out  of  town, 
as   well    as   from   around   the   corner. 

One  day  he  died  of  pneumonia,  and 
thus  were  the  hearts  of  his  friends 
put  to  the  test,  nor  did  they  waver. 
Three  beautiful  young  women  appear- 
ed in  Rome  from  different  points — 
Augusta,  Macon,  Athens;  representa- 
tives of  some  of  the  state's  leading 
families  they  were,  nor  were  they  of 
his  kith  and  kin.  All  donned  mourn- 
ing as  preparations  were  made  to 
send  him  home;  all  softened  their 
grief  through  their  tears;  and  one, 
more  ingenious  than  her  sorrowing  sis- 
ters, lifted  the  lid  of  the  coffin  and 
put  something  in.  It  was  a  lock  of 
her   hair. 

*     *     * 

A  DISCORDANT  NOTE  AMONG 
THE  METHODISTS.  —  Orthodoxy 
with  religious  sects  was  more  studious- 
ly adhered  to  half  a  century  ago  than 
it  is  today.  P^or  instance,  when  the 
first  Methodist  Church  was  built  at 
Sixth  Avenue  and  P"]ast  Second  Street 
in  1850,  the  members  generally  gave 
vent  to  their  religious  fervor  by  shout- 
ing; some  of  them  even  became  ex- 
hausted and  rolled  on  the  floor.    Such 


a  new-fangled  device  as  a  pipe  organ 
was  not  to  be  tolerated,  for  was  not 
the  natural  melody  of  the  human  voice 
sufficient  unto  the  Lord? 

Little  by  little,  however,  a  progres- 
sive spirit  asserted  itself,  and  arti- 
ficial notes  were  held  by  a  faction  of 
the  brethren  and  sisters  to  be  not  only 
desirable,  but  necessary  to  a  whole- 
some development  of  the  soul.  The 
progressives  were  led  by  a  woman — 
Mrs.  Wm.  A.  Fort,  formerly  Eudocia 
Hargrove,  daughter  of  Zachariah  B. 
Hargrove,  one  of  the  founders  of 
Rome ;  the  conservatives  were  led  by 
Daniel  R.  Mitchell,  himself  one  of 
Rome's  founders,  who  named  Rome, 
and  a  donor  of  the  very  land  on  which 
the  church  stood,  and  a  liberal  sub- 
scriber to  the  building  fund.  Colonel 
Mitchell  invariably  carried  a  heavy 
hickory  walking  cane  and  was  accom- 
panied everywhere  he  went  by  a  mon- 
grel dog  whose  elongevity  and  bench- 
leggedness  would  dub  him  in  Germany 
a  dachshund.  For  convenience  in  at- 
tending to  his  church  duties,  Col. 
Mitchell  did  not  always  sit  with  the 
family,  but  occupied  the  corner  of  a 
bench  or  pew  in  the  extreme  front  of 
the  edifice.  Mrs.  Fort  sat  dangerously 
close  by,  and  on  the  occasion  in  ques- 
tion she  had  brought  well  wrapped  in 
a  shawl  and  unknown  to  Col.  Mitchell 
a  bulky  object. 

As  the  choir  lifted  up  their  voices, 
Mrs.  Fort  jumped  to  her  feet  and  be- 
gan playing  vigorously  on  a  melodeon, 
and  singing  "Hallelujah!"  until  the 
rafters  rattled.  Colonel  Mitchell  gave 
her  a  withering  look,  seized  his  walk- 
ing stick  and  stalked  out  of  the  church, 
closely  followed  by  his  dog  and  a  num- 
ber of  churchmen  who  shared  his  feel- 
ings. When  the  Forts  and  the  Har- 
groves  spoke  to  the  Mitchell  adherents 
again  it  was  to  announce  (thank  you!) 
that  they  had  affiliated  with  the  Pres- 
byterian" Church,  and  when  the  Under- 
woods (boi'n  musicians)  spoke,  it  was 
to  declare  they  had  gone  to  the  Episco- 
pal. 

Time  and  a  better  understanding 
heal  all  such  rifts  among  Christian 
brethren.  Colonel  Mitchell  passed 
away  in  1870  in  Florida,  and  eight 
years  later  the  "shouting"  brothers 
and  the  "musical"  brothers  who  were 
left  put  their  shoulders  to  the  wheel 
for  a  brand  new  church  in  a  differ- 
ent neighborhood,  with  one  of  the  best 
pipe    organs    that    could   be    procured. 

The  removal,  writes  Mrs.  Naomi  P. 
Bale,  "caused  much  dissension  and 
heartache      among      the      membership. 


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A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  GROUP  OF  PICTURESQUE  OLD  HOMES  OF  ROME. 

1 — "Terrace  Hill,"  John  H.  Lumpkin  (now  Robt.  L.  Morris)  home.  2 — "Oak  Hill,"  home 
of  Miss  Martha  Berry.  3— "Alhambra."  DeSoto  Park,  b""*  by  Philip  W.  Hemphill.  4— 
"Nemophila,"  the  Hoyt  home,  where  Frank  L.  Stanton  brought  his  bride  S—A.  i.  Burney 
home.  6 — "Arcadia,"  Daniel  S.  Printup  home,  in  North  Rome.  7— "Woodlawn,  home  ot  Ur 
A.   C.   Shamblin,   built   by   Judge  Jas.   M.   SpuUock,    and    once    owned   by   Judge   Max    Meyerhardt. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


305 


Many  had  been  led  into  the  light  about 
the  old  institution's  sacred  altars. 
There,  too,  had  marriage  vows  been 
plighted,  children  consecrated  by  bap- 
tism to  God;  and  from  these  dear  por- 
tals loved  ones  had  been  borne,  never 
to  return.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  our 
hearts  clung  tenaciously  to  this  old 
edifice?" 


A  FAMOUS  SCHOOL  TEACHER. 
— Rome  and  Cave  Spring  used  to  boast 
a  school  teacher  whose  reputation  for 
whipping  obstreperous  youths  spread 
far  beyond  the  borders  of  the  state. 
In  the  days  before  the  war  it  was  left 
for  Col.  Simpson  Fouche  to  apply  doses 
of  "hickory  oil" — a  dozen  sharp  licks 
in  the  palm  of  the  hand  with  a  ruler — 
but  when  Palemon  J.  King  caine  along 
he    outdid    Col.    Fouche    at    his    best. 

Prof.  King  fought  through  the  Civil 
War  and  made  a  fine  soldier.  He  was 
brought  up  with  straight-laced  ideas 
about  obedience  and  pure  book  learn- 
ing, and  was  always  prepared  to  back 
up  his  words  with  force  if  need  be. 
His  military  school  was  the  Confeder- 
ate army,  and  his  preparation  was 
made  at  Hearn  Academy  at  Cave 
Spring. 

Plenty  of  Romans  remember  Prof. 
King — "P.  J.,"  as  many  preferred  to 
call  him.  He  was  a  powerfully-built 
man  of  six  feet  and  200  pounds,  a  kind- 
ly man,  but  one  who  insisted  on  hav- 
ing his  way  with  the  pupils  placed 
under  his  charge.  His  hair  was  thin, 
but  long  and  white,  and  he  wore  a  full 
beard.  His  coat  was  a  Prince  Albert 
cut,  always  black;  his  trousers  were 
black,  and  his  shirt  was  stiff  bosomed 
and  white;  his  collar  standing  and  his 
tie  usually  a  loose  bow  with  long  free 
ends;  and  he  wore  a  sort  of  gaiter  on 
his  feet,  with  broad  toe,  and  thick 
soles,  and  elastic  for  stretching  the  up- 
pers over  the  foot,  with  straps  to  pull 
'em  on.  Like  many  of  the  people  of 
the  time,  he  blacked  his  own  boots. 
He  carried  a  white  cotton  handker- 
chief in  his  right-hand  hip  pocket  or 
hid  away  in  his  coat-tails,  and  on  oc- 
casion he  wore  specs  that  magnified 
small  print  for  his  eyes  of  blue.  He 
had  no  time  for  the  frivolities  of  the 
day,  but  religiously  read  from  the 
Bible  each  morning  some  helpful  pas- 
sage to  his  young  charges;  and  if  he 
laughed  it  was  usually  after  hours  or 
on  some  jaunt  when  he  could  i)roperly 
relax.  His  idea  was  to  let  them  learn, 
and  if  they  refused,  then — take  the 
"consequences." 

Several    stories    are    told    concerning 


the  stern  though  just  measures  Prof. 
King  pursued.  One  concerns  Hal 
Wright,  who  later  became  a  popular 
and  leading  member  of  the  Rome  bar. 
Hal  was  moi-e  or  less  of  a  wayward 
and  good-for-nothing  boy,  as  the  ped- 
agogue viewed  him.  While  going  to 
school  to  Prof.  King  at  Cave  Spring, 
Hal  broke  one  of  the  rules,  but  be- 
fore Prof.  King  could  get  to  him  with 
a  hickory,  he  had  run  out  of  the  build- 
ing and  made  good  his  escape.  Prof. 
King  followed,  but  the  young  imp  of 
Satan  had  too  much  start  to  be  over- 
hauled. From  a  safe  distance  Hal 
placed  his  thumb  to  his  nose  and  wig- 
gled his  fingers,  but  he  did  not  go 
back  to  school  next  day.  He  went  far, 
far  away — to  Texas,  some  folks  say. 
Prof.  King  did  not  forget  that  super- 
latively contemptuous  gesture  or  the 
infraction    of    discipline. 

In  two  years  Hal  decided  to  come 
home.  His  good  mother,  Mrs.  Har- 
riet Wright,  herself  a  teacher  who  had 
had  experience  with  mischievous  boys, 
laid  the  law  down  to  him.  "If  you  re- 
turn here,  I'm  going  to  put  you  in 
school  again,  so  you  won't  be  worry- 
ing the  life  out  of  me,"  she  wrote. 
Hal  was  willing,  only  he  was  hoping 
deep  in  his  heart  that  Prof.  King  had 
moved  on.     Prof.   King  hadn't. 

"Well,  'fesser,  I'm  back."  announced 
Hal,   with    a    grin. 

"All  right,  Hal,  just  take  that  front 
row  desk  and  I'll  lend  you  a  blue  back 
speller  until  you  can  provide  yourself 
with  a  book.  Here  is  a  slate,  too." 

Recess  time  came  and  Hal  romped 
like  a  care-free  kangaroo  over  the 
school  greensward  with  his  playmates, 
and  splashed  through  the  water  cress 
as  if  nary  a  moccasin  lay  hidden  there. 
Finally  time  came  for  school  to  let 
out  for  the  day,  and  Hal  started  side- 
wise  for  the  door. 

"Hold  on,  Hal,  I  want  to  speak  with 
you,"    invited    Prof.    King. 

Hal  declined  the  invitation,  for  Prof. 
King  had  taken  two  giant  strides  to 
the  blackboard,  and  had  brought  out 
from  behind  it  with  a  savage  swish 
a  l)un(ne  of  hickories  with  newspapers 
wrapped  around  the  handles,  and 
mean-looking  and  long.  Hal  grablxMl 
his  hat  and  jumped  down  the  steps 
four  at  a  time.  Hal's  legs  had  grown 
those  two  years,  but  so  had  the  de- 
termination' of  Prof.  King.  The  old 
war-horse  ran  so  fast  that  his  long 
coattails  stood  out  straight  behind  and 
his  whiskers  pai'tcd  iierfectly  in  the 
middle  and  met  again  back  of  his  neck. 
All    the   boys    and    all    the    girls    stood 


306 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


in    awed    silence,    and    most    of    them 
were  pulling  for  Hal. 

Little  Cedar  Creek,  three  feet  deep 
and  fifteen  feet  wide,  loomed  ahead. 
"No  time  to  hunt  a  foot-log,"  reason- 
ed Hal,  as  he  plunged  in  and  came  out 
dripping    on    the    other    side. 

"I've  nearly  got  the  young  jack- 
anapes!" exclaimed  Prof.  King  as  he 
followed  Hal's  lead  and  lost  one  of  his 
gaiters   in   the    creek   bottom's   sand. 

Yes,  gentle  reader,  Prof.  King 
caught  that  boy;  caught  him  under 
a  weeping  willow  tree,  but  it  wasn't 
a  willow  switch  he  tamed  him  with, 
and  Hal  wept  copiously  under  the 
weeping  willow. 

Several  years  elapsed  and  Prof. 
King  hired  a  hall  in  the  Masonic  Tem- 
ple Annex  at  Rome,  and  set  up  his 
school.  There  was  room  for  about  20 
boys,  and  some  of  them  were  the  three 
Rounsaville  brothers,  Barry  and  Louis 
Wright,  Wilson  Hardy,  Lindley  Mc- 
Clure,  Hugh  Parks,  Fred  Hanson, 
Hamilton  Yancey,  Jr.,  Eddie  Peters, 
Andrew  Mitchell,  Victor  Smith,  Harry 
Morris,  Waldo  Davis  and  Oscar  Todd. 
It  was  the  good  year  1895,  and  all 
was  well  until  Rob  Rounsaville  dan- 
gled a  cork  spider  with  rubber  legs 
over  the  face  of  a  boy  in  front.  The 
boy  jumped  out  of  his  seat  and  Prof. 
King  caught  sight  of  Rob's  wonder- 
ful   insect. 

"Come  up  here!"  thundered  Prof. 
King;  "I'll  teach  you  how  to  make 
light  of  my  instruction,  sir!" 

Prof.  King  reached  for  a  ruler  this 
time,  to  crack  Rob  across  the  knuckles, 
when  George  Rounsaville  let  loose  an 
ink  bottle  from  the  rear  of  the  room. 
The  cork  flew  out  of  the  bottle,  and 
everybody  got  a  little  ink,  but  Prof. 
King  received  most  of  it,  as  the  bottle 
hit  him  on  the  right  temple  where 
his  hair  had  receded.  Roy  Rounsa- 
ville was  about  to  hurl  an  arithmetic 
but  the  old  gentleman  had  disappear- 
ed down  the  long  hall,  yelling  "Po- 
lice!" as  he  went.  The  scholars  took 
a  recess;  no  use  to  hold  school  any 
more  that  day.  As  usual,  the  police 
were  somewhere  else,  and  it  was  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes  before  Prof.  King 
could  locate  one,  or  swab  most  of  the 
ink  and  blood  from  his  face.  By  that 
time  the  Rounsaville  boys  had  entirely 
disappeared. 

"I  know  where  to  find  'em,"  said 
Joe  Sharp  to  Bill  Jones.  Sure  enough, 
George  and  Rob  and  Roy  were  hid- 
ing under  some  bales  of  hay  at  the 
Rounsaville     warehouse.      The     police- 


men told  them  to  come  to  police  court, 
and  there  some  kind  of  justice  was 
meted  out — it  matters  not  just  how 
much.  George  left  to  join  a  circus 
and  Rome  quieted  down.  School  really 
broke  up. 

Not  very  long  after  this  incident, 
Prof.  King  encountered  another  bit  of 
bad  luck,  this  time  of  a  less  deliber- 
ate character.  He  was  getting  his 
whiskers  trimmed  in  a  barber  shop 
about  where  the  Nixon  Music  House 
is  located.  A  careless  brick-mason 
working  on  the  roof  above  let  a  brick 
fall  through  a  sky-light  and  hit  Prof. 
King  on  the  head.  Result:  the  barber 
lost  the  price  of  a  perfectly  good  trim. 

In  the  spring  of  1898,  while  the 
Spanish-American  war  was  on,  the 
King  School  was  opened  over  the  Cald- 
well Printing  Company's  present  lo- 
cation on  Third  Avenue.  A  large 
brass  dinner  bell  rung  out  of  the  front 
window  by  Prof.  King  announced  that 
recess  was  over.  The  hallway  stairs 
were  long  and  carried  the  human  voice 
in  a  sonorous  volume  into  the  profes- 
sor's sanctum  and  ears.  This  hap- 
pened often.  The  boys  emitted  cat 
calls  and  yells  until  the  old  man's 
life  was  miserable.  After  perpetrating 
a  war-whoop  or  a  bleating  "Baa-a-a!" 
they  would  disappear  around  the  near- 
by corner.  Prof.  King's  chin  would 
appear  at  the  window,  his  whiskers 
quivering.  The  boys  would  come  to 
the  class  room  next  day  in  all  the 
robes   of  perfect   innocence. 

Across  the  street  in  "Poverty  Hall" 
Rev.  Hay  Watson  Smith,  a  Presbyte- 
rian minister,  as  well  as  a  teacher, 
had  started  a  select  boys'  school,  and 
had  taken  some  of  the  cream  of  the 
students  away  from  Prof.  King.  One 
day  the  Smith  School  boys  made  use 
of  Prof.  King's  hall;  likely  as  not 
they  heaved  some  coal  up  the  steps. 
Prof.  King  threw  the  dinner  bell  out 
the  window  at  them,  and  was  about 
to  invade  the  Smith  premises  when 
Wilson  Hardy  and  Barry  Wright  came 
across   with   an    apology. 

A  week  after  this  Hugh  Parks  got 
a  whipping  for  whistling  in  school,  and 
when  he  whistled  again.  Prof.  King 
choked  him  until  he  grew  white  in  the 
face.  Two  chastisements  in  one  day 
for  one  boy  was  not  unusual.  Many 
wore  a  double  thickness  of  pants  and 
an   occasional  book  in  the   seat. 

That  was  one  way,  the  old  fashioned 
way,  of  learning,  and  they  all  learned 
to  love  the  courage,  the  manhood  and 
the    ideals    of    Palemon    J.    King. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


307 


WHIGS  IN  FLOYD.— Floyd  Coun- 
ty Whigs  met  Tuesday,  Aug.  3,  1852, 
at  the  court  house  and  elected  dele- 
gates to  their  state  convention,  which 
convened  Aug.  17  at  Macon.  The 
leading  Whigs  of  the  county  follow, 
according  to  The  Courier  of  July  29 : 


A.  N.  Verdery 
J.  H.  Craven 
W.  E.  Alexander 
H.  A.  Gartrell 
Richard   S.  Zuber 
J.   J.    Yarbrough 
J.  D.  Ford 
Henry  Harris 
Robt.  O'Barr 
G.  W.  Shaw 
W.  J.  McCoy 
Wm.  A.   Choice 
A.  G.  Ware 
C.  M.  Bayless 
J.  S.  Ward 
G.   M.   T.   Ware 
Jno.  DeJournett 
Jno.  C.  Eve 
Dr.  Geo.  M.  Battey 

A.  B.  Coulter 
Robt.  Battey 
R.   J.   Mulkey 
S.   W.    Stafford 

B.  T.   Hawkins 
Henry  A.   Smith 
J.   D.   Dickerson 
O.   Renaud 
Alfred   Shorter 
J.  W.  Gear 

C.  Attaway 
Jno.  Harkins 
S.  T.   Sawrie 
C.  W.  Johnson 
F.  M.  Allen 

S.  Allman 
Wm.   Ketcham 
C.   H.   Morefield 


Jno.  Hendricks 
T.  J.   Verdery 
Wm.  H.  White 
Robt.  T.  McCay 
Genuluth   Winn 
T.  J.  Treadaway 
Larkin  Barnett 
C.  L.  Webb 
Joel  Marable 
J.  G.  McKenzie 
Jos.  Ford 
W.  C.  Hendricks 
Dr.  H.  B.  Ransom 
P.   Steward 
Wm.  Adkins 
F.  D.  Locke 
M.  W.  Johnson 
A.  M.  Lazenby 
Willis  Bobo 
Edmund  Metts 
A.  G.  Pitner 
C.  McCoy 

A.  L.  Patton 
Allen  Griffin 
Wm.  Clark 
T.  M.  Wood 

B.  W.  Ross 
J.  R.  Payne 
F.   M.  Cabot 

C.  T.  Cunningham 
S.  G.  Wells 

N.  W.  Lovell 
A.  M.  Sloan 
J.  Berry 
I.    Dave   Ford 
L.   R.   Blakeman 
Thos.   J.   Perry. 


A  DUEL  ON  BROAD.— It  was  sort 
of  customary  in  the  old  days  to  shoot 
folks  you  didn't  like.  The  original 
"Bill"  Arp  and  "Bill"  Johnson  had 
been  good  friends  up  to  about  1863. 
"Bill"  Johnson  had  asked  "Bill"  Arp 
to  look  after  his  younger  brother,  Jeff 
Johnson,  at  the  front  in  Virginia.  Jeff 
had  got  down  sick,  and  here  was 
"Bill"  Arp  back  in  Rome  on  a  fur- 
lough. The  two  "Bills"  met  out  in 
the  country  somewhere  and  came  to 
town  in  "Bill"  Johnson's  buggy.  They 
went  into  a  saloon  next  to  the  old 
Choice  House  or  Central  Hotel,  where 
the  Hotel  Forrest  now  stands.  After 
a  few  drinks,  they  fell  to  quarreling. 
"Bill"  Johnson  accused  "Bill"  Arp  of 
neglecting  his  brother  Jeff. 

Both  of  them  may  have  been  armed ; 
one   account  says   "Bill"  Johnson   gave 


"Bill"  Arp  the  choice  of  two  of  John- 
son's pistols.  At  any  rate,  they  went 
outside,  and  "Bill"  Johnson  said. 
"Now,  you  walk  across  the  street,  and 
when  you  reach  the  sidewalk,  you  turn 
around  and  shoot,  because  I'm  going 
to    be    shootin'    at   you!" 

"Bill"  Arp  was  born  in  Bartow 
County  and  had  lived  nearly  all  his 
life  in  Chulio  District  of  Floyd,  and 
he  was  game  to  the  core. 

"Bill"  Johnson  waited  coolly  at  the 
near  curb  and  "Bill"  Arp  strode  brave- 
ly across.  The  firing  started.  As  they 
shot,  they  advanced  on  each  other.  No 
cover  was  between,  not  even  a  trash 
box.  L.  P.  Reynolds,  of  216  North 
PMfth  Avenue,  Fourth  Ward,  an  eye- 
witness, says  when  "Bill"  Arp's  pis- 
tol was  empty,  he  rushed  forward  to 
strike  "Bill"  Johnson  with  the  butt 
of  it.  This  was  not  necessary.  His 
antagonist  was  down  and  dying  from 
several  wounds,  for  Arp  was  a  crack 
shot.  "Bill"  Johnson  had  counted  at 
least  once.  He  shot  Arp  in  the  chest 
or  side  and  the  bullet  followed  a  rib 
to  the  back,  lodged  under  the  skin  and 
was  cut  out. 

After  the  war  Bill  Arp  and  Jeff 
Johnson  happened  to  find  themselves 
crossing  the  Etowah  River  at  Free- 
man's Ferry  in  the  same  batteau.  Arp 
couldn't  swim,  and  Johnson  started 
rocking  the  boat.  Arp  shucked  off  his 
coat  and  started  rocking  until  the 
water  began  coming  over  the  side. 
"All  right,  Jeff,"  said  Arp,  "when 
she  sinks  I'm  going  to  camp  around 
your  neck— I  golly!"  "Quit  that,  Bill; 
don't  be  a  fool!"  urged  Johnson.  Arp 
ceased  rocking  and  they  paddled  the 
balance  of   the   distance   in   peace. 

Bill  Arp  later  moved  to  Clarendon, 
Ark,  and  went  to  farming  again.  IMr. 
Reynolds  and  Virgil  A.  Stewart  say 
he  fell  off  a  wagon  load  of  corn  in 
1883  and  was  killed.  Another  account 
has  it  that  he  was  traveling  \yith  a 
caravan  of  "prairie  scho<mers,"  tied 
up  at  night,  went  to  sleep  under  a 
wagon  and  had  his  neck  broken  when 
the  mules,  still  hitched  to  the  convey- 
ance, started  off  suddenly.  There  he 
lies,  in  the  forks  of  the  Military  and 
Helena  roads — the  man  who  furnish- 
ed a  noted  name  to  Georgia. 
t-     *     * 

AN  INLAND  VOYAGE.— We  left 
Rome  about  daylight  on  a  drizzly  Fri- 
day morning  on  board  the  steamer  Re- 
saca,  of  the  White  Star  line.  Captain 
George  H.  Magruder  in  command,  with 
a  full  crew  and  the  venerable  Captain 
Frank  J.  Benjamin  in  the  engine  room. 


308 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


said  Montgomery  M.  Folsom  in  The 
Rome   Tribune  about  1895. 

Sam  Cosper  was  first  mate  and  Hub 
Coulter  second,  and  I  was  the  lone 
passenger.  I  was  weary  and  worn  out, 
sick  and  disgusted,  and  I  wanted  to 
get  as  far  from  civilization  as  possi- 
ble with  the  means  at  my  command. 

Some  men  would  have  started  for 
darkest  Africa,  feeling  as  I  did,  but  I 
decided  to  compromise  on  darkest  Ala- 
bamia,  and  I  succeeded  beyond  my  own 
expectations. 

We  carried  as  cook  and  steward  two 
of  the  most  peculiar  characters  that 
it  has  ever  been  my  fortune  to  run 
up  with — Amy,  a  matronly  negress  of 
the  old  sort,  ready  to  sympathize  with 
all  your  sorrows  and  to  offer  you  a 
cup  of  coffee  or  sassafras  tea  every 
time  she  saw  the  wrinkles  deepen  on 
your  forehead,  and  Dick,  a  diminutive 
darkey  who  might  have  been  anywhere 
from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  of  age,  just  as  you  chose  to 
calculate. 

Dick  was  about  five  feet  high,  of  a 
pale  dun  color,  with  a  little  goatee  of 
scattered  whiskers  on  his  retreating 
chin  and  a  short-stemmed  black  pipe 
of  the  rankest  sort  that  the  fiends  of 
nicotine  ever  dreamed  of  in  their  wild- 
est vagaries  stuck  between  his  lips, 
the  kindliest,  most  inoffensive  and  ob- 
liging darkey  I  ever  laid  my  eyes  upon. 

There  was  such  an  air  of  humility, 
without  any  fawning  affectation, 
about  him,  such  a  desire  to  please  and 
such  an  air  of  general  obligingness 
about  both  Dick  and  Amy  that  we 
made  friends  on  the  spot,  after  Cap- 
tain Magruder  had  kindly  placed  them 
at  my  disposal. 

As  for  Captain  George  Magruder, 
the  good  Lord  never  created  a  more 
royal-hearted  gentleman,  and  many 
were  the  legends  and  traditions  that 
he  recounted  as  we  stood  on  the  deck 
looking  out  over  the  broad  expanse  of 
rippling  waters,  all  agleam  with  the 
shimmer  of  myriad  stars,  with  the 
searchlight  of  the  steamer  wandering 
from  shore  to  shore  of  the  historic 
river. 

And  then  how  delightful  it  was  to 
creep  up  into  the  pilot  house  with  Sam 
Cosper  and  listen  to  his  rich  fund  of 
anecdotes  and  incidents  and  to  hear 
his  merry  laugh  ring  out  through  the 
sombre  silence  above  the  throb,  throb, 
throb  of  the  engine  and  the  swish  of 
the    parting   waters. 

We  had  reached  the  ultima  thule 
of  our  voyage,  Lock  1,  300  miles  be- 
low   Rome,    by     water.      Heaven     only 


knows  how  far  it  was  by  land,  for 
nobody  ever  traversed  it,  but  we  could 
feel  a  change  in  the  air  which  indi- 
cated a  marked  difference  in  latitude, 
and,  besides,  there  was  a  glint  of  green 
on  the  waving  willows  and  a  dash  of 
crimson  on  the  maples  that  showed 
that  we  had  glided  down  nearer  to 
meet   the    springtime. 

This  was  about  noon  on  Saturday. 
The  drifting  clouds  had  passed  away 
and  the  sun  shone  hazily  on  the  shaggy 
mountain  peaks  that  loomed  up  all 
around  us,  for  we  had  reached  the 
point  where  the  wild  Sand  mountain 
range  crosses  the  course  of  the  Coosa, 
and  below  us  for  eighty  miles  the  river 
rushes  over  rapids  and  plunges  along 
through  narrow  gorges  and  dashes 
over  cataracts,  offering  an  insur- 
mountable barrier  to  further  naviga- 
tion. 

The  Federal  government  has  ex- 
pended many  thousands  of  dollars  in 
the  improvements  at  the  three  locks, 
where  there  is  a  fall  of  over  twenty- 
five  feet  in  the  river  within  a  few 
miles,  and  is  still  at  work,  as  often 
as  an  appropriation  can  be  secured, 
endeavoring  to  extend  the  navigable 
portion  of  the  stream  still  farther 
southward. 

If  that  eighty  miles  between  Lock 
3  and  Wetumpka  could  be  opened, 
Rome  would  have  1,200  miles  of  water- 
way through  one  of  the  most  fertile 
sections  of  the  south,  taking  in  the 
granaries  of  the  Coosa  valley  and  the 
rich  cotton  fields  along  those  alluvial 
bottoms,  as  well  as  the  fine  timber- 
lands   of  the   mountain   region   below. 

But  oh,  how  lonely  is  that  out-of- 
the-way  region,  peopled  only  by  the 
lumbermen  and  "hill  billies,"  as  the 
rural  population  is  characterized  by 
the  steamboat  men.  I  gazed  on  the 
lock-keeper's  house,  provided  by  the 
government,  perched  high  on  a  swell- 
ing hill  above  the  river,  and  wonder- 
ed how  he  managed  to  while  away  his 
leisure  hours. 

You  see,  it  is  his  duty  to  open  the 
locks  twice  a  day  and  see  that  they 
are  in  working  order,  whether  any  boat 
passes  or  not,  and  otherwise  he  has 
nothing  to  do.  But  there  are  plenty 
of  buffalo  perch  in  the  river,  and  dur- 
ing the  winter  large  flocks  of  wild 
geese  and  ducks,  so  that  aside  from 
the  solitude  of  his  surroundings,  his 
situation  is  not  an  unpleasant  one. 

Dinner  was  announced  soon  after  we 
turned  our  faces  homeward,  and  we 
sat  down  with  a  relish  to  a  bountiful 
meal,   which  we   enjoyed   as   only   such 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


309 


WATER,   WATER  EVERYWHERE — AND   BOATS. 

Note  at  the  top  the  sea-going  appearance  of  the  good  ship  "Sequoyah",  built  by  Troop  2  of 
the  Boy  Scouts  in  "Beaverslide"  .  Is  it  any  wonder  that  Rome  lads  can  swim,  dive  and  sail? 
.sewhere  are  seen  various  boats  and  bathers,  the  Eagle  Troop  of  Girl  Scouts  at  the  Carnegie 
Library,  and  boys  engaged  in  games  on  Hamilton  Field.  Most  of  the  pictures  were  taken  Sept. 
5,   1921.  ^ 


310 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


voyagers  are  able  after  a  breezy  ride 
in  "the   face  of  a  stiff  gale. 

Then  began  the  toilsome  journey  up 
the  river,  which  is  full  of  shoals  and 
unusually  low  for  the  season,  which 
necessitates  the  most  careful  naviga- 
tion to  prevent  the  vessel  sticking  on 
the  rocks  or  running  her  nose  into  a 
mud  bank.  Six  miles  an  hour  was  the 
average  speed,  and  I  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  viewing  many  points  noted  in 
the   history   of   the   country. 

There  was  Canoe  Creek,  coming  in 
from  the  westward,  which  glides 
through  the  wildest  portion  of  that 
mountain  region,  whose  inhabitants 
are  cut  off  from  civilization  amid  the 
gloomy  forests  of  the  mountain  sides 
and  the  low  green  valleys,  where  they 
raise  their  little  crops  and  look  after 
their  small  flocks  of  half  wild  goats, 
razor  back  hogs  and  scrub  cattle. 

Then  there  was  Big  Will's  valley 
and  Will's  creek,  lying  between  the 
Lookout  and  Sand  Mountain  regions, 
where  thousands  of  acres  of  wheat 
lands  lie  green  and  glowing  with  the 
first  touches  of  spring,  and  where 
once  the  Cherokees  had  one  of  their 
most  important  towns  in  the  long  ago. 

A  little  farther  up  is  Greensport, 
consisting  of  a  small  country  store  and 
a  shack  of  a  sawmill  to  cut  the  tim- 
ber rafted  down  from  the  adjacent 
mountain  slopes;  and  nearby,  the  old 
P'ederal  road,  which  was  opened  by 
General  Andrew  Jackson  during  his 
campaigns  against  the  Five  Nations, 
especially  the  mighty  Muscogees, 
crosses  the  river. 

As  I  gazed  on  the  adjacent  landings 
on  either  side  of  the  river,  memories 
of  Talladega,  Big  Bend  and  Emucfau 
came  up  before  me  with  all  the  ro- 
mance attached  to  those  memorable 
days  when  "Old  Hickory"  broke  the 
spirit  of  those  dauntless  warriors  and 
haughty  chieftains  and  laid  waste 
their  towns,  destroyed  their  crops  and 
forced  them  to  make  terms  with  the 
hated  pale  faces. 

Ever  and  anon  we  passed  a  ferry 
with  its  long  wire  stretched  from  shore 
to  shore,  and  slack  enough  to  permit 
the  boat  to  pass  over  it  without  foul- 
ing, and  the  ferryman  squatted  in  his 
flat  craft,  which  was  tied  to  the  roots 
of  some  ancient  tree  on  the  shore. 

Then  we  would  pass  a  group  of  "hill 
billies,"  male  and  female,  in  pictures- 
que garments  huddled  together  on 
some  overlooking  bluff,  in  various  at- 
titudes of  listless  interest,  the  girls 
giggling  and  gesticulating  and  the 
men   smoking  short   pipes  or  whittling 


with  long-bladed  knives  on  some  treas- 
urad  scrap  of  white  pine  board  which 
had  been  saved  up  for  that  special 
purpose. 

About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
we  reached  the  quaint  old  town  of 
Gadsden,  at  one  time  one  of  the  most 
important  points  in  all  that  country, 
since  it  was  in  the  center  of  the  rich 
lands  along  the  river  and  supplied  a 
territory  extending  far  down  the  river 
and  far  up  into  the  hills  on  every 
hand.  Prior  to  the  war,  a  great  deal 
of  business  was  done  at  Gadsden,  and 
as  the  only  means  of  transportation 
was  by  the  river,  the  traffic  was  very 
profitable  to   the   steamboat  owners. 

But  the  building  of  the  Rome  and 
Decatur  and  Cincinnati  Southern  rail- 
roads changed  the  face  of  things.  At- 
talla  has  taken  away  much  of  the  trade 
formerly  enjoyed  by  Gadsden,  and 
Birmingham  and  Chattanooga  are  get- 
ting the  greater  share  of  the  business 
that  formerly  went  to  Rome,  and 
steamboating  is  not  very  profitable 
these  days. 

By  the  time  we  had  taken  on  the 
cargo  destined  for  Rome,  twilight  had 
fallen  and  we  were  just  able  to  dis- 
cern a  group  of  raftsmen  signaling 
from  the  shore  when  we  reached  the 
ancient  landing  at  Turkeytown.  They 
were  "hill  billies"  from  away  back, 
and  a  young  lady  who  embarked  at 
the  same  place  had  the  dew  of  the 
mountain  in  her  deep  blue  eyes,  and 
the  scent  of  sweet  balsam  on  her 
clothes,  so  that  I  knew  she  had  come 
down  from  some  homestead,  old  and 
gray,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  House 
of  Rocks. 

This  curious  place  is  located  on  the 
crest  of  one  of  the  spurs  of  Dirtseller 
mountain,  just  above  a  circular  val- 
ley through  which  flows  Yellow  Creek, 
a  far-famed  fishing  stream.  It  covers 
several  acx-es,  and  the  towering  bould- 
ers are  scattered  around  with  turrets 
and  pinnacles,  and  regular  streets  and 
alleys  between,  and  looks  like  a  de- 
serted pueblo  that  had  been  inhabited 
by  a   race  of  giants. 

Near  Turkeytown,  on  a  beautiful 
bluff  crowned  wieh  groves  of  wild 
cedar,  is  the  site  of  the  old  Moravian 
mission  that  was  located  there  more 
than  a  hundred  years  ago.  The  rock 
work  of  an  ancient  landing  place  on 
the  river  is  still  to  be  seen,  but  why  it 
was  built  in  such  a  substantial  man- 
ner is  hard  to  imagine,  as  that  was 
before  the  days  of  steamboats,  and  be- 
fore Rome  or  Gadsden,  Birmingham 
or     Chattanooga      had     been     located. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


311 


There  is  a  legend  that  those  Moravian 
missionaries  learned  the  secret  of  the 
Raccoon  Creek  silver  mines  from  the 
Indians,  and  that  they  took  out  a 
great  deal  of  ore  in  the  olden  days. 
But  they  have  passed  away  and  few 
memorials  of  their  existence  remain, 
and  the  location  of  the  silver  mines 
has  passed  from  the  knowledge  of 
men   for  lo   these   many  years. 

From  that  point  up,  the  river  in- 
dulges in  a  series  of  remarkable  bends, 
now  trending  away  to  the  southward 
in  a  mighty  curve ;  now  rushing  back 
to  the  northward  in  the  same  eccentric 
manner;  and  in  every  fold  of  its 
mighty  sinuosities  lie  bodies  of  fertile 
lands,  on  which  wheat,  corn,  cotton 
and  other  crops  are  grown. 

The  amount  of  chickens  and  eggs 
shipped  to  Rome  from  this  section  is 
enormous  and  almost  incredible.  We 
took  on  several  hundred  dozen  at  va- 
rious landings  during  the  night,  and 
when  morning  dawned  the  bow  of  the 
Resaca  looked  like  a  large  incubator. 

As  we  glided  along  the  river  I  asked 
Captain  Benjamin  if  he  did  not  con- 
sider it  very  crooked,  as  it  is  only  fifty 
miles  from  Rome  to  Gadsden  by  land 
and  165  by  river. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "it  bends  and  twists 
around  pretty  smartly,  but  it  is  noth- 
ing to  a  river  on  which  I  boated  in 
my  younger  days.  It  was  so  crooked 
that  sometimes  we  would  have  to  shut 
off  steam  and  let  her  drift  because  of 
the  danger  of  fouling  the  rudder  in  the 
forechains  at  the  bow  of  the  boat." 
Then  I  went  forward  and  looked  out 
over  the  water   and  meditated. 

Before  we  reached  Round  mountain 
I  had  retired  to  my  berth,  leaving  the 
forward  cabin  in  full  possession  of  the 
"hill  billies,"  who  were  piled  and  cross- 
ed on  the  floor  enjoying  a  much  needed 
rest.  One  of  them  slept  with  a  fid- 
dle under  his  arm,  and  I  heai'd  Cap- 
tain Magruder  making  very  emphatic 
remarks  as  he  picked  his  way  through 
the   throng,    and   then    I   fell    asleep. 

Along  about  midnight  I  was  awak- 
ened by  the  wailing  blast  of  the  whis- 
tle announcing  the  approach  to  some 
landing,  and  just  as  I  opened  my  eyes 
I  heard  an  old  familiar  strain  from 
the  front  cabin : 

"Oh,   hop    light,    ladies,   yer    cake's    all 

dough ; 
Hop  light,  ladies,  yer  cake's  all  dough; 
Oh,    hop    light,    ladies,    yer    cake's    all 

dough ; 
Ye    needn't    mind    the    weather    so    the 

wind   don't   blow!" 


The  fiddler  had  roused  up  and  was 
regaling  us  with  his  choicest  music, 
and  it  sounded  so  much  like  old  times 
that  I  was  real  sorry  when  I  heard  the 
sound  of  his  fiddle  growing  fainter 
and  fainter  as  he  left  the  boat  at  the 
landing  and  disappeared  in  the  dark- 
ness. 


FOLSOM'S  FAREWELL  TO 
ROME. — Montgomery  M.  Folsom,  one 
of  Georgia's  accomplished  journalists, 
is  believed  to  have  lived  about  five 
years  in  Rome,  in  which  time  he  was 
employed  as  a  member  of  the  staff  of 
The  Tribune.  He  wrote  much  verse 
and  ntany  editorials,  as  well  as  the 
squibs  in  the  day's  news.  He  was  a 
prominent  member  of  Cherokee  Lodge 
66  of  Masons,  and  for  a  time  lived  at 
the  Catholic  parsonage  on  East  First 
Street,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  Ave- 
nues. He  is  known  to  have  been  on 
The  Tribune  Nov.  20,  1892;  on  Nov. 
15,  1896,  he  was  still  there.  It  is  be- 
lieved he  left  in  1897  or  1898.  His 
path  led  to  Atlanta,  where  he  contrib- 
uted for  some  years  to  the  Atlanta 
Journal  and  the  Atlanta  Constitution 
before  his  deah.  His  lyrical  valedictory 
to    Romans   follows: 

"And  now  a  few  words  at  parting, 
for  the  day  is  drawing  nigh  when  I 
shall  turn  my  face  toward  other  scenes 
than  these  that  have  become  endeared 
to  me  thi'ough  many  trials  and 
triumphs.  Let  us  sit  down  and  have 
a  plain,  old  timey  talk.  You  all  know 
how  near  to  my  heart  I  hold  you.  That 
includes  all.  I  make  no  reservation. 
I  came  among  you  without  a  friend. 
I  want  to  go  away  without  an  enemy. 
If  there  be  any  of  you  who  feel  that 
I  have  wrongfully  used  you,  I  ask 
your  forgiveness.  All  of  you  whom 
i  feel  have  misjudged  me  I  forgive 
freely.  I  love  Rome  and  the  welfare 
of  her  people  above  all  petty  person- 
alities. 

"Time  will  efface  all  the  scars.  In 
the  golden  glory  of  the  beautiful  years 
to  come  I  shall  look  back  with  pride 
and  gratitude  that  I  was  once  a  citi- 
zen of  Rome.  I  trust  tliat  the  Great 
Ruler  of  the  universe  will  strengtlien 
and  sustain  me  so  that  you  may  never 
have  cause  to  deplore  the  confidence 
which  you  have  so  generously  reposed 
in  me.  Your  faults  are  so  infinitesi- 
mal that  they  are  lost  to  sight  in  the 
contemplation  of  your  virtues.  You 
are  an  ambitious  and  a  high-spirited 
people,  and  fair  as  the  dawn  is  the 
horoscope    of    your    future   destiny. 

"I  utter  this  prediction,  and   I  do  it 


312 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


without  flattery,  that  the  day  will 
come  when  yours  will  be  one  of  the 
fairest  cities  in  all  the  Southland.  I 
have  traveled  much  and  during  my 
checkered  career  I  have  come  in  con- 
tact with  many  people.  I  have  never 
seen  the  superiors  of  the  good  people 
of  Rome  and  there  are  more  genuine 
good  people  and  fewer  sorry  ones  to 
the  size  of  the  place  than  I  have  ever 
found  anywhere.  Your  men  would 
hold  their  own  in  any  community  and 
your  women  would  atiorn  the  highest 
circles  in  any  sphere. 

"When  I  speak  of  the  women  of 
Rome,  a  great  flood  of  chivalrous  ten- 
derness sweeps  over  my  soul.  I  have 
watched  them  in  their  works  and  ways. 
I  have  seen  their  generous  kindliness 
and  their  deeds  of  daring,  their  pa- 
tience and  perseverance,  aiid,  above 
all,  the  ideals  of  moral  and  spiritual 
elevation  after  which  their  daily  lives 
are  patterned.  Verily,  the  prediction 
of  the  future  achievement  of  the  race 
is  well  assured  with  such  an  exalted 
motherhood.  These  are  not  idle  words, 
but  the  freely  rendered  homage  of  one 
who  claims  to  be  able  to  appreciate 
the  splendor  of  their  glorious  exem- 
plification  of   true   womanliness. 

"Oh,  I  have  had  a  good  time  in 
Rome.  I  have  had  some  troubles,  but 
I  am  going  to  forget  them.  When  I 
think  of  the  innumerable  blessings  that 
I  have  enjoyed  during  my  stay  here, 
the  ills  are  already  forgotten.  My 
memory  is  very  defective  in  regard  to 
troubles,  anyway.  It  is  so  much  pleas- 
anter  to  remember  the  things  that  I 
have  enjoyed.  Recalling  sorrows  gives 
people  mental  indigestion  and  sourness 
of  the  intellect.  Life  is  so  short  that 
we  ought  to  keep  the  flowers  bloom- 
ing inside  when  the  frost  nips  them 
outside,  and  pluck  up  and  cast  out  the 
weeds  as  fast  as  they  appear. 

"And  your  preachers.  Now,  you 
have  caught  me.  I  confess  to  being 
a  jolly  old  pagan,  for  I  have  not  been 
to  preaching  often.  I  have  not  heard 
them  preach.  But  you  forget  one 
thing.  I  have  felt  them  preach.  I 
have  seen  them  day  and  night  in  the 
highways  and  byways,  in  the  privacy 
of  the  home  and  in  public  places,  and 
what  I  have  lacked  in  hearing  I  have 
absorbed  through  the  pores  of  my 
heart,  which  I  never  allow  to  become 
clogged  to  the  prevention  of  that  re- 
ceptivity of  good  influences  which 
keeps  the  trembling  needle  of  con- 
science pointing  steadily  to  the  pole 
star  of   God. 

"Oh,  you  are  a  good  people,  a  great 
people,  destined   to  be  a   grander  still. 


in  the  beautiful  years  to  come.  Call 
me  an  idle  dreamer,  an  optimist,  if 
you  please.  The  sons  of  these  gra- 
cious mothers  shall  yet  inherit  a  richer 
legacy  than  falls  to  the  share  of  many 
of  the  sons  of  men.  They  will  inherit 
that  faith  and  fortitude,  that  fidelity 
to  duty  and  perseverance  in  the  paths 
of  progress  that  are  so  characteristic 
of  those  whose  white  hands  are  sus- 
taining their  white  souls  in  the  uprear- 
ing  of  a  fabric  that  shall  stand  till 
time  shall  be  no  more! 

"Go  on  in  your  ways  of  energetic 
development.  Give  free  rein  to  every 
noble  aim  and  aspiration.  You  can- 
not place  your  ideals  too  high.  Better 
that  you  should  never  reach  them  than 
that  you  should  set  them  so  low  that 
when  attained  you  would  be  mortified 
to  realize  that  they  were  so  ignoble 
as  not  to  be  worth  the  toil  and  trou- 
ble. I  am  following  out  my  own  des- 
tiny. My  life  is  in  the  hands  of  God. 
All  that  I  ask  is  that  He  will 
strengthen  and  sustain  me  in  my  ef- 
forts until  my  life  work  is  ended  this 
side  the  river. 

"I  am  sorry  that  I  shall  not  be  the 
first  to  discover  the  fringe  of  green 
on  the  grim  old  willows  on  the  banks 
of  the  Etowah.  Think  of  me  when  you 
hear  the  wild  birds  singing  among 
their  budding  boughs.  Remember  me 
for  the  good  that  I  desired  to  do,  and 
not  for  the  mistakes  I  made,  for  they 
are  many.  But  you  will  do  that.  You 
are  all  too  generous  to  treasure  ill 
feelings  and  too  high-spirited  to  be 
mean  and  malicious.  We  know  each 
other,  you  and  I.  But  here  the  roads 
fork.  I  must  be  going.  So  must  you. 
And  now  God  be  with  you  till  we  meet 
again !" 


"LORD  BERESFORD'S"  ADVEN- 
TURES.—The  period  of  1890-1900  was 
marked  by  the  decline  of  the  steamboat 
business,  due  to  increased  competition 
from  the  railroads,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  the  plausible  "Lord  Beres- 
ford,"  known  in  real  life  by  the  name 
of    Sidney   Lascelles.* 

"Lord  Beresford"  was  "discovered" 
in  New  York  City  about  1893  by  a 
young  Roman  named  McGuire.  He 
was  living  in  style  and  to  all  appear- 
ances was  a  polished  gentleman  and 
everything  else  he  claimed  to  be.  in- 
cluding his  descendancy  from  Lord 
Beresford,  the  English  nobleman.  Ac- 
cording  to    his    story,    he    was   looking 

*One  of  the  Lascelles  family  in  1922  married 
Princess  Mary,  tlaughter  of  King  George  V.,  of 
London,   Ensr. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


313 


5!  Z&H^t.i4v 


FOUR  BUILDERS. 
Left  to  right,  J.  K. 
Williamson,  a  member  of 
the  Rome  City  Council  in 
1889;  Col.  D.  B.  Hamil- 
ton, for  many  years  pres- 
ident of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Shorter  Col- 
lege and  the  Board  of 
of      the      University      of 


>r-^''-  I 


Georgia ;  Foster  Harper, 
of  the  well-known  family 
from  Cave  Spring;  at  bot- 
tom, Rev.  A.  J.  Battle, 
president  of  Shorter  Col- 
lege in  the  nineties  and  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  who 
occasionally  filled  the  pul- 
pit of  the  First  Baptist 
church. 


for  an  opportunity  to  invest  $1,000,- 
000.  Mr.  McGuire  told  him  he  knew 
where  such  an  opportunity  reposed — 
at   Rome,  Ga. 

"Lord  Beresford"  may  or  inay  not 
have  had  the  price  of  a  railroad  ticket 
to  Rome;  he  got  to  Rome  nevertheless, 
and  was  immediately  taken  in  tow  by 
the  proprietors  of  the  Etna  Iron 
Works.  This  concern's  properties  were 
given  in  for  taxation  at  about  $30,000, 
but  out  of  consideration  of  the  plight 
of  such  an  exceptional  stranger,  he 
might  have  half  of  the  stock  of  the 
concern  for  $500,000.  After  negotiat- 
ing for  a  week,  during  which  time  he 
expressed  complete  satisfaction  over 
his  contemplated  trade,  "Lord  Beres- 
ford" stated  that  he  would  need  a  bit 
of  "change"  to  complete  his  arrange- 
ments. He  proposed  to  give  his  per- 
sonal check  on  a  London  bank  for 
something  like  $2,000;  the  Etna  inter- 
ests accepted  the  check  and  financed 
it  through  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Rome. 

Long  before  the  check  could  reach 
the  astonished  officials  of  the  London 
institution  with  which  no  such  indi- 
vidual had  an  account,  "Lord  Beres- 
ford" had  bought  a  ticket  back  to  New 
York   without    saving    goodbye     to   his 


hosts,  and  he  carried  with  him  a  dia- 
mond ring  loaned  by  a  young  woman 
friend   of  short  acquaintance. 

J.  W.  Lancaster,  local  photographer 
who  had  at  one  time  or  another  snap- 
ped nearly  every  family  group  in  the 
Hill  City,  was  kept  busy  several  days 
making  copies  of  photographs  of  "Lord 
Beresford"  for  detective  agencies  and 
police  stations  throughout  the  coun- 
try. Eventually  the  culprit  was  ap- 
prehended in  New  York,  and  Deputy 
Sheriff  Dallas  Turner  went  uji  and 
brought  him  back.  On  the  train  re- 
turning was  a  Roman  who  engaged  in 
conversation  with  His  Highness,  and 
was  so  deeply  impressed  with  his  phil- 
anthropic pretensions  that  he  declared 
to  his  fellow  townsman  that  nothing 
but  good  could  emanate  from  this  man. 
Indeed,  "Lord  Beresford"  had  friends 
whose  sympathies  were  so  thoroughly 
touched  that  they  sent  flowers  to  his 
cell  in  the  Floyd  County  jail  and  sup- 
plied him  with  every  toothsome  viand 
and  literary  morsel  the  heart  could 
wish.  The  steady  stream  of  visitors 
taxed  the  patience  of  the  sheriff  and 
jailor,  Jake  C.  Moore;  those  stories  of 
the  castle  in  England  and  of  princes 
and  princesses,  taken  with  the  laven- 
der   in    his    silk    handkerchief    and    his 


314 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


exquisite  get-up  in  general,  proved  ir- 
resistible. 

"Lord  Beresford"  appeared  to  have 
been  looking  for  money  rather  than  for 
an  opportunity  to  spend  his  own.  His 
note  book  was  full  of  the  names  and 
addresses  of  persons  he  had  met  here 
and  there,  so  he  dropped  them  a  line 
explaining  the  horrible  misapprehen- 
sion which  had  led  to  his  temporary 
detainment.  One  of  his  former  travel- 
ing companions  was  the  late  George 
Selden,  head  of  the  Erie  City  Iron 
Works,  of  Erie,  Pa.,  an  uncle  of  the 
late  George  D.  Selden,  until  his  death 
recently  also  head  of  that  concern,  and 
well  known  to  older  Romans  through 
business  deals  at  Rome.  Mr.  Selden 
wrote  a  friend  to  advance  "Lord  Beres- 
ford" a  reasonable  amount  of  money. 
The  erudite  friend  visited  the  jail, 
heard  from  the  lips  of  Sheriff  Mooi-e 
that  "Lord  Beresford"  did  not  need 
any  additional  physical  comforts  and 
was  an  unconscionable  scoundrel,  and 
wrote  back  to  Mr.  Selden  these  im- 
pressions. It  was  learned  later  that 
Mr.  Selden  sent  him  $200  or  $300 
through    another    individual. 

The  prisoner  had  married  a  wealthy 
woman  in  New  York,  through  whose 
influence  with  Atlanta  friends  and  rel- 
atives he  was  freed  on  bond.  While 
awaiting  trial,  he  opened  a  bicycle 
shop  on  the  ground  floor  of  the  Arm- 
strong Hotel ;  the  bicycle  craze  was 
at  its  height,  and  he  sold  a  lot  of 
bicycles  in  Rome  and  elsewhere,  and 
probably  made  part  payments  on  some 
of  them.  He  gave  a  Rome  boy  a  nice 
bicycle  and  touched  his  "daddy"  for 
a  loan  of  $600.  He  always  said  he 
would  explain  the  whole  affair  at  the 
proper  time,  but  when  the  time  came, 
his  excuses  were  too  flimsy;  a  jury 
found  him  guilty  of  cheating  and 
swindling,  and  Judge  Jno.  W.  Maddox 
sentenced  him  to  two  years  in  the  pen- 
itentiary, or  similar  term.  He  was 
represented  by  Attorney  Linton  A. 
Dean,  and  prosecuted  by  Solicitor  Gen- 
eral Cicero  T.  Clements.  He  served 
part  of  his  sentence  in  a  lumber  camp 
as  time  keeper  and  sort  of  secretary  of 
the  gang;  and  it  was  said  he  was  so 
smooth  that  he  would  soon  have  own- 
ed the  "works"  had  he  not  decided  to 
depart  and  breath  the  air  of  freedom. 
He  was  captured  near  Americus  and 
put  back  again,  and  finally  his  sen- 
tence ended. 

During  his  confinement  he  enjoyed 
considerable  leisure,  as  before,  and 
wrote  a  humorous  paper  on  his  ex- 
periences, which  he  published  in  pam- 
phlet form  at  perhaps  25  cents  a  copy, 


and  which  his  friends  bought  eagerly 
to  see  what  he  had  to  say  about  Rome. 
From  the  memory  of  one  who  read  a 
copy  the  following  is  quoted: 

"I  was  much  impressed  by  the 
thoughtfulness  of  my  host  and  hostess, 
and  also  occasionally  amused.  The 
good  lady  inquired  of  me,  'Milord,  at 
what  hour  would  it  suit  Your  High- 
ness to  breakfast?' 

"Midam,  at  11  o'clock,"  I  replied. 

"She  had  thoughtfully  instructed 
the  colored  butler  to  observe  the  royal 
etiquette  and  to  follow  the  royal  form, 
and  so  he  said  to  me  at  table: 

"  'Won't  you  have  some  buckwheat 
cakes,  My  God?' 

"I  had  exceeding  difficulty  repress- 
ing  a   smile." 

"Lord  Beresbord's"  wife  received  ev- 
idence of  his  pranks  with  other  wom- 
en and  quit  him;  presently  he  turned 
up  in  Fitzgerald  and  married  another 
with  monev,  and  when  she  died  shortly 
afterward 'he  got  about  $40,000  of  her 
funds.  Everywhere  he  went  he  left  in 
his  wage  a  string  of  shady  transac- 
tions. His  real  name  and  defalcations 
bobbed  up  in  New  York;  he  went  west 
and  got  into  another  peck  of  trouble, 
and  finally  succumbed  to  consumption 
at  Asheville,  N.  C,  about  1898. 

The  confidence  which  certain  friends 
had  in  "Lord  Beresford's"  good  inten- 
tions was  expressed  in  the  following 
incident:  After  he  had  made  bond 
and  entered  the  bicycle  business,  the 
Merchants'  Association  had  occasion 
to  hold  a  meeting  and  elect  a  delegate 
to  a  convention  in  a  far-off  city. 
Somebody  seriously  nominated  "Lord 
Beresford,"  and  it  appeared  that  he 
might  have  no  opposition  until  a  mem- 
ber arose  and  declared  if  Beresford 
went,  he  would  resign.  This  bomb- 
shell broke  up  the  plan,  and  another 
delegate  was   chosen. 

HAIR  FOR  THE  HAIRLESS.— 
In  the  year  1895  a  fraud  w^as  discov- 
ered that  outdid  "wooden  nutmegs."  A 
salesman  appeared  who  guaranteed 
that  in  a  month  or  two  he  could  grow 
hair  on  the  baldest  head.  He  showed 
a  photogi-aph  of  his  own  shiny  dome 
"before  using;"  and,  quoth  he,  "just 
look  at  me  now!" 

Sure  enough,  the  picture  was  a  hope- 
less sight;  only  a  lonesome  fringe  hung 
around  his  ears;  while  on  his  head  as 
he  stood  before  the  prospective  "vic- 
tim" was  as  fine  a  growth  of  hair 
as  could  be  found.  For  $25  he  would 
warrant  a  "cure"  to  anybody,  no  mat- 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


315 


ter  how  everything  else  had  failed; 
only  $10  was  to  be  paid  on  receipt  of 
a  large  bottle  of  "hair  restorer,"  and 
the  balance  was  due  after  the  hair 
appeared    in    luxuriance. 

Quite  a  number  of  leading  Romans 
who  had  almost  given  up  hope  added 
tc  the  man's  worldly  store;  but  along 
came  one  noted  for  his  sagacity  and 
ability  to  detect  fakes,  and  said: 

"Stranger,  you  can't  sell  anybody  in 
this  store.  The  day  of  miracles  is 
past.  It  looks  to  me  like  you  shaved 
your  head  for  that  picture,  and  the 
photographer  made  you  a  sleek  dome 
instead  of  one  covered  with  fine  stub- 
ble.     Get  out  of  here!" 


ROME  SUBMERGED:  A  REAL 
FRESHET.— When  a  town  is  built 
upon  a  hill,  it  must  encounter  high 
winds,  and  when  it  is  built  on  a  river, 
it  must  combat  high  water.  Rome  has 
hills  on  all  sides,  but  the  heart  of  Ronie 
is  between  two  rivers  at  their  junc- 
tion, and  when  the  high  waters  come, 
Romans  move  upstairs  and  paddle 
about  as  best  they  can  until  the  reces- 
sion sets  in. 

At  the  Azores  Islands  the  natives 
are  constantly  battling  plagues  which 
take  their  fruits  and  other  crops.  Now 
and  then  a  volcano  spews  forth  its  hot 
lava  and  covers  a  town;  but  the  na- 
tives never  give  up,  and  neither  do 
the  Romans  lose  heart  when  the  Eto- 
wah and  the  Oostanaula  occasionally 
break  out  of  bank  and  race  through 
front  yards.  For  that  matter,  pre- 
ventive measures  have  been  taken 
which  greatly  lessen  the  inconven- 
iences ;  Broad  Street  has  been  raised 
a  maximum  of  eight  feet  over  its  for- 
mer level,  and  every  possible  approach 
to  it  has  been  elevated  corresponding- 
ly. Perhaps  once  a  year,  as  in  most 
river  towns,  a  little  water  goes  in  store 
basements,  so  that  shifting  of  "cargo" 
to  an  upper  "deck"  is  necessary;  the 
rabbits  are  all  driven  out  of  the  low 
gi'ounds,  and  the  rabbit  hunters  have 
a  picnic  for  two  or  three  days.  Event- 
ually all  the  inconvenience  will  no 
doubt  disappear,  for  the  town  is  grow- 
ing in  the  direction  of  hills  which 
tower  high  above  any  possible  rise; 
and  it  has  even  been  suggested  that 
some  100  acres  at  the  forks  be  left 
clear  of  buildings  in  the  distant  fu- 
ture and  converted  into  a  park.  Some 
people  think  there  is  no  further  dan- 
ger of  a  serious  flood,  while  others 
claim  that  the  backage  from  the  Mayo 
Bar  Lock  (lock  and  dam),  eight  miles 
down    the    Coosa,    has    raised    the    nor- 


mal   level    of   the   water   two    or    three 
feet  at   Rome   above   the  old  level. 

Snggests  Something  to  Think  About. 
—-Things  used  to  be  different.  There 
is  a  legend  which  says  citizens  once 
hitched  their  canoes  on  Tower  Hill 
above  the  old  court  house.  This  yarn 
related  to  the  time  the  Indians  were 
still  around  here,  and  it  sounds  like 
Virgil  A.  Stewart  after  a  feast  of  ice 
cream  and  catfish.  Old  settlers  tell 
of  a  freshet  in  1881  which  broke 
through  the  banks  at  Foster's  Bend, 
Coosa  River,  some  16  miles  below 
Rome,  and  washed  clear  a  lot  of  In- 
dian relics  in  a  mound  on  the  Foster 
(Moultrie)  farm,  so  that  Wesley  O. 
Connor  went  over  from  Cave  Spring 
and  got  a   lot  of  valuable  specimens. 

Prof.  Connor  took  a  one-horse  wagon 
to  the  same  place  after  the  freshet  of 
1886,  and  carried  it  home  well  filled; 
he  got  mortars  and  pestles,  toma- 
hawks, wampum,  spear  heads,  peace 
pipes,  pottery,  Indian  money  and  at 
least  a  bushel  of  arrow  heads,  and  also 
several    skulls    of    warriors    bold. 

The  rain  appears  to  have  begun 
falling  Monday,  March  29,  1886.  It 
kept  up  in  a  deluge  for  several  days, 
until  the  waters  were  at  flood  stage 
on  Wednesday,  March  31,  and  worse 
on  Thursday.  Rome  was  not  the  only 
sufferer.  The  South  suffered,  from 
Virginia  to  Texas.  The  towns  in  the 
hills  did  not  escape.  A  number  of 
lives  were  lost,  but  none  definitely  at 
Rome.  Atlanta's  waterwoi-ks  plant 
and  pumping  station  were  seriously 
crippled  and  many  of  her  streets  made 
impassable. 

The  Rome  correspondent  of  the  At- 
lanta Constitution  sent  messages  by 
wire  to  his  paper  as  long  as  the  wa- 
ter remained  below  the  operator's 
transmitter.  Then  ho  went  out  to  get 
a  ham  sandwich  by  canoe  and  left  the 
field  to  the  late  Edward  C.  Bruffey. 
who  was  admirably  qualified  to  paddlti' 
through  it.  "Bruff"  tells  all  about  it 
in  the  last  three  dispatches  quoted  be- 
low. The  items  are  all  from  The  Con- 
stitution and  the  dates  of  dispatching 
and  of  printing  are  affixed  at  the 
opening  and  closing  of  each  article, 
respectively : 

Rome  Drenched. — Rome,  Ga.,  March 
29,  1886.— (Special.)— The  heavy 
rains  have  swelled  the  ci'eeks  and 
rivers,  and  there  is  great  danger  of 
freshets.  Advices  from  the  headwaters 
of  the  Oostanaula  report  heavy  rains. 
—Tuesday,  March  30,  1886. 


316 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Rome  Submerged. — Rome,  Ga..  Mar. 
30. —  (Special.) — Rome  is  threatened 
with  the  greatest  freshet  in  her  his- 
tory. Since  Friday  night  it  is  estimat- 
ed there  has  been  a  rainfall  of  more 
than  six  inches,  nearly  two  inches  more 
than  preceded  the  great  freshet  of 
1881.  Worst  of  all,  the  end  is  not 
yet.  The  rain  still  continues,  and  at 
noon  is  pouring  in  torrents.  The  old- 
est inhabitants  shake  their  heads 
gloomily  and  are  despondent. 

The  Oostanaula  River  is  rising 
eight  inches  an  hour,  and  the  Coosa 
and  the  Etowah  are  making  terrible 
headway.  The  water  has  just  reach- 
ed Broad  Street  and  will  be  two  or 
three  feet  from  the  Rome  Hotel  to 
Norton's  corner.  At  the  foot  of  How- 
ard Street  (Second  Avenue)  and  in  the 
Fourth  Ward  it  will  be  deeper. 

Early  this  morning  the  middle  sec- 
tion of  the  new  bridge  of  the  Rome 
and  Carrollton  Railway  washed  away 
and  is  now  lodged  against  the  piers 
of  the  Broad  Street  bridge.  Great 
fears  are  entertained  for  the  latter 
bridge,  and  men  are  at  work  trying 
to  remove  the  debris. 

Broad  Street  this  afternoon  presents 
a  busy  scene.  Merchants  are  remov- 
ing goods  from  their  stores  and  tak- 
ing every  possible  precaution  against 
the  flood.  Being  thoroughly  fore- 
warned, there  will  be  no  damage  to 
the  merchandise.  At  the  foot  of  How- 
ard Street  the  residents  are  moving 
from  one-stol'y  houses,  and  those  resid- 
ing in  two-story  buildings  are  moving 
upstairs. 

The  Superior  Court,  which  has  been 
in   session,  adjourned  until   Monday. 

Our  railroad  communication  is  en- 
tirely cut  off,  no  mail  having  been  re- 
ceived   or    dispatched   today. 

At  this  hour,  8:30  p.  m.,  Broad 
Street  from  Norton's  corner  to  the 
bridge  is  one  sheet  of  water  from  two 
to  four  feet  deep.  Every  leading  bus- 
iness house,  except  for  a  few  between 
Norton's  and  the  Central  Hotel,  is  sub- 
merged. The  cotton  warehouse,  water 
works,  gas  house,  and  a  large  number 
of  private  dwellings  are  under  water. 
The  flood  is  now  within  a  few  inches 
of  that  of  1881,  which  was  the  highest 
ever  known  in  Rome,  and  the  rivers 
are  still  rising  eight  inches  an  hour. 
It  is  raining  in  torrents.  We  do  not 
know  what  tomorrow  will  bring  forth. 
Intense  excitement  prevails  and 
groups  of  people  are  on  that  part  of 
Broad  Street  that  is  still  dry.  It  is 
feared  that  many  mei'chants  have  not 
raised  their  goods  high  enough,  though 


all  have  raised  them  four  or  five  feet 
above  the  high  water  mark  of  1881. 
No  loss  of  life  is  yet  reported.  The 
streets  are  in  darkness.  Thus  far 
there  is  little  damage  except  to  the 
railroads. 

Nine  O'clock  P.  M. — The  rivers  are 
still  rising.  The  water  is  nearly  at 
the  top  of  the  tables  in  the  Western 
Union  office  here,  and  communication 
can  be  held  but  a  few  minutes  longer. 
The  operator  is  telegraphing  while 
standing  on  his  table  and  momentarily 
looks  for  a  break.  Your  correspond- 
ent has  just  returned  from — (At  this 
point  the  wires  refused  to  work,  and 
communication  between  Rome  and  At- 
lanta ended  for  the  night. — Editors 
Constitution. — Wednesday,  March  31, 
1886. 

The  Delayed  Weddi)ig. — Mr.  Geo. 
N.  West,  of  Carrollton,  who  came 
to  Atlanta  two  evenings  ago,  intend- 
ing to  go  on  through  to  Rome,  where 
he  was  to  have  been  married  yester- 
day at  1  o'clock  to  Miss  Mary  Lou 
Colclough,  is  still  in  the  city.  He 
could  get  no  word  to  Rome,  and  the 
people  there  have  no  idea  where  he 
is.  Nor  does  he  know  anything  about 
the  people  in  Rome,  except  the  fact 
that  the  hoivte  at  which  he  was  to 
have  been  married  is  more  than  ten 
feet  under  water. — Thursday,  April  1, 
1886. 


Rome  Absolutely  Cut  Off.— The 
Constitution  made  every  endeavor 
to  reach  Rome  yesterday  by  wire, 
but  without  success.  The  Rome 
and  Carrollton  Railway  is  almost 
washed  away,  and  the  Rome  and  King- 
ston road  is  in  almost  as  bad  a  fix. 
The  East  Tennessee  does  not  know 
when  it  can  again  reach  Rome.  This 
absolutely  cuts  the  city  off  from  the 
world.  At  last  accounts  it  was  ten 
feet  under  water  in  some  places,  and 
the  water  was  still  rising.  The  coun- 
ty is  water-bound  by  the  flooded  creeks 
and  the  bridges  of  its  public  roads  are 
gone.  It  is  possible  that  something 
will    be   heard    from    the    city    today. 

There  have  been  filed  at  the  West- 
ern Union  office  in  Atlanta  over  200 
messages  from  individuals  in  this  city 
to  those  in  Rome,  and  all  still  hang  on 
the  hook  of  the  telegraph  office  in  this 
city,  or  have  been  returned.  As  it  is, 
The  Constitution's  message  of  Tues- 
day night  is  the  last  from  Rome. — 
Thursday,  April   1,  1886. 


An    Olive    Leaf   From    the    Flooded 
Hill  City. — Rome  has  been  heard  from 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


317 


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318 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


at  last,  but  the  news  is  only  that 
up  to  Wednesday  night.  What 
is  known  of  the  condition  of  the 
city  comes  from  an  extra  edition  of 
the  Rome  Bulletin,  printed  yesterday 
and  brought  to  The  Constitution  by 
Capt.  Sanford  Bell,  of  the  Western  & 
Atlantic  Road.  It  was  printed  yes- 
terday (Friday)  on  a  little  8xl2-inch 
hand  press,  and  a  copy  was  carried 
from  Rome  to  Kingston  by  somebody 
who  succeeded  in  getting  through  the 
country.  Here  it  fell  into  Capt.  Bell's 
hands.      Extracts   from   it  follow: 

"On  Tuesday  morning  a  bulletin 
board  was  placed  in  front  of  The  Bul- 
letin office.  We  put  up  a  bulletin: 
'Move  your  goods  12  inches  higher 
than   the   mark  of   1881.' 

"We  moved  everything  up  except 
our  heavy  presses,  and  took  out  a  large 
sized  Liberty  press  to  Dr.  P.  L.  Turn- 
ley's  drug  store,  where  this  issue  was 
printed.  The  editor  tried  long  to  get 
a  boat,  and  finally  procured  one  half 
full  of  water.  He  managed  to  reach 
the  office  door  about  12  noon,  where 
there  was  three  feet  of  water.  The 
boat  was  then  nearly  full  of  water, 
and  it  was  a  desperate  effort  to  get 
it  to  land  before  it  would  sink.  With 
wet  clothing  and  wet  feet  he  caught 
cramp  and  had  to  beat  a  retreat.  By 
10  the  next  morning  there  was  eight 
feet  of  water  in  The   Bulletin  office. 

"It  was  appalling  to  go  down  Broad 
Street.  The  water  was  five  feet  high- 
er than  the   flood  of  1881. 

"Losses  and  damage: 

"Thos.  Fahy's,  silks,  laces,  etc.,  $15,- 
000;  Hardy  &  Co.,  $5,000;  Rounsaville 
&  Bro.,  $1.5,000.  J.  A.  Rounsaville  got 
in  at  the  second  story  and  cut  a  hole 
through  the  floor  and  got  out  books 
and    papers. 

"In  nine  or  ten  feet  of  water  a  cow 
and  a  calf  were  swimming  on  Broad 
Street.  Connor  O'Rear's  stern-wheel 
boat  came  along  and  several  men  call- 
ed to  the  animals  to  follow.  The  cow 
was  about  to  give  up  when  Mr.  O'Rear 
caught  her  by  the  horns  and  towed  her 
to  land.  The  calf  swam  out.  Mules 
swam  after  boats  past  the  First  Pres- 
byterian   Church. 

"The  young  ladies  of  the  Rome  Fe- 
male College  came  to  the  Central  Hotel 
in  charge  of  Prof.  Sam  C.  Caldwell 
and  Prof.  McLean,  and  went  out  rid- 
ing in  two  boats. 

"Dr.  J.  B.  S.  Holmes  had  to  swim 
his  horses  out  of  his  stable  on  How- 
ard  Street    (Second  Avenue). 

"Ten  homes  between  the  Rome  Rail- 


road and  the  Etowah  River  floated 
away.  Samuel  Lusk,  Pink  Turner, 
Will  Curr,  I.  S.  Davis,  Dr.  E.  P.  Love- 
lace, Charlie  Ansley,  Capt.  W.  T. 
Smith,  Dan  Ramsey,  M.  F.  Govan,  W. 
P.  O'Neill,  Mr.  Jones,  J.  M.  Lovelace, 
Chas.  Gammon  and  C.  O.  Stillwell  lost 
their  houses  and  most  of  the  contents. 
John  Eve's  house  floated  to  the  mid- 
dle of  Howard  Street  and  finally  went 
on  down. 

"A  party  of  gentlemen  were  watch- 
ing the  Etowah  River  near  Howard 
Street  and  saw  a  house  float  down. 
On  its  roof  was  a  man  who  was  ges- 
ticulating and  calling  for  help.  An- 
other report  said  a  whole  family  was 
on    the    house. 

"A  good  deal  of  anxiety  was  felt  for 
Capt.  J.  N.  Perkins,  who  was  calmly 
looking  out  of  a  second-story  window. 
He  and  his  family  were  rescued  and 
taken  to   Bi'oad   Street. 

"A  gentleman  said  to  a  Bulletin 
man :  'I  have  lost  everything.  I  said 
to  my  wife  at  breakfast  time,  "When 
you  married  me  I  was  worth  $3,000  to 
$3,500.  Now,  it  is  all  gone!"  "Well," 
said  she,  "we  have  four  boys  and  good 
health;    that   is    all   we   need!" 

"A  box  car  floated  away  from  the 
railroad  into  South  Street  (First  Ave- 
nue)  and  was  turned  upside  down. 

"The  Steamer  Mitchell  spent  some 
time  relieving  people  in  DeSoto  and 
taking  them  away  from  their  homes. 

"A.  W.  Walton  estimates  the  dam- 
age to  cotton  at  $10,000  to  $15,000. 
B.  I.  Hughes  thinks  $25,000  will  cover 
the  damage  to  the  town. 

"The  trestle  approaching  the  Rome 
and  Carrollton  bridge  is  gone,  as  well 
as  the  bridge. 

"The  people  in  East  Rome  held  a 
meeting  to  establish  a  ferry  at  the  site 
of  the  late  bridge  (over  the  Etowah 
at  Howard   Street). 

"It  was  reported  that  Mr.  Woodruff 
counted  fifteen  houses  floating  by.  J. 
L.  Johnson's  stable  and  Mr.  Belcher's 
house  in  East  Rome  have  gone. 

"At  1:15  a.  m.  a  tremendous  crash 
was  heard  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city, 
and  it  was  known  that  the  bridge  at 
the  lower  end  of  Broad  Street  was 
gone.  A  gentleman  at  the  Rome  Hotel 
said  he  saw  a  light  on  the  bridge  and 
it  went  out  just  as  the  crash  came, 
and  he  heard  a  man  cry,  'Ain't  you 
coming  to  help  me?  Are  you  going 
to  let  me  drown?'  It  was  rumored 
that  there  was  a  special  watchman  on 
the  bridge. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


319 


"When  morning'  came  there  was  not 
a  bridge  on  the  Etowah  but  the  E.  T. 
V.  &  G.  near  Forrestville.  The  only 
bridge  remaining  to  Rome  is  the  one 
across  the  Oostanaula  River  at  Bridge 
Street    (Fifth    Avenue). 

"We  learn  from  Capt.  E.  J.  Ma- 
gruder  that  there  was  no  watchman  on 
the  Broad  Street  bridge,  but  there  was 
one  at  Patton's,  who  called  out  to  peo- 
ple at  the  E.  T.  V.  &  G.  Railroad 
depot  just  before  the  bridge  went." — 
Saturday,    April    3,   1886. 

Waters  Receding. — Rome,  Ga.,  April 
2. —  (Special.) — The  waters  which 
have  been  raging  in  Rome  since 
Tuesday  last  are  receding,  and  the  Hill 
City  people  are  beginning  to  smile 
again.  One  who  has  not  seen  the  des- 
titution and  desolation  caused  by  the 
flood  can  have  no  idea  of  the  situa- 
tion. The  city  is  full  of  water,  the 
streets  are  hidden  from  view,  and  the 
houses  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away 
from  the  river  are  surrounded  by  the 
yellow,  muddy  stuff  that  no  more  de- 
serves the  name  of  water  than  does 
the  water  from  the  Atlanta  water- 
works. 

Rome  was  finally  reached  by  your 
correspondent  after  a  perilous  train 
trip  across  the  Etowah  River  bridge, 
thence  by  way  of  Kingston  in  a  buggy. 
The  spectacle  that  greeted  me  as  I 
reached  the  city  was  one  never  to  be 
flood  can  have  an  idea  of  the  sieua- 
forgotten.  Broad  Street  from  the  Cen- 
tral Hotel  to  the  rivers  is  one  sheet 
of  muddy  water,  while  every  street 
running  parallel  with  Broad  is  cover- 
ed too.  The  Central  Hotel  is  the  point 
nearest  the  stream,  and  here  every- 
body congregates.  A  hundred  skiffs 
are  moored  neax'by.  Men  who  have 
built  these  water  riders  are  reaping  a 
small  fortune  by  conveying  people 
around  to  look  at  the  roofs  of  their 
houses,  or  to  hunt  a  house  that  has 
floated  away.  A  ride  down  Broad 
Street  in  one  of  these  Venetian  gon- 
dolas made  of  Georgia  pine  makes  a 
cold  shiver  run  down  one's  back.  Stores 
with  closed  doors,  and  goods  and  boxes 
floating  about  greet  the  eye.  Thurs- 
day night  the  flood  was  seven  feet 
higher  than  the  flood  of  1881.  Not 
less  than  20  dwellings  have  been  swept 
away.  Late  Tuesday  night,  March  30, 
the  Broad  Street  bridge,  the  Howard 
Street  bridge  and  the  East  Tennessee 
Railroad  bridge  were  swept  out  of  ex- 
istence. Conservative  men  in  Rome 
place  the  damage  at  $300,000,  and  as 
much   more  in  the  country. 


It  is  i-eported  that  a  negro  woman 
and   her   boy   have  been   drowned. 

There  has  been  no  mail  since  Tues- 
day. 

A  boat  with  four  negroes  capsized 
on  Howard  Street.  They  were  saved 
by  a    party  of   gentlemen. 

The  Baptists  are  determined  that 
the  state  convention  shall  be  held  here 
as  planned.  The  people  will  provide 
generously  for  the  delegates,  despite 
their  misfortune. 

Fourth  Ward  is  completely  under 
water.  Thirty  cases  of  measles  had  to 
be  moved.  One  store  with  a  stock  of 
merchandise  floated  away.  Many  poor 
families  lost  all.  The  suffering  is  in- 
tense, but  for  once  it  is  among  the 
rich   as  well    as   among  the    poor. 

Howard  Street,  the  Peachtree  of 
Rome,  is  a  sheet  of  water  from  end 
to  end,  and  Brussels  carpets,  parlor 
furniture,  lace  curtains,  pianos  and 
bric-a-brac  are  ruined  by  the  carloads. 

John  Lovelace  was  driven  from  his 
house  and  carried  nothing  out.  J.  L. 
McGhee  got  away  no  better.  Judge 
Joel  Branham  has  deserted  his  lower 
floor  and  is  living  on  the  top  floor. 
One  of  the  finest  pianos  in  Rome  was 
saved  here.  H.  H.  Smith  was  driven 
out  of  his  handsome  residence.  Mrs. 
W.  L.  Whitely  escaped  with  her  life 
only.  William  Ramey  surrendered  his 
house  to  the  water.  Major  Fouche  and 
Capt.  Stillwell  are  living  away  from 
home. 

Bales  of  cotton,  box  cars  and  hogs 
on  rafts  are  floating  about  the  streets. 
A  bale  of  hay  came  down  one  of  the 
rivers  with  a  crowing  rooster  on  it. 
The  people  are  cheerful. — Edward  C. 
Bruffey,  Saturday,  April  3,  1886. 

A  Perilous  Trip  to  Rome. — King- 
ston Ga.,  April  2. —  (Special.)  — 
Tuesday  morning,  after  all  trains  had 
stopped  running  on  the  Rome  Rail- 
road, and  the  Etowah  overflow  had 
covered  most  of  its  track,  Capt.  John 
J.  Seay  came  up  from  Atlanta  to 
Kingston  on  the  morning  passenger, 
saying  he  must  get  to  Rome,  where 
his  family  and  his  property  were.  He 
and  John  H.  Harris  started  on  this 
perilous  trip  in  a  buggy,  while  the 
rain  came  down  in  blinding  sheets. 
They  drove  through  water  some  three 
or  four  feet  deep  for  four  miles. 
Reaching  what  is  usually  a  small 
sti-eam,  near  the  Barnsley  place,  and 
being  advised  by  a  farmer  that  it  was 
fordable,  they  drove  in.  The  horse  had 
gone    only    a    few    steps    when    he   be- 


320 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


VARIOUS  WAYS  EMPLOYED  TO  GET  AROUND. 

Batteaux  are  in  heavy  demand  when  the  water  rises.  In  addition  to  serving  for  trans- 
portation purposes,  they  are  often  used  by  hunting  parties  who  find  many  rabbits  caught 
in  queer  places.  An  automobile  is  shown  splashing  its  way  along  Second  Avenue,  and  others 
are  plowing  across  a  low  place  in   West  Fifth.     The  pictures  were  taken  in  the   spring   of   1921. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


321 


gan  to  swim.  The  current  was  so 
swift  it  washed  horse  and  buggy  down 
the    creek. 

Capt.  Seay  cried  out,  "Mr.  Harris, 
can  you  swim?" 

"Like  a  duck,"  returned  Mr.  Harris. 

"I  can't;  not  a  stroke,"  declared 
Capt.  Seay. 

At  this  moment  the  horse  and  buggy 
stopped  against  a  log.  Mr.  Harris 
made  a  flying  leap  for  a  sawmill  slab 
he  espied  protruding  from  the  water, 
which  he  caught  and  clung  to  until  he 
could  unhitch  the  horse.  Jumping  on 
the  animal,  he  swam  to  the  rear  of 
the  buggy,  which  by  that  time  had 
again  started  down  stream.  Catching 
on  to  the  wheel,  still  holding  to  the 
horse,  Mr.  Harris  started  for  the 
shore. 

All  this  time  Capt  Seay  was  sitting 
in  the  buggy,  wet  and  shivering  with 
cold,  amazement  depicted  on  his  coun- 
tenance at  the  coolness  and  daring  of 
his  companion. 

After  the  wheels  had  hit  bottom, 
Mr.  Harris  made  fast  the  lines  and 
pulled  the  buggy  safely  on  the  bank, 
Capt.  Seay  exclaiming,  "We  are  safe! 
We  are  safe!" 

Messrs.  Foots  Roode,  Judge  Sanford, 
Prof.  Agostino,  and  Mr.  Drewry  left 
Rome  the  same  day  and  came  near 
drowning  in  a  stream.  They  had  to 
cut  their  horses  loose  and  swim  out, 
leaving  their  carriage  to  float  down- 
stream.— Edward  C.  Buffey,  Saturday, 
April   3,   1886. 

Spirit  of  the  Romans. — Rome,  Ga., 
April  3. —  (Special.) — The  people  are 
remarkably  buoyant  in  spirit,  and  as 
the  waters  recede  their  buoyancy 
ascends  little  by  little. 

The  flood  is  the  most  wonderful  and 
remarkable  in  the  South,  but  decided- 
ly more  wonderful  and  remarkable  are 
the  courage,  nerve  and  equipoise  of  the 
people   who    have    suffered. 

No  city  in  the  world  has  more  ener- 
getic, conservative  and  safe  business 
men  than  Rome,  and  evei-y  factor  in 
her  trade,  commerce  and  society  is 
loyal  to  his  city  and  devoted  to  her 
interests  None  of  them  think  of  de- 
serting her  now  in  the  hour  of  adver- 
sity, but  on  the  contrary,  the  bad  luck 
seems  to  weld  tighter  and  harder  the 
bond  between  them  and  their  home. 
The  men  are  not  alone  in  their  de- 
termination to  stick  by  the  Hill  City. 
The  ladies,  young  and  old,  married  and 
single,  love  the  town,  and  with  tongue 
and  pen  they  boast  of  her  advantages. 


They  burden  each  mail  with  letters  to 
their  friends  telling  them  that  Rome 
is  still  sitting  on  her  hills,  from 
whence  she  will  continue  to  rule  the 
commerce   of   the   Coosa    Valley. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Etowah  stand 
the  warerooms  of  Battey  &  Hamiltons. 
These  gentlemen  conduct  a  large 
wholesale  and  retail  grocery  business, 
and  handle  many  bales  of  cotton.  They 
probably  had  1,500  bales  of  cotton  in 
the  warehouse.  Mr.  Battey  is  one  of 
the  most  energetic  men  in  the  Hill 
City;  he  has  push  and  pluck  enough 
for  half  a  dozen  men,  and  when  he  re- 
alized the  danger  he  hired  a  colony  of 
negroes  and  went  to  work.  He  packed 
his  cotton  above  high  water  mark,  and 
when  the  water  still  came  up,  he  chop- 
ped holes  through  the  roof  of  the  ware- 
house and  lifted  the  cotton  out.  A 
great  many  bales  floated  out,  and 
steamers  gathered  them  in.  The  task 
was  a  hard  one,  but  nearly  all  the  cot- 
ton was  saved.  The  firm's  stock  of 
groceries  was  quite  low,  but  was  con- 
siderably damaged.  Probably  Battey 
&  Hamiltons  can  come  nearer  telling 
their  loss  than  any  one  in  Rome,  and 
it  is  put  down  by  them  at  $8,000  to 
$10,000. 

Across  the  street  is  the  new  Rome 
Hotel.  The  water  reached  the  second 
story  of  this  building,  and  as  the 
water  went  up,  the  people  in  the  hotel 
also  went  up.  They  have  since  been 
living  upstairs.  Boats  ride  up  to  the 
second-story  porch  and  take  on  or  dis- 
charge their  cargo  of  human  freight. 
—Edward  C.  Bruffey,  Sunday.  April 
4,    1886. 

The  water  rose  to  40.3  feet  above 
normal  water  level.  Judge  Joel  Bran- 
ham's  law  office  and  residence  at  the 
northeast  corner  of  Second  Avenue 
and  East  First  Street  is  33  feet  above 
normal,  and  the  water  reached  his 
ground  floor  mantels.  Judge  Bran- 
ham  hired  a  negi-o  to  help  him  move 
upstairs;  his  fine  piano  was  hitched 
to  the  lower  stairway.  He  was  due 
to  celebrate  on  April  24  his  silver  wed- 
ding anniversary  with  his  wife,  who 
was  Miss  Georgia  Cuyler,  but  the  con- 
fusion arising  from  the  freshet  caused 
the  event  to  he  posti)oned.  The  con- 
vention of  Georgia  Baptists  was  held 
as  planned,  a  few  days  after  the 
water  went  down,  and  the  judge,  lx>- 
ing  a  staunch  Baptist  and  favorable  to 
immersion  (if  necessary)  on  such  an 
occasion,  bought  up  all  the  frying-size 
chickens  in  the  neigliborhood  and  had 
them  cooked   for   the   visitors. 


322 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


The  determination  of  Romans  was 
aptly  expressed  by  a  delegate:  "You 
folks  can  dispense  more  genuine  hos- 
pitality in  a  sea  of  mud  than  anybody 
I   ever  knew!" 

The  mayor  of  Rome  at  that  time 
was  Samuel  M.  Knox.  He  wanted  to 
appeal  to  sister  cities  for  help.  "I 
can  have  $5,000  here  in  24  hours,"  he 
declared.  "Don't  do  any  such  thing," 
urged  Judge  Branham;  "it  would  cost 
us  more  than  $5,000.  We  have  a  lot 
of  Baptists  coming,  and  they  won't 
make  the  trip  if  they  get  scared  of  a 
little  water.  We  can  take  care  of  our- 
selves." 

The  appeal  was  not  sent,  and  Rome 
pulled   herself   together   handsomely. 

It  was  an  event  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. Citizens  went  looking  for  their 
houses  and  certain  straying  members 
of  their  families.  A  "freshet  scout" 
came  in  with  the  report  that  a  house 
had  just  floated  by  with  the  owner, 
an  Irishman,  on  the  roof,  and  com- 
placently smoking  a  corn-cob  pipe.  It 
was  stated  that  the  marooner  said  ev- 
erything he  possessed  had  been  swept 
down,  and  his  only  hope  lay  in  going 
in    the   same    direction. 

Luke  C.  Mitchell,  of  the  Fourth 
Ward,  is  authority  for  the  statement 
that  it  was  his  steamboat,  the  Mitch- 
ell, with  himself  at  the  wheel,  that 
steamed  up  Broad  Street,  which  was 
about  ten  feet  deep  in  water.  The 
Mitchell  had  been  tied  up  at  the  old 
wharf  on  the  town  side  of  the  Etowah 
near  the  junction  of  the  rivers.  Capt. 
Mitchell  had  just  received  word  that 
Adolphus  Harbour's  fine  mare  was 
swimming  in  Mr.  Harbour's  barnyard 
in  the  Fourth  Ward,  so  he  determined 
to  rescue  her.  With  Jep  Camp  as  en- 
gineer and  Hutch  Moore  along  as 
"able-bodied  seaman,"  he  cut  up  the 
Etowah  to  Broad,  turned  wheel  hard 
left  and  set  his  course  northward  up 
Rome's  main  business  thoroughfare. 
Broad  was  under  water  as  far  as 
Fifth  Avenue,  so  Capt.  Mitchell  turn- 
ed to  the  left  at  Fourth  Avenue, 
steamed  past  the  City  Hall  and  across 
the  Oostanaula  into  the  Fourth  Ward. 
At  Fourth  and  Broad  Virgil  A.  Stew- 
art and  Jas.  0.  Winfrey  tied  their 
batteaux  alongside  and  clambered 
aboard.  The  course  lay  along  Fifth 
Avenue,  and  close  to  the  Fifth  Ave- 
nue  Baptist  Church.* 

Cries  for  help  being  heard,  Capt. 
Mitchell  stopped  and  took  Barnum  El- 
ders out  of  a  second  story  window.  On 
reaching  the  Harbour  place,  they 
found  the   mare  half  frozen   from  the 


cold,  and  nearly  exhausted.  They 
broke  the  fence  and  led  her  by  a  halter 
to  a  high  point  near  the  home  of  Mrs. 
Hiram  D.  Hill,  on  Avenue  C.  The 
mare  was  shivering,  and  so  weak  she 
could  scarcely  stand.  Mr.  Harbour, 
the  owner,  now  lives  at  Wimpee's 
Ferry,  Oostanaula  River. 

Shortly  prior  to  this  incident,  Capt. 
Mitchell  had  manned  the  Steamer  ^oel 
Marable  and  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the 
Selma,  Rome  &  Dalton  Railroad 
wooden  bridge  down  the  Coosa  River. 
He  ran  a  line  from  his  pilot  house 
to  a  bridge  stay  and  reversed  his  en- 
gines; but  the  Marable  was  too  light 
and  of  insufficient  power.  After  play- 
ing with  the  bridge  all  the  way  to 
Coosa  (about  16  miles),  he  cast  off 
and  returned  to  his  base.  He  had  less 
trouble  saving  a  freight  car  loaded 
with   cotton   and  provisions.** 

B.  I.  Hughes,  cashier  of  the  First 
National  Bank,  reported  the  water 
over  the  doors  of  the  vault,  and  per- 
haps  $100,000  in  bills  flooded. 

He  took  out  the  packages,  heavily 
covered  with  river  mud,  and  spread 
the  bills  before  a  grate  fire,  and  in 
time  had  them  all  dry.  The  bank  did 
not  lose  a  dollar  except  in  a  small  lot 
of  new  stationery.  Mr.  Hughes  re- 
ported further  that  very  few  failures 
resulted  from  flood  losses,  and  that 
the  balance  of  the  year  was  full  of 
building  activity. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  two  other 
pranks  of  nature  were  played  on  Ro- 
mans about  this  time.  A  distinct 
earthquake  shock  was  felt,  and  two 
feet  of  snow,  the  heaviest  Rome  has 
ever  had,  blocked  the  horse  cars  and 
seriously  interfered  with  other  traffic 
for  two  or  three  days.*** 

Less  than  a  year  after  the  freshet. 
Judge  Branham,  Jack  King  and  Wes' 
Rounsaville  were  appointed  by  the  city 
council  to  go  to  Washington  and  bring 
a  government  engineer  to  figure  on  a 
levee  to  keep  the  water  out.  They 
brought  Oberlin  M.  Carter,  a  brilliant 
young  government  employee,  and  two 
assistants,  whom  Judge  Branham  quar- 
tered over  his  office  on  Second  Ave- 
nue. Judge  Branham  wanted  to  ask 
what  the  survey  was  going  to  cost,  but 

♦Frank  Holbrook,  skipper  of  the  "Annie 
H."  and  former  city  councilman,  saw  the 
steamer    pass    this    point. 

**Capt.  Mitchell  states  that  it  is  not  true 
that  his  steamer's  waves  broke  glasses  out  ot 
Broad  Street  windows,  and  that  the  owners 
sued    him    for    damages. 

***According  to  the  best  recollection  of  Nick 
Ayer,  the  well-known  weather  i^rophet,  the 
earthquake  came  Aug.  30  and  the  snow  either 
Dec.    1    or   25. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


323 


DAME  NATURE  MAKES  ROMANS  STEP  LIVELY. 

Like  practically  all  river  towns,  Rome  experiences  an  occasional  freshet,  and  lucky  are 
those  who  are  perched  on  the  hills.  However,  the  damage  is  usually  small  and  the  incon- 
venience trifling.  Prominent  in  the  pictures  are  a  street  car  on  Second  Avenue  and  the 
Howel  Cotton  Co.'s  compress  on  First;  an  automobile  and  a  cow  on  Fifth.  Two  ponies  are 
marooned    on    an   island   on    West   Seventh    Avenue. 


324 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Mr.  King  and  Mr.  Rounsaville  thought 
that  might  offend  the  tender  sensibil- 
ities of  Rome's  guests,  and  requested 
them  to  render  a  bill.  The  bill  was 
$1,500,  which  the  city  council  thought 
excessive.  The  price  was  finally  beat- 
en down  to  $1,250;  council  paid  $700 
of  it  and  let  the  three  committeemen 
pay  the  $550. 

There  were  two  plans.  One  was  to 
build  a  high  bank  from  the  edge  of 
the  water  between  the  two  rivers,  and 
the  other  to  follow  the  W.  &  A.  rail- 
road down  the  Etowah  and  around  to 
the  Broad  Street  station,  putting  the 
railroad  tracks  on  the  top  of  the  bank. 
The  first  was  considered  too  expen- 
sive and  the  point  was  raised  that 
crawfish  would  gnaw  through  the  bank 
and  cause  it  to  crumble.  The  rail- 
road, it  is  said,  failed  to  concur  in  the 
second  plan,  so  nothing  was  done  ex- 
cept to  pay  the  engineering  bill  and 
take  two  interesting  maps  which  the 
gentlemen  fi'om  Washington  had 
drawn. 

The  freshet  damage  suggests  Stan- 
ton's lines: 

"Dis    ole    world    we're    livin'    in, 
Am    mighty    hard    to    beat; 

You  get  a  thorn  with  every  rose, 
But  ain't  the  roses  sweet?" 

Not  only  were  the  people  awaken- 
ed to  the  necessity  of  curbing  the  high 
waters,  but  they  declared,  "It  is  time 
Rome  was  going  out  and  getting  more 
people,  more  industries,  more  prosper- 
ity. Let  us  form  an  association  which 
will  herald  to  the  world  the  glories 
and  advantages  of  Rome  and  Floyd 
County!" 

The  idea  spread  like  the  measles. 
Everybody  took  it  up,  especially  the 
financial  leaders.  Result:  The  Rome 
Land  Co.,  which  dealt  in  land  and  a 
hundred  other  things.  In  February, 
1887,  this  company  was  formed  with 
J.  W.  Rounsaville  as  president,  Jos. 
L.  Bass,  general  manager,  and  Jno. 
H.  Reynolds  treasurer.  Judge  Bran- 
ham  and  numerous  other  Romans  join- 
ed in,  until  the  $1,000,000  capital  stock 
was  well  gobbled  up  in  a  short  time. 
It  was  the  biggest  boom  Rome  had 
ever   experienced. 

In  an  anniversary  book  issued  Octo- 
ber 2,  1888,  by  the  f  ribune-of-Rome  un- 
der the  direction  of  John  Temple 
Graves,  editor,  and  Jno.  G.  Taylor, 
business  manager,  we  find  the  follow- 
ing description  of  the  company's  ac- 
tivities: 

"The  company  purchased  nearly 
2,500    acres    of    the    city's    best    subur- 


ban land,  and  vigorously  began  the 
work  of  development.  The  property  of 
the  Rome  Street  Railroad  Company 
was  at  once  acquired,  and  its  lines  ex- 
tended through  the  lands  of  the  com- 
pany. Steam  motors  were  installed, 
and  this  was  the  first  dummy  line 
ever  started  in  Georgia.  Only  Bald- 
win's best  motors  and  Brill's  best  cars 
were  used,  and  the  equipment  was  of 
the  finest.  These  steam  trains  have 
been  in  use  here  more  than  twelve 
months — a  part  of  the  time  in  opera- 
tion on  the  main  thoroughfares  of  the 
city — and  they  have  given  eminent  sat- 
isfaction. Nothing  does  more  to  ad- 
vertise a  city  of  enterprise  than  the 
operation  of  well-equipped  dummy 
trains  on  its  principal  streets,  and  the 
company,  realizing  this,  will  extend 
its  lines  into  every  portion  of  the  city 
wherever  practicable. 

"The  company  bought  2,000  acres  of 
land  in  a  body  on  the  south  side  of 
the  city,  adjoining  East  Rome,  its 
northern  boundai-y  being  about  a  mile 
from  the  business  center  of  Rome,  and 
traversed  by  Silver  Creek.  The  pop- 
ularity of  this  land  has  been  estab- 
lished in  the  sale  of  more  than  $50,000 
in  lots  and  the  erection  of  a  number 
of  handsome  homes.  Nature  has 
shaped  a  goodly  area  on  this  land  for 
a  park.  There  is  a  natural  basin  of 
iseveral  acres  in  which  a  lake  has  been 
constructed  which  is  fed  by  five  large 
springs.  This  park  is  the  present 
terminus  of  the  dummy  line  on  this 
side  of  the  city.  (Author's  Note — 
Reference  is  to  DeSoto  Park,  former- 
ly  Mobley   Park). 

"The  company  owns  500  acres  of 
land  in  one  body  west  of  Rome,  three- 
eighths  of  a  mile  from  the  center  of 
the  city,  and  to  make  this  accessible 
has  recently  opened  to  the  public  an 
elegant  iron  draw  bridge  across  the 
Oostanaula  River  at  the  foot  of  How- 
ard Street  (Second  Avenue),  iat  a 
cost  of  $20,000,  and  has  also  graded 
and  macadamized  at  its  own  expense 
a  splendid  road  to  its  own  railroad 
depot  in  the  heart  of  this  property. 
The  dummy  line  will  run  to  this  depot 
before  the  ides  of  March  have  come 
and  gone.  The  erection  of  and  open- 
ing of  this  bridge  is  but  one  of  the 
many  valuable  works  which  this  com- 
pany   has   done    for   the    public. 

"A  year  ago,  when  the  great  Pied- 
mont Exposition  at  Atlanta  invited  the 
exhibit  of  the  products  and  resources 
of  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  States, 
Floyd  County,  for  herself,  was  silent. 
It  was  known  that  to  enter  so  large 
a   field   of   competition   with   a  shadow 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


325 


of  a  hope  of  championship  would  re- 
quii-e  the  outlay  of  large  sums  of 
money,  supplemented  with  a  vast  deal 
of  systematic  and  laborious  work.  In 
the  absence  of  any  answer  from  the 
county,  the  Rome  Land  Co.,  in  the 
name  of  and  for  the  county,  undertook 
the  task,  knowing  that  should  the  un- 
dertaking prove  a  success,  its  credit 
would  go  to  the  county,  while  a  fail- 
ure would  be  set  down  against  the 
company. 

"The  grand  prize  of  the  exposition, 
offered  to  the  county  making  the 
largest  and  best  display  of  agi-icultu- 
ral  products,  was  $1,000  in  cash.  The 
valleys  of  the  Coosa,  Etowah  and  the 
Oostanaula  were  put  upon  their  met- 
tle, and  for  the  county  they  bore  aloft 
the  banner  and  captured  the  handsome 
award.  Also,  the  first  prize  for  the 
best  bale  of  cotton  was  awarded  to 
Floyd,  and  so  it  was  in  the  case  of 
hay,  wheat,  corn,  oats,  potatoes, 
grapes,  wine,  cattle,  hogs,  etc.,  etc. 

"Great  interest  centered  in  the  min- 
eral exhibit,  a  new  field  for  Floyd 
County.  Our  best-informed  citizens 
had  no  conception  of  the  great  wealth 
that  lay  at  our  very  doors.  The  min- 
eralogist had  to  go  only  a  short  dis- 
tance beyond  the  city  limits  to  gather 
his  materials  for  the  contest.  That 
our  county  secured  the  first  premiujn 
against  the  efforts  of  boastful  Birm- 
ingham, ambitious  Anniston,  hopeful 
Gadsden  and  other  pretentious  cities 
and  counties  naturally  aroused  the 
pride  of  our  citizens,  the  wonder  of 
people  in  the  mineral  districts  of  North 
Alabama  and  Tennessee,  and  the  anx- 
ious inquiry  of  Eastern  investors. 
Since  the  exposition,  a  large  amount 
of  money  has  flowed  into  the  county, 
attracted  by  the  superb  qualities  of 
the  iron  ore  and  manganese  exhibited 
on  that  occasion. 

"Finally,  the  first  premium  for  the 
fullest  and  best  display  of  forest  prod- 
ucts was  awarded  to  Floyd  County. 
With  42  prizes  and  premiums,  Floyd 
County   scored   almost  a  clean   sweep. 

"The  Armstrong  Hotel  idea  was 
born  in  the  office  of  the  Rome  Land 
Co.,  and  Capt.  R.  T.  Armstrong,  the 
builder,  was  attracted  to  Rome  from 
Birmingham  by  the  activities  of  the 
company.  The  Tribune-of-Romo  and 
a  large  number  of  factories  may  be 
said  to  have  received  their  inspiration 
from  the  activities  of  this  wide-awake 
development  concern." 

♦Authority :  R.  L.  Haire,  Atlanta,  now  an 
engineer  on  the  BirminKham  division  of  the 
Southern     Railway. 


THE  CALHOUN-WILLIAMSON 
DUEL. — The  people  of  Georgia  and  of 
Alabama  and  the  governors  of  the  two 
states — Jno.  B.  Gordon  and  Tom  Seay 
— were  furnished  with  quite  an  excite- 
ment in  1889  through  a  duel  between 
Patrick  Calhoun,  railroad  attorney, 
later  prominent  in  street  railway  af- 
fairs of  Cleveland,  0.,  and  Califor- 
nia, and  Capt.  Jno.  D.  Williamson, 
railroad  construction  genius,  a  native 
of  Whitfield  County  and  at  the  time 
stated  a  casual  resident  of  Rome. 

The  prominence  of  the  principals 
and  the  issue  between  them  accen- 
tuated the  interest  in  their  affair.  Mr. 
Calhoun's  grandfather  was  John  C. 
Calhoun,  the  South  Carolina  states- 
man. Capt.  Williamson  was  also  a 
man  of  education  and  remarkable  will ; 
he  had  spent  four  years  in  railroad  de- 
velopment in  Mexico,  and  had  come 
back  to  Rome  to  develop  her  trans- 
portation enterprises,  and  had  started 
the  Rome  dummy  line  as  the  first  in 
the  state.  He  lived  part  of  his  time 
at  the  Armstrong  Hotel;  his  interests 
called  him  away  frequently  and  he 
nearly  always  traveled  in  his  private 
car. 

A  tilt  before  the  railroad  commit- 
tee of  the  Georgia  Legislature  at  At- 
lanta led  to  the  trouble.  Mr.  Calhoun 
stated  that  Capt.  Williamson  had  so- 
licited him  to  become  leading  counsel 
for  the  C.  R.  &  C.  railroad,  hoping 
to  use  the  Calhoun  influence  to  unload 
that  property  on  the  Central  of  Geor- 
gia. Capt.  Williamson  was  present 
and  denounced  this  statement  as  a 
falsehood.  Correspondence  transmitted 
through  the  hands  of  friends  failed 
to  bring  an  understanding,  and  they 
agreed  to  fight  it  out  with  pistols  at 
the  Alabama  line.  A  boundary  line 
was  convenient  because  duelists  could 
often  step  from  one  state  into  another 
and  avoid  arrest;  incident;illy,  this 
was  the  last  duel  fought  under  the 
old  style  in  the  South. 

That  the  duel  was  not  fought  on 
the  line  was  due  to  the  vigilance  of 
Gov.  Seay  and  Gov.  Gordon,  who  kept 
the  wires  hot  until  a  number  of  posses 
had  been  formed  along  the  "border." 
They  fought  at  the  point  of  least  re- 
sistance after  several  harrowing 
chases  by  the  authorities;  this  was 
close  to  the  R.  &  D.  tracks,  between 
Lawrence  and  Farill,  Ala.,  on  the 
Farill  plantation,  aliout  three  miles 
east  of  the  place  where  Forrest  cap- 
tured Streight's  men  in  1863,  four 
miles  west  of  the  Georgia  line  and 
18  miles  west  of  Rome.* 


326 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


FOR  THE  YOUNG  FOLKS  THERE  IS  GREAT  FUN. 

The  children  dance  in  glee  when  it  snows  or  rains  hard  enough  to  send  the  rivers  out 
of  their  banks.  Wading,  bathing  and  exploring  furnish  many  an  adventure.  Boatmen  of 
all  ages  do  a  thriving  business.  The  third  picture  shows  the  Linton  Dean  homo  place  on 
the  Summerville  Road  nearly  isolated.  At  the  bottom  are  motor  craft  "riding  easy"  at  their 
moorings. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


327 


Although  great  care  had  been  taken 
to  keep  the  affair  secret,  the  mothers 
and  friends  of  several  Romans  who 
boarded  Capt.  Williamson's  private  car 
when  it  stopped  a  minute  at  Howard 
Street  (Second  Avenue)  knew  that 
something  unusual  was  going  on.  A 
sudden  demand  was  created  for  loco- 
motives, due  to  the  fact  that  at  Chat- 
tanooga junction,  about  two  miles 
west  of  Rome,  two  of  the  newspaper 
correspondents,  Hurtel  and  Barrett* 
were  diplomatically  kicked  off  the 
train,  and  had  to  foot  it  back  to  town. 
Capt.  Seay  and  Dr.  J.  B.  S.  Holmes  as- 
sisted in  getting  Engineer  W.  T.  Do- 
zier  off  the  dummy  line  and  in  charge 
of  an  engine.  R.  L.  Haire  and  his 
brother,  Paul  Haire,  rushed  to  For- 
restville  (North  Rome)  and  fired  up 
the  "Daniel  S.  Printup,"  the  first  en- 
gine built  for  the  Selma,  Rome  &  Dal- 
ton  railroad.  Evidently  The  Journal 
and  The  Constitution  were  determined 
not  to  be  "scooped,"  and  each  repre- 
sentative had  a  pocket  full  of  money 
to  charter  trains  or   anything  else. 

"The  Printup"  and  the  Dozier  en- 
gine (believed  to  have  belonged  to  the 
Rome  railroad),  reached  Chattanoo- 
ga Junction  about  the  same  time,  and 
there  they  found  the  Williamson  en- 
gine and  coach  held  up  because  the 
engineer  was  a  stranger  to  the  road. 
The  newcomers  proposed  that  they 
would  furnish  plenty  of  engines  and 
engineers  just  so  they  were  allowed 
to  sit  on  the  soft  plush  of  Capt.  Wil- 
l-.amson's  private  coach.  Thie  offer 
was  accepted,  and  the  duelling  lions 
and  the  journalistic  lambs  lay  down 
together.  Capt.  Seay  and  Mr.  Taylor 
came  in  when  the  bars  were  let  down. 
Fortunately,  nobody  was  hurt  by  the 
duel.  Mr.  Calhoun  thought  he  was  to 
fire  one  shot,  then  look  above  his  smoke 
to  see  the  result,  and  if  there  was  no 
hit,  to  blaze  away  again.  Capt.  Wil- 
liamson's understanding  was  that  they 
were  to  fire  at  will,  hence  his  weapon 
stuttered  five  times,  also  without  hit- 
ting the  mark.  Then  Capt.  William- 
son's gun  was  empty,  and  Mr.  Calhoun 
held  four  balls  in  reserve.  What  Mr. 
Calhoun  did  with  his  perfectly  good 
four  balls  is  told  hereafter.  Capt.  Wil- 
liamson had  stood  close  to  a  slender 
pine  sapling,  and  Mr.  Calhoun's  single 
shot  had  knocked  bark  into  his  face. 
Undoubtedly  the  next  shot  would  have 
laid  the  Roman  out.  It  was  never 
fired. 

Some  mischievous  persons  sought  to 
represent  the  fight  as  a  sham  affair, 
particularly  a  "champagne  lark."  It  is 
true  that  Mr.  Barrett  got  a  bottle  of 


wine  from  the  train  porter,  and  offered 
the  others  some  going  down.  It  is  also 
true  that  the  physicians  ordered  their 
champions  to  calm  their  nerves.  Maybe 
some  of  the  stuff  was  left  for  the  re- 
turn trip;  at  any  rate,  Pat  Calhoun 
and  Jno.  D.  Williamson  and  everybody 
else  were  fast  friends  ere  dark  had 
settled  on  the  expectant  countryside. 
John  Temple  Graves  took  the  position 
editorially  that  the  affair  was  full  of 
honor  and  that  both  principals  ac- 
quitted themselves  adn^irably.  The  duel 
was  the  subject  of  gossip  for  a  long 
time;  then  duelling,  already  in  a  hope- 
less  decline,   petered   out   altogether. 

For  details  the  reader  is  invited  to 
wade  into  the  accounts  by  Barrett  and 
Hurtel.  Bruffey  came  to  the  duel 
walking  on  a  crutch  and  at  it  got  a 
finger  shot  off  by  accident,  hence  Bruf- 
fey relied  on  his  colleague  to  do  the 
heavy  work.  Hurtel's  story  appeared 
in  The  Atlanta  Journal  of  Monday 
afternoon,  Aug.  12,  1889.  It  is  pre- 
ceded by  the  correspondence  between 
the  principals. 

THE  CORRESPONDENCE.  — The 
following  is  the  correspondence  which 
led  to  the  duel: 

I. 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.   8,   1889. 
Mr.     John     D.     Williamson,     Kimball 

House: 

Dear  Sir: — Before  the  railroad  com- 
mission of  the  house  of  representatives 
this  afternoon,  in  the  discussion  of  the 
Olive  bill,  you  characterized  certain 
statements  which  had  been  made  by 
me  as  false.  I  request  an  unqualified 
retraction  of  this  charge. 

This  conxmunication  will  be  handed 
to  you  by  my  friend,  Mr.  Harry  Jack- 
son,** who  is  authorized  to  receive  the 
reply  which  you  may  see  jn-oper  to 
make.  Respectfully, 

PAT   CALHOUN. 
II. 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.  8,  1889. 
Mr.   Pat  Calhoun,  City: 

Dear  Sir: — Your  note  of  this  eve- 
ning has  been  delivered  to  me  by  Mr. 

*Mr.  Hurtel  died  in  1921  at  Atlanta,  and 
Mr.  Hari-ett  (then  propriotor  of  The  AKe- 
Herahl)  at  Rirminnliam  in  .July.  1022.  Mr. 
RrulTey,  tho  other  Atlanta  scribe,  died  in  At- 
lanta Friday.  November  2(i,  l')20.  For  many 
years  afterwar<l  Mr.  Hurtel  was  on  The 
Constitution,  to  which  he  contributed  a 
rare  column  called  "Police  Matinee  Pen  Shots, 
and  was  Recorder  Pro  Tern,  of  the  Atlanta 
police    court    when    he   died. 

♦♦Father  of  Marion  M.  .Tackson,  the  late  lom 
Cobb  Jackson,  Mrs.  Wilmer  Moore.  Mrs. 
Aquilla  J.  Ornic  and  Mrs.  Shepard  Bryan,  all 
of    Atlanta. 


328 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Henry  Jackson.  You  stated  before  the 
committee  that  I  had  solicited  you  to 
act  as  general  counsel  of  the  Chatta- 
nooga, Rome  &  Columbus  Railroad 
Company,  and  that  my  purpose  was  to 
unload  that  road  upon  the  Central  Rail- 
road Company  of  Georgia  through 
your  influence.  This  statement  car- 
ried with  it  a  reflection  upon  myself. 
It  was  without  foundation,  and  I 
promptly  pronounced  it  false.  So  long 
as  this  language,  used  by  you,  is  not 
withdrawn,  I  must  decline  to  make  the 
retraction  which  you  request. 

This  will  be  handed  to  you  by  my 
friend,    Hon.   J.    Lindsay  Johnson. 

Respectfully, 

J.    D.    WILLIAMSON. 

IIL 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.  9,  1889. 
Mr.     John     D.     Williamson,      Kimball 

House: 

Dear  Sir: — Your  communication  of 
last   evening  reached  me   at   half   past 

9  this  morning.  I  cannot  consent  to  a 
discussion  of  the  correctness  of  a  state- 
ment made  by  me  before  the  railroad 
committee  of  the  house,  so  long  as 
your  charge  of  falsehood  stands.  I 
must,  therefore,  repeat  my  request  that 
you  make  an  unqualified  retraction  of 
this    charge. 

Respectfully, 

PAT   CALHOUN. 
IV. 
Atlanta,    Ga.,    Aug.    9,    1889. 
Mr.   Pat   Calhoun,   City: 

Dear  Sir: — Your  note  of  this  morn- 
ing was  delivered  to  me  at  10:45  a.  m. 
My  communication  of  last  evening  was 
delivered  to  Mr.  Henry  Jackson  about 

10  p.  m.,  and  of  course  I  do  not  know 
why  it  did  not  reach  you  before  9:30 
this  a.  m.  I  have  nothing  to  add  to 
my  communication  of  last  evening,  ex- 
cept to  repeat  that  I  decline  to  comply 
with  your  request  for  the  reason  stated 
in  that  communication. 

This   will   be   handed   to   you  by   my 
friend,    Hon.   J.    Lindsay  Johnson. 
Respectfully, 
J.    D.    WILLIAMSON. 
V. 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.  9,  1889. 
Mr.     John      D.     Williamson,     Kimball 
House: 

Dear  Sir: — Your  communication  of 
this  date  has  just  reached  me.  In  re- 
ply I  would  ask  that  you  name  some 
place   without   the    limits   of   the    state 


of   Georgia,  where  this  correspondence 
can   be   continued. 

Respectfully, 

PAT    CALHOUN. 
VL 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.  9,   1889. 
Mr.    Pat    Calhoun,    City: 

Dear  Sir: — I  am  just  in  receipt  of 
your  last  note.  As  you  know,  Atlanta 
is  not  my  home.  I  only  requested  Hon. 
J.  Lindsay  Johnson  to  act  temprarily 
to  prevent  delay.  A  friend  who  has 
been  fully  authorized  to  represent  me 
has  telegraphed  that  he  will  be  here 
at  6:30  this  p.  m.  I  will  then  commu- 
nicate with  you  for  the  purpose  of  ar- 
ranging the  continuation  of  this  cor- 
respondence  outside  of  this   state. 

This  will   be   handed   to   you  by   my 
friend,   Hon.   J.    Lindsay  Johnson. 
Respectfully, 
J.    D.    WILLIAMSON. 

VII. 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug.  9,   1889. 
Mr.  Pat  Calhoun,  City: 

Dear  Sir: — My  friend,  Mr.  J.  King, 
of  Rome,  Ga.,  has  arrived,  and  has 
been  put  in  possession  of  contents  of 
the  correspondence  between  us.  In 
conformity  with  your  request  in  your 
last  note  delivered  at  1:05  p.  m.  today, 
I  will  meet  you  in  Alabama,  at  Cedar 
Bluff,  on  the  Rome  and  Decatur  Rail- 
road, tomorrow  (Saturday)  afternoon, 
at  5  o'clock.  Unless  I  hear  to  the  con- 
trary, I  shall  expect  to  find  you  there 
at  that  hour. 

Mr.  friend,  Mr.  King,  will  deliver 
this   note. 

Respectfully, 
J.    D.   WILLIAMSON. 


The   Journal   narrative    starts    here: 

Captain  John  D.  Williamson  and 
Mr.  Pat  Calhoun  fought  a  duel  with 
pistols  Saturday  night  at  thirty-five 
minutes  past  seven  o'clock  on  the  Rome 
and  Decatur  Railroad  somewhere  near 
the  state  line,  probably  in  Alabama. 

The  weapons  used  were  the  in> 
proved  Smith  &  Wesson  hammerless 
pistols. 

Capt.  Henry  Jackson  acted  as  Mr. 
Calhoun's  second,  and  Mr.  Jack  King, 
of  Rome,  as  Capt.  Williamson's  sec- 
ond. 

Neither  principal  was  hurt. 

A  Journal  reporter*  was  on  the  field 
when  the  fight  took  place,  having  fol- 

*Gordon    Noel    Hurtel. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences" 


329 


ir— jl 


PROMINENT  FIGURES  IN  THE  DUEL. 


330 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


lowed  the  Williamson  party  from  At- 
lanta. But  for  the  lateness  of  the 
hour,  nearly  eight  o'clock,  and  the  re- 
moteness of  the  place  from  a  telegraph 
station,  the  full  particulars  would  have 
appeared  in  Saturday  evening's  extra. 
The  first  authentic  news  which 
reached  the  city  Saturday  night  was 
wired  by  The  Journal  representative, 
but  it  reached  Atlanta  too  late  to  be 
used. 

The  Journal  reporter,  Gordon  Noel 
Hurtel,  gives  a  graphic  account  of  the 
aflFair  below: 


"Follow  the  Williamson  party  and 
don't  lose  sight  of  them  until  the  duel 
is  fought  or  the  men  make  friends," 
were  my  instructions  when  I  left  The 
Journal    office    Saturday   morning. 

And  I  carried  out  those  instructions 
to  the  letter,  as  Journal  men  are  known 
to  do. 

I  boarded  the  outgoing  Western  and 
Atlantic  train  at  the  (Union)  depot 
Saturday  morning  at  8  o'clock  and 
found  the  Williamson  party  occupying 
the  parlor  car.  The  party  consisted 
of  Capt.  Williamson,  Mr.  Jack  King, 
his  second;  Judge  H.  B.  Tompkins,  and 
Maj.  C.  B.  F.  Lowe.* 

Dr.  Hunter  P.  Cooper  was  on  the 
train,  but  not  with  the  party,  as  he 
expected  to  act  as  Mr.  Calhoun's  phy- 
sician. 

I  paid  my  way  to  Marietta,  and 
when  I  learned  from  the  conductor  to 
what  point  the  Williamson  party  had 
paid  their  way  I  antied  up  more  cash 
to  carry  me  to  Kingston. 

At  Kingston,  Capt.  Williamson's 
private  car  was  in  waiting.  It  was 
placed  next  to  the  engine.  I  knew  this 
meant  a  quick  cut  loose  and  fast  run 
through  Rome  to  avoid  arrest,  and  to 
get  rid  of  me,  as  I  had  been  spotted. 
When  Rome  was  reached,  the  train  was 
stopped  at  the  depot,  and  I  ran  to  the 
private  car  and  took  my  seat  on  the 
steps.  As  I  expected,  the  special  car 
was  uncoupled  and  run  through  town 
at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour. 
Two  miles  the  other  side  of  Rome  Mr. 
Jack  King  discovered  me  hiding  on  the 
steps.  The  train  was  stopped  and  I 
was  put  off  like  a  tramp,  and  had  to 
count  the  crossties  for  two  miles 
through  the  hot  sun. 

Dr.  Battey  boarded  the  train  at 
Rome  to  act  as  Capt.  Williamson's  phy- 
sician.    Dr.  Cooper  got  off. 

In  Rome  I  called  upon  Colonel  John 
T.  Graves,  and  Mr.  Taylor,  the  city 
editor  of  his   paper.      Mr.   E.   W.   Bar- 


rett, of  The  Constitution,  and  myself 
went  to  woi-k  to  secure  a  special  en- 
gine to  follow  the  Williamson  party. 
We  called  upon  Major  Lawrence,  of 
the  Rome  and  Decatur  Road.  He  in- 
formed us  that  the  Williamson  party 
had  sent  to  him  for  permission  to  go 
over  his  road  on  a  tour  of  inspection, 
and  he  replied  that  he  had  no  engineer 
to  pilot  them.  The  Williamson  party 
was  then  side-tracked  at  a  junction 
two   miles  from  the  city. 

"Having  no  engineer  we  cannot  let 
you  gentlemen  have  a  special  engine," 
said  Major  Lawrence. 

But  a  wide-awake  citizen  of  Rome, 
Maj.  John  J.  Seay,  to  whom  we  had 
told  the  story,  enlisted  in  our  cause, 
and  he  procured  an  engineer  from  his 
dummy  who  knew  the  Rome  and  De- 
catur road. 

We  got  the  special  engine  and  start- 
ed out  in  a  hard  driving  rain.  I  had 
to  help  turn  the  engine  on  the  turning 
board,  and  got  soaking  wet. 

At  the  junction  we  found  Capt.  Wil- 
liamson's car.  We  offered  them  our 
pilot  and  they  invited  us  into  the  pri- 
vate car,  giving  us  a  fine  lunch  and 
champagne  and  cigars.  This  was  the 
car  from  which  I  had  been  fired  like  a 
tramp  an  hour  before. 

While  waiting  for  Capt.  William- 
son's engine  to  return,  the  party  went 
into  the  woods  and  the  captain  prac- 
ticed handling  his  revolver  by  firing  at 
a  blazed  pine  tree.  The  blaze  was  the 
height  of  a  man  with  a  round  place  for 
the  head. 

Judge  Tompkins  would  give  the  com- 
mand: "Are  you  ready?  One,  two 
three,  fire!"  And  Capt.  Williamson 
would  raise  his  pistol  and  send  five 
balls  into  the  ti'ee,  many  shots  striking 
the  blazed  place. 

Somebody  ran  into  the  woods  and 
stated  that  the  sheriff  of  Floyd  County, 
with  a  deputy,  was  coming  down  the 
track.  Hurriedly  an  arrangement  was 
made  and  Capt.  Williamson  and  Mr. 
King  ran  through  the  woods,  with  the 
understanding  that  the  train  was  to 
pick  them  up  two  miles  down  the  road. 


*According  to  the  Barrett  narrative,  it  was 
W.  B.  Lowe.  Capt.  Wm.  B.  Lowe  was  about 
this  time  engaged  in  railroad  construction  and 
was  a  casual  resident  of  Rome.  He  was  the 
father  of  Miss  Rebie  Lowe,  who  married  Baron 
Rosencrantz,  of  Austria.  Capt.  Jas.  W.  Eng- 
lish, of  Atlanta,  a  business  associate  and  close 
friend,  states  that  Capt.  Lowe  was  ill  when 
the  duel  was  fought,  and  in  his  opinion  was 
not  present.  Practically  all  the  principals  In 
the  duel  are  now  dead.  Exceptions  are  Mr. 
Calhoun,  now  a  resident  of  Frankfort,  Ky., 
and    Dr.    Henry    Battey,    of    Rome. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


331 


The  sheriff  produced  a  telegram 
from  Governor  Gordon  instructing  him 
to  arrest  certain  gentlemen.  He  didn't 
find  whom  he  wanted,  and  when  the 
other  engine  arrived,  the  party  pulled 
out.  Two  miles  down  the  track  Capt. 
Williamson  and  Mr.  King  got  aboai'd, 
and  we  were  rolling  towards  Cedar 
Bluff,  the  place  of  meeting,  at  thirty 
miles  an  hour.  As  we  passed  Raynes 
Station,  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
I  left  a  telegram  for  The  Journal,  and 
two  hours  afterward  found  that  it  had 
not  been  sent  off.  The  mail  is  better 
than  telegraphing  from  a  country  rail- 
way station. 

We  reached  Cedar  Bluff  at  about  4 
o'clock,  and  had  to  sidetrack  for  a  pas- 
senger. 

We  had  hardly  stopped  at  Cedar 
Bluff  when  somebody  cried  out: 

"Here   comes   the    sheriff!" 

There  was  a  scramble  for  the  pri- 
vate car  and  special  engine,  and  the 
order  given  to  "pull  out." 

We  were  in  Cherokee  County,  Ala- 
bama, and  the  sheriff  was  one  of  those 
bushy,  black-whiskered  fellows  with  a 
broad-brim  white  hat  on,  who  meant 
business. 

The  private  car  got  off,  but  the  spe- 
cial engine  was  stopped  by  the  sheriff. 
However,  the  car  did  not  get  far  when 
it  met  the  regular  passenger.  Our 
car  had  to  be  backed  to  Cedar  Bluff 
and  into  the  hands  of  the  bushy-whis- 
kered sheriff. 

Mr.  Calhoun  and  Capt.  Harry  Jack- 
son were  on  the  regular  passenger, 
having  come  from  Atlanta  by  the  way 
of  Anniston.  They  got  off,  and  there 
was  Ed  Bruffey,  hobbling  behind  them 
on  one  crutch. 

The  sheriff  made  his  way  to  Mr.  Cal- 
houn and   said: 

"Mr.  Williamson,  consider  yourself 
under   arrest." 

Capt.  Seay,  who  was  known  to  the 
sheriff,  made  affidavit  that  the  gentle- 
man was  not  Capt.  Williamson  and 
Mr.  Calhoun  was  released.  Mr.  Bruf- 
fey repi-esented  himself  as  Pat  Calhoun 
and  was  arrested,  but  was  released 
when  the  station  master,  who  knew 
Mr.  Calhoun,  saw  him. 

The  sheriff  swore  he  would  hold  the 
special  train  and  engine.  Both  trains 
were  searched.  Mr.  Calhoun  and  Capt. 
Jackson  were  locked  up  in  a  closet  in 
the  private  car.  Capt.  Williamson  and 
Mr.  King  were  in  a  closet  on  the  regu- 
lar passenger.  An  arrangement  had 
been  made  for  as  many  of  the  party  as 
possible  to  leave  on  this  train.     When 


the  passenger  train  pulled  out,  it  car- 
ried off  Capt.  Williamson,  Mr.  King, 
Dr.  Battey,  Capt.  Williamson's  private 
secretary,  Capt.  Seay  and  myself.  The 
rest  of  the  party  were  left  behind  on 
the   private  car. 

We  ran  down  to  Raynes'  Station, 
five  miles  nearer  Rome  than  Cedar 
Bluff,   and  there  got  off. 

The  passenger  train  coming  from 
Rome  was  an  hour  late  when  it  reached 
Raynes'  Station.  Dr.  Cooper  was 
aboard.  Myself,  Capt.  Seay  and  Capt. 
Williamson's  private  secretary  got 
aboard  and  returned  to  Cedar  Bluff. 
The  bushy-whiskered  sheriff  of  Chero- 
kee County  was  still  on  hand,  and  he 
had  been  made  to  believe  that  the  en- 
tire duelling  party  had  gone  to 
Raynes'  Station  on  the  regular  pas- 
senger. He  was  anxious  to  know  what 
happened.  He  was  told  that  mutual 
apologies  had  been  made  and  every- 
thing satisfactorily  settled.  This  ex- 
planation induced  him  to  let  the  spe- 
cial train  and  engine  move  off. 

At  Raynes'  Station  everybody  got 
off  and  the  seconds  had  a  talk.  The 
sun  was  just  setting,  and  I  wired  The 
Journal  that  the  fight  was  about  to 
take    place. 

While  the  seconds  were  arranging 
preliminaries,  there  was  a  loud  clatter 
of  horses'  feet,  and  four  men  on  mules 
and  carrying  shotguns  came  in  sight. 

"Everybody  to  the  train!"  came  the 
order. 

"If  anybody  moves  I'll  shoot!"  came 
from  one  of  the  four  men,  as  he  cov- 
ered the  crowd  with  his  gun. 

This  only  increased  the  scramble  for 
the   coach   and  engine. 

"Move  that  train  and  you  are  a  dead 
man!"  came  from  the  four  Alabama 
cowboys,  as  they  brought  their  guns 
to  bear   upon  the  engineer. 

Dodging  down  in  his  cab,  the  en- 
gineer pulled  the  throttle  wide  open, 
and  away  we  went. 

The  special  engine  was  Iwhind.  but 
no  effort  was  made  to  stop  it. 

After  a  run  of  three  miles  we  stop- 
ped by  the  side  of  a  beautiful  green 
valley,"  and  the  party  disembai-ked 
again. 

It  was  nearly  dark  and  we  had  left 
the  only  telegraph  station  between 
Cedar  Bluff  and  Rome  behind  us.  I 
knew  the  lateness  of  the  hour  and  the 
remoteness  of  a  telegraph  station 
would  make  it  impossible  for  me  to 
reach    The    Journal    with    the   news    in 


332 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


SOME   DAY   MAN   WILL   CONQUER  WATER. 

Vigorous  steps  have  been  taken  by  Rome  leaders  to  frustrate  the  freshets  or  get  above 
them.  One  plan  is  to  dam  up  ravines  far  above  Rome,  and  rlease  th  water  when  th«  "^^^ 
are  low.  Another  is  to  have  the  city  grow  northward  on  the  hjlls  and  use  the  abandoned 
river  fork  land  for  a  park.  (Near  the  bottom  of  the  picture  is  Hamilton  athletic  field  sub- 
merged.) 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


333 


time  for   its  publication   Saturday  aft- 
ernoon. 

A  greensward  was  selected  as  the 
field,  and  the  seconds  were  holding 
their    last    private    interview,    when — 

"Look  out!  Everybody  on  the  train!" 

The  warning  was  none  too  soon. 
Down  the  railroad  the  four  men  with 
shotguns  were  coming  at  a  dog  trot. 
Everybody  jumped  aboard  and  the  train 
moved  off  toward  Rome  before  the  men 
got    in    shooting    distance. 

Another  run  of  four  or  five  miles 
was  made  and  we  were  very  near  the 
line  which  divides  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama. 

Once  more  everybody  disembarked 
and  preparations  were  made  for  the 
fight. 

A  small  natural  clearing  in  an  oak 
grove  was  selected  as  the  spot  for  the 
meeting. 

Capt.  Seay,  who  was  a  disinterested 
party,  interfered  and  tried  to  make  the 
men  come  to  a  settlement.  His  efforts 
were   fruitless. 

It  had  to  be  a  fight. 

No   written   challenge   passed. 

Capt.  Williamson  had  the  choice  of 
weapons  and  selected  the  hammerless 
Smith  &  Wesson  five-shooter.  Mr.  King 
was  to  give  the  command   as   follows: 

"Gentlemen,   are   you   ready?" 

And  without  waiting  for  a  reply  was 
to  continue: 

"One,  two,  three,  fire!" 

At  the  command  "fire,"  each  princi- 
pal was  to  raise  his  weapon  and  shoot 
five  shots  and  to  stop  when  their  re- 
volvers were  empty.  The  command 
and  the  manner  of  firing  was  not  that 
laid  down  in  the  Code,  and  some  ob- 
jection was  made  at  first  by  Capt. 
Jackson.  But,  as  Mr.  Calhoun  didn't 
seem  to  care,  the  arrangement  was  ac- 
cepted as  satisfactory.  Capt.  Jackson 
thought  the  men  should  fire  one  shot 
at  a  time,  and  that  the  command  should 
be  "Gentleman,  are  you  ready?  Fire, 
one,  two,  three, — stop!" 

At  thirty-five  minutes  past  seven 
o'clock,  the  principals  were  placed  in 
position  twelve  paces  apart.  Only  the 
principals,  seconds,  doctors,  reporters 
and  Capt.  Seay  were  allowed  on  the 
field. 

The  last  rays  of  daylight  were  fad- 
ing out  of  the  western  sky,  while  in 
the  east  the  full  moon  was  rising  above 
the  tree  tops.  Each  man  stood  facing 
the  other  against  a  background  of  un- 
derbrush. Not  a  breath  of  wind  stirred 
the    leaves,    and    the    only    sound    that 


bi'oke  the  stillness  was  the  subdued 
voices  of  the  seconds  as  they  made 
the    final   arrangements. 

Capt.  Williamson  stood  facing  east 
and  Mr.   Calhoun   facing  west. 

Mr.  King  produced  two  new  nickel- 
plated  pistols  and  Capt.  Jackson  se- 
lected one  and  went  over  to  his  prin- 
cipal to  show  him  how^  it  had  to  be 
fired. 

When  he  returned  to  where  Mr. 
King  was  standing,  a  box  of  cartridges 
was  opened. 

Mr.  King  loaded  his  pistol  and 
handed  it  to  his  principal. 

Capt.  Jackson  found  some  difficulty 
in  loading  his,  not  being  used  to  that 
kind  of  revolver. 

"I  don't  think  I  can  load  this 
weapon,"    said    Capt.   Jackson. 

"I  can.  Cap,"  spoke  up  Mr.  Bruffey, 
and  he  took  the  pistol  in  his  hand. 

There   was   two   or  three   seconds  of 
silence. 
"Bang!" 

"There,  my  finger's  gone!"  and  Mr. 
Bruffey  walked  off  holding  up  a  bloody 
hand.  A  part  of  the  third  finger  of 
his  right  hand  had  been  torn  away  by 
the  ball. 

"Let  me  dress  the  wound,"  said  Dr. 
Cooper. 

"Oh,  go  on  with  the  fight,"  said  Mr. 
Bruffey  as  he  wrapped  a  handkerchief 
about  his  lacerated  finger.  "A  finger 
don't  amount  to  anything." 

Capt.  Jackson  loaded  Mr.  Calhoun's 
pistol  and  handed  it  to  him. 

A  black  cloud  passed  over  the  moon 
and  it  was  hard  to  distinguish  a  per- 
son   twelve    paces   away. 

At  this  time  I  passed  close  to  Capt. 
Williamson  and  Mr.  Calhoun,  to  see  if 
there  was  any  quick  breathing,  or  any- 
thing to  indicate  nervousness.  But  the 
breathing  of  both  was  slow  and  regu- 
lar, and  there  was  not  a  tremor  of  the 
body.  Two  cooler,  braver  men  never 
stood  on  the  field  of  honor. 

Capt.  Williamson  raised  his  iiistnl 
slightly. 

"Lower  those  weapons!"  came  from 
Capt.  Jackson.  Mr.  Williamson's 
w-eapon  was  dropped. 

The  affair  was  getting  to  be  dra- 
matically  sensational. 

Capt.  Seay  rushed  forward  and  stood 
in   front  of  "Capt.   Williamson. 

"As  a  citizen  of  Georgia  and  in  the 
name  of  the  Governor  of  Alabama." 
cried  out  Capt.  Seay,  "I  call  upon  you 
to    stop!" 


334 


A  HisTORvroF  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE  "PRINTUP,"  S.,  R.  &  D.  ENGINE  IN  THE  DUEL. 


The  captain  didn't  know  which  state 
he  was  in. 

"It's  a  shame,"  he  continued,  "for 
two  such  men  to  stand  up  and  shoot 
at  each  other,  and  this  thing  niust  be 
stopped!" 

Capt.  Seay  had  to  be  forcibly  nioved 
out  of  the  way.  He  then  called  upon 
the  doctors  and  the  reporters  to  help 
him  remove  the  principals  and  the  sec- 
onds into  the  coach  and  take  them  back 
to  Rome. 

Mr.  BrufFey  put  in  with:  "Yes,  these 
men  are  two  of  the  best  citizens  of 
Georgia,  and  it  would  be  a  terrible 
calamity  if  either  of  them  was  killed. 
Gentlemen,  if  it  will  satisfy  you,  you 
can  each  take  a  couple  of  cracks  at 
me." 

"Gentlemen,  must  this  thing  be?" 
asked  Dr.  Cooper. 

There  was  no  reply. 

"Gentlemen,  are  you  ready?"  came 
from  Mr.  King,  and  after  a  second's 
pause  he   proceeded: 

"One,    two,    three,   fire!" 

Six  rapid  shots  rang  out  on  the  still 
night  air.  Mr.  Calhoun  was  asked  if 
he  was  hurt  and  he  said,  "No."  Capt. 
Williamson  was  asked  if  he  was  hurt 
and  he  answered  that  he  was  not. 

"Load  my  pistol  again,"  said  Capt. 
Williamson. 

Mr.  King  made  a  movement  to  go 
towards  his  principal. 

Capt.  Jackson  raised  his  revolver 
and    said: 

"I'll  shoot  the  first  man  who  moves, 
if  I  can!" 

"I  think  I  have  the  right  to  speak 
to  my  principal,"  protested  Mr.  King. 

"I  wish  Judge  Tompkins  sent  for  to 
see  how  this  shooting  shall  proceed," 
said  Capt.  Williamson. 

"I'll    kill    the    man    who    crosses    the 


line,  so  help  me  God!"  said  Mr.  Cal- 
houn as  he  looked  towards  Mr.  King. 

Capt.  Jackson  said  he  believed  Mr. 
King  had  the  right  to  speak  to  his 
principal. 

Mr.  King  went  to  Capt.  Williamson 
and  Capt.  Jackson  conferred  with  Mr. 
Calhoun. 

Mr.  King  began  to  examine  Capt. 
Williamson's    pistol. 

"What  does  that  mean?"  said  Capt. 
Jackson,  coming  towards  Mr.  King. 

"I  am  looking  to  see  if  my  princi- 
pal's weapon  is  empty,"  replied  Mr. 
King.     "You   can   see  for  yourself." 

"That's  all  right,"  replied  Capt. 
Jackson. 

Then  Mr.  Calhoun's  voice  was  heard 
clear  and  strong: 

"Mr.  Williamson,  I  have  reserved 
four  of  my  shots  and  I  now  have  the 
right  to  fire  them  at  you." 

"I  am  ready  to  receive  them,"  came 
from  Mr.  Williamson  in  a  steady  voice. 

"Mr.  Williamson,  I  ask  you  to  with- 
draw the  statement  you  used  in  speak- 
ing about  me  before  the  legislative 
committee." 

"I  will  do  so,"  replied  Capt.  William- 
son, "when  you  say  you  meant  no  per- 
sonal reflection  on  me  by  your  remarks 
before  that  committee." 

"My  statement  before  that  commit- 
tee was  to  impress  the  legislature  with 
the  fact  that  your  railroad  was  offered 
to  the  Central  in  1887.  I  say  this  with 
four  balls,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  take 
your  life." 

"When  you  say  you  meant  no  re- 
flection upon  me  personally  then  I  will 
retract,  but   not   until   then." 

"I  want  you  to  retract  uncondition- 
ally." 

"You  will  get  such  when  you  tell  me 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


335 


you  did  not  intend  to  reflect  upon  my 
character." 

"Mr.  Williamson,  will  you  retract?" 
again   asked    Mr.    Calhoun. 

Capt.  Jackson  interrupted  the  dia- 
logue with  the   question : 

"Mr.  Williamson,  have  you  any  re- 
spect for  me  as  a  man  of  honor?" 

"I  have,"  was  the  reply. 

"Then  I  say  to  you  as  a  man  of 
honor  that  I  would  withdraw  the  state- 
ment." 

"Capt.  Jackson,  I  will  not  do  so  until 
Mr.  Calhoun  tells  me  that  he  meant  no 
personal  reflection  by  his  remarks." 

"I  hold  four  balls,"  said  Mr.  Cal- 
houn.    "Will  you  withdraw?" 

"I'm  ready  for  your  fire,"  replied 
Mr.  Williamson  with  firmness. 

Then  Mr.  Calhoun  raised  his  pistol 
aloft  and   said: 

"Mr.  Williamson,  in  my  remarks  be- 
fore the  legislative  committee,  you  did 
not  personally  enter  my  mind.  I  say 
this  holding  four  shots  in  reserve,  and 
when  I  have  fired  them  in  the  air  I  ex- 
pect you  to  withdraw  your  remarks, 
since  I  have  made  this  statement." 

Pointing  the  pistol  upward,  Mr.  Cal- 
houn fired  the  four  shots.  The  flashes 
of  the  pistol  could  be  seen. 

As  soon  as  the  shots  were  fired,  Capt. 
Williamson  said : 

"Since  you  have  stated  that  you 
meant  nothing  personal  in  your  re- 
marks, I  now  withdraw  the  statement 
I  made  before  the  legislative  commit- 
tee." 

Mr.  Calhoun  walked  over  to  Capt. 
Williamson  and  the  two  gentlemen 
shook  hands. 

"Let  all  this  be  a  matter  of  the 
past,"   said  Mr.   Calhoun. 

"It  shall  be  with  me,"  said  Capt. 
Williamson.  "You  have  shown  your- 
self to  be  a  man  of  courage  and  I  be- 
lieve I  have." 

"You  certainly  have,"  replied  Mr. 
Calhoun. 

Capt.  Jackson  then  threw  his  arms 
about  Mr.  Calhoun's  neck  and  kissed 
him. 

The  party  returned  to  the  train  and 
champagne  and  cigars  were  in  order. 

We  arrived  in  Rome  a  few  minutes 
after  9  o'clock,  and  that  was  the  first 
telegraph  station  reached  after  the 
fight.  I  sent  the  first  authentic  news 
of  the  fight  to  Atlanta  at  that  hour. 

Cap.  Williamson  and  the  other  gen- 
tlemen who  live  in  Rome  got  off,  and 
Mr.  Calhoun,  Capt.  Jackson,  Dr.  Coop- 


er, Judge  Tompkins,  Major  Lowe  and 
myself  were  sent  through  on  Capt. 
Williamson's  private  car,  arriving  in 
Atlanta  at  2  o'clock  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing. 


NOTES   OF   THE   FIGHT. 

Capt.  Jackson  tells  a  good  story  on 
Mr.  Ed  Bruffey.  He  says  when  they 
found  it  impossible  to  give  Ed  the 
shake,  they  just  swore  him  in.  The 
party  had  to  travel  as  secretly  as  pos- 
sible to  avoid  arrest.  Soon  after  Bruf- 
fey had  been  "sworn  in"  he  approached 
Capt.  Jackson  and  said:  "Captain,  is 
there  any  particular  lie  you  want  me 
to  tell,  or  shall  I  just  lie  generally?" 

The  saddest  thing  of  the  day  was  the 
grief  of  Capt.  Williamson's  private 
secretary  at  the  thought  of  his  em- 
ployer's having  to  face  death.  He  re- 
mained in  the  coach  during  the  fight, 
and  when  the  six  shots  rang  out,  he 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  exclaimed:  "My 
God!     Is  he  killed?" 

Mr.  Calhoun  did  some  practising 
early  Saturday  morning,  and  he  is 
said  to  have  turned  over  a  silver  dol- 
lar three  shots  out  of  five. 

It  is  claimed  by  Mr.  Williamson  that 
it  did  not  occur  to  him  that  he  could 
reserve  any  shot,  and  that  was  why 
he  fired  so  rapidly  and  left  himself 
unarmed. 

Mr.  Calhoun  says  he  did  not  hear  any 
bullets  whizzing  past  him.  "I  felt  as 
calm  and  cool,"  says  he,  "as  if  I  had 
been  making  a  law  speech."  And  he 
looked  just  as  he  said  he  felt. 

There  came  near  being  a  serious  col- 
lision at  Cedar  Bluff  between  Capt. 
Williamson's  special  and  the  regular 
passenger,  on  which  Capt.  Jackson  and 
Mr.  Calhoun  arrived.  Had  the  special 
had  a  few  minutes  more  time  when  it 
pulled  out  from  the  sheriff  there  wouhl 
have  been  a  smashup. 

About  an  hour  before  the  fight  took 
place  Capt.  Williamson  was  asked  by 
me  if  he  felt  any  apprehension  of  what 
was  coming.  lie  said:  "I  don't  any 
more  mind  going  into  this  fight  than  I 
do  going  to  breakfast.  I  have  no  fear 
of  death  and  I  attribute  this  to  my  phi- 
losophy. A  man  must  eventually  die 
anyway,  and  to  die  now  is  only  to 
hasten  matters  a  few  years." 

When  the  duel  was  over,  it  was  a 
happy  party  that  boarded  the  train 
and  "made  the  champagne  corks  pop. 
Mr.  Calhoun  called  Capt.  Williamson 
"John,"    and    Capt.    Williamson    called 


336 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


i-Mrs    cTf  DWELLINGS  OF  HIGH  ALTITUDE  AND  LOW 

Vista/,  on'^t^e  EtowaKr'''4-B'a7rrWri^.h^-  Tjohn'^^c"/-  ^"'  f^'i.'-  ^'"'^^^  •'°»>-on  ("R- 
A.  Denny  (formerly  Capt.  John  "^  Sely  and~Thos  W  Ti"-  «-»"sh  B.  Parks.  7-Richard 
9— Judge    and     Mrs.     Waller     T      Tu^buH     f"sfrJ  m    .^^•t'L^"der) .    8— Mrs.    Henry    J.     Hine- 

Bryan    (J.   Park   Bowie,.      ^^-ll^'tfJe^YolT^^Xol^ryl'^^""^^^^^^         ^^"^      Co.e„,a« 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


337 


him  "Pat,"  and  both  were  on  the  most 
friendly  terms. 

The  way  he  dodged  around,  jumping 
from  car  to  car,  perplexed  the  old  sher- 
iff as  bad  as  the  harlequin  in  Humpty- 
Dumpty  did  Goody  Two-Shoes. 

They  tried  to  make  the  old  Cherokee 
sheriff  believe  the  special  train  car- 
ried the  mail  and  that  he  would  be 
hung  for  interfering  with  the  mails, 
but  it  was  no  go. 

Capt.  Jackson,  in  discussing  the  duel 
after  it  was  over,  said:  "My  man 
showed  as  noble  courage  as  was  ever 
witnessed  on  the  field,  and  he  had  a 
man  of  true  grit  in  front  of  him." 

Before  going  on  the  field,  Mr.  King 
told  Capt.  Jackson  that  he  was  un- 
armed. 

When  Ed  Bruffey,  who  has  been  un- 
able to  walk  without  crutches  for  sev- 
eral months,  left  the  train  to  go  on  the 
field  he  forgot  his  crutches  and  jumped 
about  in  a  very  lively  manner. 

And  now  the  fight  is  over,  everybody 
is  satisfied  and  happy,  and  will  remain 
so  unless  the  Governor  of  Alabama 
opens  up  a  correspondence  with  the 
Governor  of  Georgia. 

GORDON  NOEL  HURTEL. 

The  Barrett  narrative,  written  in 
collaboration  with  Bruffey  for  The 
Constitution  of  Monday  morning,  Aug. 
12,    1889,   follows: 

Mr.  Calhoun  and  Capt.  Jackson  are 
back  at  home  again. 

Mr.  Williamson  and  Mr.  King  are 
in  Rome. 

The  duel  is  a  thing  of  the  past  and 
the  friends  of  all  concerned  are  pleas- 
ed at  the  bloodless  result.  But  those 
who  were  upon  the  field  may  have  to 
make  another  trip  to  Alabama.  Gov. 
Tom  Seay  wants  to  see  them. 

Alabama's  chief  executive  made 
every  exertion  to  prevent  the  duel  in 
his  state.  He  telegraphed  to  every 
county,  and  yesterday  morning  when 
he  ascertained  that  his  officers  had 
been  eluded,  and  that  the  fight  took 
place  near  the  state  line,  he  was  an- 
gry- 
Gentlemen  who  were  in  Montgomery 
yesterday  morning  and  who  reached 
Atlanta  last  night  say  that  Gov.  Seay 
says  he  will  have  officers  sent  for  all 
parties  interested  in  the  affair,  and  see 
that  the  law  is  vindicated.  Just  what 
will  be  done  remains  to  be  seen. 

Mr.  Calhoun  passed  the  day  at  his 
home  and  will  remain  in  the  city  some 


time.  Capt.  Jackson  has  no  idea  of 
going  away,  and  if  Gov.  Seay  wants 
them  he  will  have  no  trouble  in  secur- 
ing them. 


On  our  return  to  Atlanta  yesterday 
Mr.  Bruffey  and  myself  were  asked 
thousands  of  questions  iibout  the  Cal- 
houn-Williamson duel — among  them  if 
the  men  really  shot  to  kill?  Were  the 
pistols  loaded  with  balls  or  were  the 
cartridges  blank?  And  hundreds  of 
other  such,  I  may  say,  foolish  ques- 
tions. 

The  bravery  shown  by  both  parties 
in  the  fight  was  simply  unequaled. 
They  are  the  two  bravest  men  I  ever 
saw,  and  in  the  history  of  this  coun- 
try, it  is  safe  to  say,  there  will  never 
be  another  such   duel. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  darkness, 
both  men  would  have  been  killed,  for 
both  are  good  shots.  Mr.  Williamson 
apparently  wanted  to  hit  Mr.  Calhoun 
before  the  latter  could  get  good  aim, 
and  therefore  fired  all  five  of  his 
balls  in  less  than  two  seconds.  He 
was  familiar  with  his  pistol,  but  his 
haste  was  evidently  the  cause  of  his 
wild  shots. 

Mr.  Calhoun,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
a  perfect  stranger  to  the  hammerless 
Smith  &  Wesson  self-cocker.  In  fact, 
Capt.  Harry  Jackson  says  Mr.  Calhoun 
not  only  never  used  one  before  but 
had  never  had  one  in  his  hands,  and 
as  for  himself,  he  never  saw  one  until 
yesterday  on  the  grounds.  Capt.  Jack- 
son at  first  protested  against  the 
weapons,  but  Mr.  Calhoun  said  he  was 
perfectly  willing  to  use  them.  Mr. 
Calhoun  is  a  dead  shot,  and  while  he 
might  have  shot  to  kill,  it  struck  me 
otherwise. 

After  the  first  shots  and  when  the 
colloquy  ensued,  Mr.  Calhoun  simply 
held  Mr.  Williamson's  life  in  his  hands. 
He  could  have  killed  him  at  any  mo- 
ment, and  it  would  have  been  perfectly 
justifiable  under  the  code.  Whether 
he  ever  had  any  idea  of  shooting  again 
is  the  question.  No  one  knew  then 
and  perhaps  no  one  knows  now.  Mr. 
Williamson's  cool  bravery  in  telling 
him  to  "shoot  your  remaining  four 
halls  and  then  we  will  load  and  shoot 
again,"  folding  his  arnts  and  standing 
erect  to  receive  the  balls,  was  an  ex- 
hibition of  courage  that  gained  for  him 
the  admiration  of  everyone  on  the  field. 
Mr.  Calhoun's  action  in  firing  liis  four 
l)alls  into  the  air  was  magnanimous 
and  a  clear  exhibition  of  the  manhood 
of  the  man. 


338 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


When  Mr.  King  started  to  approach 
Mr.  Williamson  during  the  colloquy 
and  Capt.  Jackson  leveled  his  revolver 
and  cried  "Hold  your  position;  if  you 
approach  I  will  kill  you!" — the  scene 
was    dramatic    beyond    description. 

There  were  on  the  field  besides  the 
principals  and  the  seconds  the  two  sur- 
geons, Dr.  Cooper  and  Dr.  Battey,  Col. 
John  J.  Seay,  of  Rome;  Mr.  Dozier, 
The  Constitution's  engineer;  John  G. 
Taylor,  of  The  Rome  Tribune,  and  Mr. 
Bruffey   and   myself. 

Everyone  thought  Mr.  King  was 
armed,  and  expecting  a  general  shoot- 
ing, there  was  somewhat  of  a  scram- 
ble among  the  spectators.  Bruffey 
dropped  on  the  ground  behind  a  stump ; 
the  others  drew  back  in  the  woods,  and 
I  sought  shelter  of  a  pine  sapling  the 
size  of  my  arm  to  the  immediate  right 
of  Capt.  Jackson. 

As  a  scene  for  a  wild  and  pictur- 
esque duel  no  more  strange  spot  could 
have  been  selected  than  in  that  small 
clearing  in  a  clump  of  woods.  It  was 
not  more  than  75  feet  square  and  was 
covered  with  a  growth  of  scrubby 
bushes.  On  three  sides  were  great  tall 
trees  underneath  which  was  a  dense 
undergrowth.  On  the  fourth  side  was 
the  railroad  track  with  The  Constitu- 
tion engine  and  Mr.  Williamson's  car, 
containing  Judge  Tompkins  and  Mr. 
W.  B.  Lowe,  both  of  whom  Capt.  Jack- 
son refused  to  allow  on  the  field. 

With  the  puffing  engine,  the  dimly- 
lighted  car,  the  group  in  the  clearing- 
surrounded  by  the  great,  tall  trees  in 
the  gathering  shadows,  the  scene  was 
a  weird  one.  Then  the  reports  of  the 
pistols,  the  flames  from  their  muzzles, 
— next  the  silence,  the  colloquy,  the 
four  shots  in  the  air,  the  frightened 
owls  hooting  and  moaning  in  the  dis- 
tance— it  was  a  queer,  a  picturesque, 
a    strange,    a    grand    picture. 

BruflFey  was  twice  the  hero  of  the 
day.  Once  when  he  shot  his  little  fin- 
ger off.     Again  at  Cedar  Bluff. 

The  special  engine  and  the  car  bear- 
ing Mr.  Williamson  and  party  and  the 
train  with  Mr.  Calhoun  and  Capt. 
Jackson  arrived  in  Cedar  Bluff  at  the 
same  minute.  A  big,  black-bearded 
sheriff  with  a  pistol  in  one  hand,  a 
telegram  in  the  other,  followed  by  a 
posse  of  five  armed  men,  jumped  on 
the  platform  of  Mr.   Williamson's   car. 

"I  want  Williamson,"  he  gruffly 
cried  to  Mr.  King. 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  him," 
Mr.  King  replied.  Then  pointing  to 
Mr.    Calhoun   and    Capt.    Jackson,   who 


had  gotten  off  their  train,  "That  might 
be  him." 

The  sheriff  immediately  ran  toward 
them  and  grabbed  Mr.  Calhoun's  arm. 

"You  are  Williamson;  I  arrest  you!" 

But  Col.  Seay  told  the  sheriff  he  was 
mistaken,  and  got  him  away.  Then 
Bruffey  whispered  to  me,  "You  cover 
all  this.  I  am  going  to  be  arrested 
and  go  to  jail,  and  it  won't  be  the 
first  time,  either." 

Then  he  said  to  the  sheriff,  "Mr. 
Sheriff,  I  am  Pat  Calhoun,  but  you 
can't  take   me." 

In  a  second  the  cold  muzzle  of  a 
pistol  was  against  Bruffey's  temple. 
"We'll  see!"  cried  the  sheriff,  jerking 
his  arm  and  lifting  him  off  his  crutches. 

"Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with 
me?" 

Then  Capt.  Jackson  spoke  up  and 
said  to  Mr.  Bruffey,  "Pat,  you  will 
find  your  passes  in  my  valise." 

"Here,"  said  the  sheriff,  "this  man 
must  be  identified."  To  the  crowd, 
"Is  this   Mr.   Calhoun?" 

Then  some  smart  Aleck  who  had 
been  on  the  train  spoke  up  and  said, 
"No,  sir,  that  ain't  him.  He's  a  big- 
ger man  and  ain't  got  no  crutches." 

The  sheriff  said  in  disgust:  "You're 
damned  smart,  ain't  you?"  as  he  re- 
leased   the    badly-bunged-up    scribe. 

But  Bruffey's  game  gave  Mr.  Cal- 
houn and  Mr.  Williamson  time  to  hide 
in  the  cars  and  get  off.  Without  it 
there  would  have  been  no  duel. 

One  of  the  bravest  men  I  ever  saw 
was  Mr.  Dozier,  The  Constitution's 
engineer.  He  runs  a  dummy  on  Col. 
Seay's  line  in  Rome,  and  through  Col. 
Seay's  kindness  I  was  able  to  secure 
his  services  to  run  the  engine  I  had 
obtained.  At  Raynes'  Station  a  party 
of  officers  ran  up  to  arrest  the  crowd. 
A  big  fellow  with  a  rifle  went  toward 
the  engine,  to  the  edge  of  the  cut  in 
which  it  stood,  and  leveled  his  rifle  at 
Mr.   Dozier. 

"Stop  that  train!"  he  commanded. 

"Not  today,  thanks,"  answered  Do- 
zier, as  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  he 
threw  the  throttle  wide  open,  without 
even  dodging. 

The  officer  did  not  shoot  and  the 
train  moved  off. 

Col.  John  J.  Seay  and  Dr.  J.  B.  S. 
Holmes,  of  Rome,  are  trumps.  Rush- 
ing back  to  Rome  after  being  put  off 
Mr.  Williamson's  car  in  the  woods,  I 
went  imanediately  to  Dr.  Holmes'  of- 
fice    to     telephone     General     Manager 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


339 


Lawrence,  of  the  Rome  &  Decatur,  to 
have  an  engine  ready  for  me  imme- 
diately. Mr.  Lawrence  replied  he  had 
only  one  engine  and  no  engineer  who 
had  ever  been  over  his  road.  I  could 
have  it  if  he  had  an  engineer,  but 
without  one  it  was  impossible. 

Dr.  Holmes  went  to  the  phone  and 
said:  "Lawrence,  he  must  have  an 
engine.  Arrange  it,  please,  if  not  for 
The  Constitution,  for  me." 

I  left  in  search  of  an  engineer  while 
Dr.  Holmes  was  talking.  I  met  Col. 
Seay  and  told  him  I  must  have  an 
engineer  at  any  cost. 

"That's  just  what  I  have  and  you 
shall  have  him.  Here  he  comes  in  a 
dummy  now,  and  he  knows  the  road, 
too." 

"Bring  him  out  to  the  Rome  and  De- 
catur,  quick,"    I    replied. 

Then  I  drove  out  to  the  depot,  told 
Mr.  Lawrence  I  had  a  man,  secured  a 
fireman  as  Mr.  Lawrence  went  to  his 
ofRce  to  write  instructions  for  the  en- 
gineer. Mr.  Seay  and  Engineer  Dozier 
arrived,  jumped  in  the  engine,  threw 
the  throttle  wide  open  and  we  were  off 
running  wildly  down  the  track  with- 
out orders  or  instructions,  but  fortu- 
nately, the  track  was  clear  and  we 
got  through  safely. 

Catching  Mr.  Williamson's  engine 
and  car  which  were  side-tracked  at  the 
junction  and  were  not  able  to  move 
without  a  pilot,  I  offered  them  our 
pilot,  provided  we  were  taken  aboard 
their  car,  with  the  understanding  that 
that  engine  was  to  pull  the  car  and 
ours  to  follow.  They  had  no  alterna- 
tive. It  was  take  us  aboard  or  not 
get  to  the  dueling  grounds  on  time. 
They  accepted  the  offer  with  thanks, 
but  just  then  the  sheriff  appeared.  We 
took  Mr.  Williamson  and  Mr.  King  on 
our  engine  and  were  off.  Their  en- 
gine and  car  followed. 

The  remainder  of  the  story  was  told 
yesterday. 

E.   W.   BARRETT. 

The  Constitution  added  the  following 
details : 

The  Calhoun-Williamson  duel  was 
the  one  thing  discussed  in  the  hotel 
corridors,  private  parlors  and  on  the 
streets  yesterday  from  dawn  to  dark. 
Minute  details  of  the  fight  were  in 
great  demand.  The  Constitution's 
magnificent  and  complete  work  ex- 
cited the  admiration  of  everybody,  and 
the  issue  of  the  paper  was  exhausted 
long  before  the  noon  hour.  Twice  the 
edition  could   have  been   sold. 


On  Friday  last,  when  the  trouble 
then  pending  between  the  gentlemen 
became  known,  members  of  The  Con- 
stitution staff  were  instructed  to  watch 
it  closely  and  to  shadow  the  gentlemen 
connected  with  it  until  the  conclusion 
was  reached.  Their  work  in  yester- 
day's edition  shows  how  faithfully  they 
carried  out  their  orders.  Mr.  iE.  W. 
Barrett  was  assigned  to  the  William- 
son pai-ty.  Mr.  Edward  C.  Bruffey 
was  put  on  the  Calhoun  party. 

This  was  Friday  afternoon  about 
half  past  4  o'clock.  The  Kimball 
House  was  then  the  battlefield  and 
the  two  reporters  hung  closely  around 
with  ears  and  eyes  open,  never  leav- 
ing the  hotel  except  to  follow  either 
Mr.  Williamson  or  Mr.  Calhoun.  The 
work  was  slow,  but  it  was  interesting. 

Late  Friday  night  it  became  appar- 
ent to  those  who  were  conversant  with 
the  latest  work  that  the  gentlemen 
were  preparing  to  leave  the  city.  About 
half  past  10  o'clock  Capt.  Jackson  en- 
tered the  Kimball  and  went  up  the 
elevator.  In  a  few  minutes  he  came 
down  and  walked  hurriedly  out  the 
Wall  Street  entrance  with  his  shadow 
close  behind  him.  At  the  Union  Depot 
he  entered  a  cab  and  was  driven  rap- 
idly to  his  residence.  A  cab  followed 
closely  behind. 

Capt.  Jackson  remained  at  his  resi- 
dence about  10  minutes,  and  came  out 
carrying  a  small  satchel.  He  then 
re-entered  the  cab  and  was  driven  to 
the  Union  Depot.  Stopping  at  the 
eastern  end,  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Cal- 
houn, who  was  awaiting  him.  Together 
the  two  gentlemen  entered  a  Mann  car 
and  went  to  a  section  which  had  been 
reserved  for  them.  Mr.  Bruffey  was 
on  the  same  train  when  it  pulled  out. 

No  one  knew  whither  the  gentlemen 
were  bound,  and  a  careful  watch  was 
necessary  to  prevent  a  loss.  At  every 
station  the  front  and  rear  entrances 
had  to  be  watched,  and  when  Captain 
Jackson  emerged  from  the  section  at 
Anniston,  followed  by  Mr.  Calhoun,  his 
shadow  made  himself  scarce.  Capt. 
Jackson  passed  within  three  feet  of 
Mr.  Bruffey  in  leaving  the  car,  without 
knowing  it".  From  that  time  on  it  was 
a  game  of  hide  and  seek.  No  two  gen- 
tlemen ever  tried  harder  to  evade 
friends  and  avoid  observation  than 
Capt.  Jackson  and  Mr.  Calhoun,  and 
the  watch  kept  upon  them  was  hard 
work.  But  Mr.  Bruffey  was  eciual  to 
the  task,  and  when  the  fight  came  off 
he  was  on  hand  to  see  it. 

Mr.  Barrett  was  not  long  in  ascer- 
taining  that    the    Calhoun    party    had 


340 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


ROME'S  HISTORIC  CLOCK  TOWER,  AND  OTHER  SCENES 

bvTIl^i^r  "'  ^^^  tower  is  the  highest  point  in  downtown  Rome,  and  it  has  often  been  sought 
by  romantic  young  people  who  wanted  to  get  married  in  an  unusual  way.  Other  vieJr  on  this 
page  include  the  office  of  the  Howel  Cotton  Co  the  iail  the  N  C  X,  it  y^  !V,  ^'  ,*  °"  ^n'j 
station    (in    oval),    the    City    Hall    Park    bandst^n/a^V^varit^ '"machi^es^^fo^lo^oroVion'^"'''"^' 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


341 


left  the  city  and  with  renewed  intei-- 
est  and  increased  watchfulness  linger- 
ed about  the  Kimball,  all  night  long. 
About  6  the  next  morning  Mr.  Wil- 
liamson left  his  room,  closely  followed 
by  Mr.  Barrett.  The  gentleman  and 
his  friend  walked  to  the  Union  Depot 
and  boarded  a  Western  &  Atlantic 
train,  Mr.  Barrett  within  reach.  At 
Kingston,  where  Mr.  Williamson's  pri- 
vate car  was  awaiting  him,  Mr.  Bar- 
rett's presence  was  detected,  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  give  him  the 
shake.  But  he  would  not  have  it,  and 
accepting  a  seat  upon  the  front  plat- 
form, made  his  way  into  Rome.  Outside 
of  Rome,  on  the  Rome  and  Decatur 
road,  Mr.  Barrett  was  made  to  leave 
the  train.  He  felt  knocked  out,  but 
not  defeated.  Hurrying  back  to  Rome 
he  sought  Mr.  Lawrence,  superintend- 
ent of  the  Rome  &  Decatur,  and  char- 
tered a  special  engine.  But  Mr.  Law- 
rence could  not  furnish  an  engineer. 
Then  Mr.  Barrett  "bought"  one  off  a 
dummy  line  and  in  a  short  time  over- 
took Mr.  Williamson's  private  car.  The 
car  was  standing  upon  a  side-track  and 
could  not  move.  Mr.  Williamson's  en- 
gineer had  never  been  over  the  road 
and  the  superintendent  would  not  per- 
mit the  train  to  move  under  a  man  un- 
acquainted  with   the   line. 

Mr.  Barrett's  engineer,  however, 
knew  the  road.  When  he  pulled  out 
of  Rome,  Mr.  Barrett  was  in  a  hurry, 
and  ordered  the  engineer  to  turn  the 
machine  loose.  By  those  who  were  on 
the  engine  the  ride  was  described  as 
having  been  wild,  reckless  and  dan- 
gerous. But  Mr.  Barrett  was  willing 
to  take  all  chances.  Realizing  that 
Mr.  Williamson  could  never  reach  the 
field  without  his  help,  Mr.  Barrett  ap- 
proached Judge   Tompkins,   saying: 

"You  cannot  get  there  without  my 
assistance.  Now,  if  you  want  to  fight 
that  duel,  I  will  take  you  to  the  grounds 
upon   one   condition." 

"What  is  it?"  asked   tlie  judge. 

"Give  me  and  my  party  seats  in 
your  car." 

Judge  Tompkins  did  so  and  Mr.  Bar- 
rett was  at  the  fight. 

The  last  line  of  the  duel  heading  in 
yesterday's  Constitution,  stating  that 
Mr.  Williamson  makes  retraction,  con- 
veyed a  wrong  idea.  The  fact  was 
that  Mr.  Williamson  withdrew  his  re- 
mai'ks  when  Mr.  Calhoun  stated  that 
in  his  statements  before  the  legisla- 
tive committee  Mr.  Williamson  per- 
sonally did  not  enter  his  mind. 


Capt.  Jackson  explained  as  follows 
to  the  editor  of  The  Constitution  under 
date  of  Aug.  11 : 

"In  your  issue  of  yesterday,  under 
the  heading  "To  Meet  in  Alabama," 
appears  this  language: 

"  'Capt.  Jackson  carried  with  him 
a  pair  of  dueling  pistols  which  were 
believed  by  those  who  saw  them  to  in- 
dicate   that    the    worst    is   anticipated.' 

"Your  reporter  is  mistaken.  I  did 
not  carry  with  me  a  pair  of  dueling 
pistols.  I  have  never  had  a  pair  of 
dueling  pistols  in  my  hand,  and  have 
never  seen  but  one  pair  in  my  life. 

"In  the  report  in  your  issue  of  today 
there  are  some  inaccuracies  in  mat- 
ters of  detail  which  I  do  not  deeni  it 
necessary  to  correct.  Reference  to  the 
dueling  pistols  is  made  only  because 
I  wish  to  correct  the  public  impres- 
sion that  I  am  supplied  with  such 
weapons.  My  connection  with  these 
matters  has  always  been  in  the  inter- 
est of  peace  and  humanity.  Though 
sometimes  necessary  to  prevent  certain 
bloodshed,  duels  are  always  to  be  de- 
plored by  no  one  more  than  yours, 

"HENRY  JACKSON." 

Under  the  caption  "Hardly  Fair  to 
the  Duellists,"  John  Temple  Graves 
commented  as  follows  in  The  Tribune 
of   Rome : 

The  idea  is  prevalent  that  public 
opinion  is  generally  right,  and  this 
view  has  some  foundation  in  fact;  but 
a  certain  public  opinion  which  has  of 
li;te  been  expressed  through  the  col- 
umns of  the  daily  press  must  be  noted 
as  an  exception  to  the  rule. 

There  are  few  newspapers  in  this 
country  that  believe  in  dueling,  and 
The  Tribune  is  not  one  of  them.  It  is 
a  practice  which  few  people  can  con- 
template in  the  abstract  with  approval, 
but  it  appears  to  us  that  the  daily 
press,  in  its  eagerness  to  condemn  the 
l)ractice,  has  done  serious  injustice  both 
to  the  courage  and  the  character  of 
two  brave  and  honorable  gentlemen, 
and  has  failed  to  give  proper  emphasis 
to  one  of  the  few  i-eally  noble  episodes 
that  ever  occurred  in  a  duel  in  the 
South. 

The  writer  of  his  personal  knowl- 
edge has  been  aware  for  many  years 
that  Pat  Calhoun  was  one  of  the  cool- 
est and  bravest  men  that  this  country 
has  produced.  There  have  been  few 
Americans  possessed  of  more  unques- 
tioned nerve  and  coolness,  and  these 
qualities,  rising  higher  than  a  mere  ab- 
sence of  fear  and  indifference  to  dan- 


342 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ger,  are  born  of  a  loftiness  of  pur- 
pose and  a  devotion  to  interest  which 
completely  dominate  the  mere  issues 
to  person  and  to  life.  In  this  view, 
Mr.  Calhoun  is  a  man  of  phenomenal 
loftiness  and  self-abnegation  in  dan- 
ger, and  this  statement  did  not  need  the 
episode  in  Alabama  to  prove  it,  but 
has  been  tested  upon  other  occasions 
of  equal  trial,  and  is  characteristic 
of  a  family  of  brothers  whose  history 
and  i-ecord,  if  told  to  the  world,  would 
read  like  a  romance  of  daring  and 
manly  resolution. 

Without  knowing  anything  further 
of  Mr.  Williamson  than  the  report  of 
the  duel  which  reliable  witnesses  have 
given  to  the  newspapers,  The  Tribune 
has  expressed  its  opinion  of  his  cour- 
age and  resolution  in  similar  terms; 
but  if  one  should  found  his  opinion 
of  these  gentlemen  upon  the  current 
comments  of  the  newspapers,  he  would 
believe  that  they  were  both  cowardly 
in  their  natures  and  fraudulent  in 
their  effort  to  palm  themselves  off  as 
brave  men   before  the  public. 

There  were  just  three  things  that 
any  thoughtful  and  truthful  man 
ought  to  realize  in  the  attitude  of  Mr. 
Calhoun  upon  the  field  of  combat.  In 
the  first  place,  if  fear  had  silenced  his 
weapon  when  Mr.  Williamson  began 
to  shoot,  it  is  scarcely  probable  that 
he  could  have  recovered  his  equanimity 
in  time  to  address  such  calm,  tran- 
quil and  commanding  words  to  the  ad- 
versary who  confronted  him.  Mr.  Cal- 
houn's character  and  record  justify 
the  view  that  he  was  a  man  who,  with 
his  adversary's  life  in  his  hands,  hes- 
itated to  make  the  sacrifice  upon  a 
misunderstandjng,  and  that  his  hu- 
manity triumphed  over  his  indignation 
and  vengeance  and  he  parleyed  for 
the  life  that  he  had  a  right,  under  the 
code,   to   destroy. 

An  even  stronger  view  is  in  the  fact 
that  Mr.  Calhoun  endeavored  to  estab- 
lish before  that  duel  terminated  the 
truth  of  the  assertions  which  he  had 
made  before  the  legislative  committee, 
and  endeavored  to  fix  upon  the  records 
that  would  go  from  that  battleground 
the  correctness  of  his  position  and  the 
argument  he  had  sought  to  make  for 
the  cause.  And  this  view  is  also  sus- 
tained in  the  minds  of  those  who  know 
him  by  the  knowledge  of  his  absolute 
and  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  all  the 
great  interests  that  he  has  from  time 
to  time  represented.  A  third  view,  also 
probable  to  those  who  know  the  nature 
of  the  man,  was  that  Mr.  Calhoun  hav- 
ing coolly  received  the  fire  of  a  cour- 
ageous   antagonist,    determined,    with 


his  own  life  safe,  to  seek  a  nobler  re- 
venge in  sparing  the  life  that  he  had 
a  technical  right  to  take,  and  to  give 
back  to  the  man  whom  he  thought  had 
insulted  him  the  life  which  might  be 
spent  in  usefulness  hereafter. 

The  Tribune,  that  has  something 
more  than  a  casual  acquaintance  with 
these  parties,  believes  that  either  one 
of  these  views  might  have  actuated 
Mr.  Calhoun,  and  that  all  of  them  did 
actuate  him  as  he  stood  there  upon 
this  famous  field  of  honor. 

Moreover,  while  it  does  not  approve 
of  duelling,  this  paper  is  frank  to  ex- 
press the  belief  that  a  more  genuine, 
honorable  and  bona  fide  duel  was  never 
fought  by  brave  men  with  better  faith, 
or  terminated  in  higher  honor  than 
this. 

THE  VERDERYS  AT  CASS- 
VILLE.— Mrs.  Susan  Verdery  Prath- 
er,  of  Atlanta,  tells  in  the  following- 
manner  the  touching  story  of  how 
Thos.  J.  Verdery,  her  brother,  and 
other  members  of  the  family  happened 
to  be  buried  at  Cassville,  Bartow  Coun- 
ty, once  a  flourishing  town,  now  little 
more  than    a   memory : 

"My  sister,  Mary  Verderv,  married 
Col.  Warren  Akin  in  1849  ^at  'Chief- 
tain's,' on  the  Oostanaula  River,  near 
Rome.  He  was  a  widower,  his  first 
wife  having  been  Miss  Eliza  Hooper, 
daughter  of  Judge  Jno.  W.  Hooper. 
When  Miss  Eliza  died,  a  year  after 
their  marriage,  she  was  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  Cassville.  In  the  early 
fifties,  Col.  Akin  built  a  home  in  the 
suburbs  of  Cassville.  Two  colleges, 
the  Cassville  Female  College,  built  by 
the  Methodists,  for  young  women,  and 
the  Cherokee  Baptist  College,  built  by 
the  Baptists,  for  the  young  men,  were 
situated  on  either  side  of  his  handsome 
home. 

"Col.  Akin  was  36  years  old  when  he 
married  my  sister  Mary,  just  turned 
18  years.  He  was  a  kind  brother  and 
son-in-law,  and  was  devoted  to  the  Ver- 
derys.  After  Brother  Thomas  was 
killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  in  1862, 
Col.  Akin  insisted  that  he  be  buried 
at  Cassville,  and  this  was  done.  Dur- 
ing the  war  the  Yankees  burned  the 
colleges  and  Col.  Akin's  home.  They 
took  special  delight  in  destroying  the 
Akin  place  because  Col.  Akin  was  a 
member  of  the  Confederate  Congress; 
he  had  refugeed  to  Oxford,  and  later 
to  Elberton.  After  the  war.  Col.  Akin 
built  a  home  in  Cartersville,  near  Cass- 
ville, and  resided  there.  My  mother 
was  visiting  the  Akins  when  she  died, 


Anecdotes  and  Reminsicences 


343 


and  since  she  had  expressed  the  wish 
that  she  should  rest  beside  Brother 
George,  her  wish  was  complied   with. 

"Three  years  later — in  1875 — when 
my  father,  Augustus  N.  Verdery,  and 
his  sister,  Mrs.  Pleasant  Stovall,  of 
Athens  and  later  Augusta,  were  living 
with  us  in  Atlanta,  they  went  to  visit 
the  Akins.  My  father  died  there  and 
was  buried  beside  my  mother  and  my 
brother.  My  aunt,  Mrs.  Stovall,  lived 
with  us  some  years  longer,  and  before 
she  died  said,  'Please  bury  me  by  my 
dear  brother  Augustus.'  She  was  laid 
at  rest  beside  him.  My  sister,  Vir- 
ginia (Mrs.  Dr.  Hezekiah  Witcher,  of 
Cedartown),  who  died  in  1900,  and 
Oriana  were  buried  with  the  family 
at  Cassville  in  accordance  with  their 
requests." 

JUDGE  WRIGHT  AND  COL. 
SHORTER'S  COTTON.— Partners  of- 
ten fall  out  and  go  their  respective 
ways  thereafter.  In  ante-bellum  days 
Judge  Augustus  R.  Wright  and  Col. 
Alfred  Shorter  owned  the  bridges  of 
Rome,  and  charged  folks  to  cross  them. 
An  estrangement  developed  between 
the  two  men,  and  at  a  speech  in  Cedar- 
town,  Judge  Wright  paid  his  respects 
to  his  former  associate  by  declaring, 
"Alfred  Shorter  shears  his  sheep  and 
turns  them  out  to  grow  more  wool." 

The  break  did  not  come  until  after 
the  war,  for  we  find  these  old  Romans 
in  substantial  agi-eement  on  business 
matters  during  the  conflict.  Col. 
Shorter  owned  fertile  farms  in  Ala- 
bama, Mississippi  and  Georgia,  con- 
ducted several  mercantile  establish- 
ments, and  each  year  grew  better  off 
than  the  year  before.  He  had  no  time 
to  waste,  no  bump  of  folly,  no  extrav- 
agances, few  luxuries ;  he  had  plenty 
of  time  for  business,  plenty  of  money 
for  education  and  charity,  lots  of  de- 
sire to  listen  to  hard  common  sense. 
He  could  see  an  advantage  or  a  disad- 
vantage in  a  trade  in  a  minute,  and 
was  extremely  cautious  about  going 
into  enterprises;  but  once  he  was  in, 
he  put  forward  all  his  energies  until 
success  was  assured.  It  has  been  said 
that  the  only  m.an  who  ever  worsted 
Col.  Shorter  in  any  kind  of  a  large 
business  transaction  was  Judge 
Wright. 

Col.  Shorter  was  above  age  (58) 
when  the  Civil  War  broke  out;  he 
made  arrangements  to  help  the  Con- 
federacy financially,  and  in  the  darker 
days  just  prior  to  the  occupation  of 
Rome  in  1864  by  the  Union  army, 
refugeed   to   a   safer   place   in   Thomas 


County.  Naturally  he  couldn't  carry 
his  cotton  with  him,  nor  did  he  have 
time  to  dispose  of  it.  Judge  Wright 
was  in  the  Confederate  Congress,  help- 
ing in  an  executive  capacity  to  direct 
the  war.  The  judge  crossed  the  Po- 
tomac from  Richmond  on  some  kind 
of  a  pass  and  laid  before  President 
Lincoln  the  question  of  Col.  Shorter's 
cotton  and  Southern  cotton  in 
general,  saying  he  wanted  to  save 
as  much  of  it  as  possible  from 
destruction  by  the  Yankee  army.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  deeply  moved  and  gave 
Judge  Wright  a  pass  back  through  the 
lines,  but  said  in  effect:  "I  am  sorry 
I  can't  furnish  you  men  to  transport 
it,  but  if  you  can  arrange  that  detail, 
I  will  probably  be  looking  the  other 
way." 

Judge  Wright  had  access  to  Rome 
and  Col.  Shorter's  cotton.  Alexander 
Thornton  Harper,  of  Cave  Spring,  had 
made  "contact"  with  the  latter  through 
the  trust  Col.  Shorter  reposed  in  him. 
The  authority  to  dispose  of  the  cotton 
was  somewhat  in  doubt,  but  it  was 
war  times,  and  Judge  Wright  took 
the  bull  by  the  horns.  Sherman  was 
fast  swooping  down  upon  Rome  with 
an  appetite  for  material  things,  so 
Judge  Wright  loaded  the  cotton  on 
freight  cars,  clambered  aboard  and 
set  out  for  Savannah  or  other  con- 
venient mart,  and  there  disposed  of  it 
on   a    "commission"   basis. 

Cotton  was  extremely  valuable  then, 
worth  nearly  a  dollar  a  pound,  and 
it  was  said  Col.  Shorter's  lot  brought 
around  $50,000.  Judge  Joel  Branham 
was  authority  for  the  statement  that 
Judge  Wright  was  twitted  about  Col. 
Shorter's  cotton  in  a  post-bellum  po- 
litical campaign,  and  with  characteris- 
tic directness  replied.  "Well,  if  I  did 
steal  Shorter's  cotton,  I  left  him 
enough  to  go  on!" 

Col.  Shorter  was  satisfied  that  he 
got  anvthing  at  all,  for  otherwise  the 
cotton  "would  have  been  appropriated 
by  the  Yankee  army  to  turn  against 
the  South,  and  he  is  said  to  have  re- 
marked that  under  ordinary  conditions 
neither  Judge  Wright  nor  any  other 
man  could  do  him  up  in  a  deal,  and 
if  Judge  Wright  would  continue  to 
transact  business  with  him  in  peace 
times,  he  would  consider  the  associa- 
tion highly  desirable. 

:|:  :••=  * 

THE  TRAGIC  DEATH  OF  VON 
GAMMON. — Few  events  have  touched 
more  profoundly  the  hearts  of  Ro- 
mans   than    the    death    of   Von    Albade 


344 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Gammon^'^  following-  a  football  game 
played  at  Brisbine  Park,  Atlanta,  Sat- 
urday, Oct.  ;50,  1897,  between  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia  and  the  University 
of   Georgia    teams. 

Von  Gammon  was  born  Dec.  4,  1879, 
at  Rome.  His  paternal  grandfather 
was  Col.  Wm.  Gamble  Gammon,  Ten- 
nessee farmer  and  banker,  who  died  in 
1895  at  Rome  and  was  there  buried. 
His  maternal  grandfather  was  Maj. 
Jno.  T.  Burns,  State  Attorney  General 
in  1869,  who  moved  to  Texas.  His 
father  was  Jno.  Aiken  Gammon,  Rome 
clothing  merchant,  and  his  mother  was 
Rosalind  Burns.  An  uncle  was  Wm. 
Melville  Gammon,  the  first  chairman 
in  1916  of  the  city  commission.  His 
older  brother,  E.  Montague  Gammon, 
was  for  several  years  principal  of  the 
Rome  City  Schools,  and  is  now  teach- 
ing at  Savannah.  Wm.  G.  Gammon,  a 
younger  brother,  was  killed  more  than 
20  years  ago  at  Cartersville  after 
playing  a  game  of  baseball  with  the 
Rome  team,  by  falling  under  a  freight 
train.  Will  lies  buried  in  Myrtle  Hill, 
Rome,  by  the  side  of  Von. 

The  Gammon  home  was  a  comfort- 
able two-story  frame  structure  at  420 
Third  Avenue,  one  block  west  of  the 
Etowah  river  and  a  wash-hole  which 
drew  the  Gammon  boys  and  their 
young  friends  like  a  magnet.  The  home 
was  on  the  upper  edge  of  a  lot  that 
extended  about  100  feet  below  the 
dwelling  to  the  old  Rome  railroad 
tracks,  and  to  the  rear  300  feet  to  an 
alley.  At  the  lower  corner  front,  un- 
der a  large  sycamore  tree,  were  two 
parallel  tennis  couits,  which  were  al- 
ways full  of  players,  and  at  the  upper 
side  was  a  green-carpeted  bank  which 
held  the  "audience."  Nearby  was  a 
grassy  spot  where  the  boys  tried  their 
skill  at  wrestling,  French  and  Amer- 
ican style.  Of  his  age.  Von  Gammon 
was  the  best  wrestler;  in  fact,  he  was 
best  at  everything  he  tried — a  typical 
young  Greek  god,  and  admired  ex- 
travagantly as  such  without  an  ex- 
ception anywhere.  "Ros,"  his  young- 
est brother,  sometimes  known  in  fun 
by  the  nickname  of  the  "Polk  County 
one-eyed  giant,"  was  the  best  wrestler 
in  his  class,  and  game  little  Hunter 
McCIure  was  not  far  behind  him. 

The  parents  of  the  Gammon  boys 
provided  them  with  the  latest  things 
in  the  athletic  line.  On  the  back  porch 
were  the  parallel  bars  and  the  punch- 
ing bag  and  boxing  gloves;  a  down- 
stairs locker  kept  skates,  baseballs, 
bats  and  mitts,  football  togs  and  bath- 
ing   suits,    tennis    racquets,    etc. ;    and 


any  boy  who  came  without  his  own 
could  dig  into  the  Gammon  collection 
and  have  what  was  there.  In  the  back 
yard  was  the  high-jumping  and  pole- 
vaulting  apparatus,  and  nearby  could 
be  found  the  16-pound  shot  which 
Von  and  "Monty"  used  regularly  in 
practice.  In  the  barn  was  located  the 
flying  trapeze  for  wet  weather  use. 
Once  a  year  the  barn  was  cleaned  out, 
the  boys  of  the  neighborhood  brought 
their  shinny  sticks,  moved  bales  of  hay 
and  sacks  of  feed,  and  mowed  down 
rats.  In  1896  they  killed  40-odd  in 
15   minutes. 

The  favorite  game  for  the  crowd 
was  shinny,  the  forerunner  of  hockey 
and  golf.  Two  sides  tried  to  knock 
a  wooden  block  through  goals  with 
wooden  sticks.  This  game  was  played 
in  a  vacant  lot  near  the  Gammon 
place,  across  the  railroad.  Occasion- 
ally the  tennis  courts  were  cleared 
and  all  engaged  in  the  games  of  "foot- 
and-a-half,"  "follow-the-leader"  and 
"stinga-ma-ree."  The  grand  climax 
came  in  two  ways.  Somebody  would 
yell,  "Let's  go  in  washin'!"  That  was 
enough  to  break  up  any  game  except 
the  one  Mrs.  Gammon  favored,  ex- 
pressed in  this  query  as  she  appeared 
at  the  end  of  the  porch : 

"Boys,  do  any  of  you  eat  pineapple 
sherbet?" 

Yum,  yum — what  good  frozen  things 
Mrs.  Gammon  did  make,  and  nearly 
every  time  chocolate  or  cocoanut  cake 
went  with  it !  Truly,  the  Gammon 
place  was  the  "honey  pot"  for  the  boys 
of  Rome.  The  East  Rome  gang  came 
occasionally,  the  Uptown  gang,  the 
South  Rome  gang  and  the  West  Rome 
gang;  but  the  Downtown  gang  lived 
there,  almost.  The  "mascots"  of  the 
Downtown  gang  were  Archie  McClure 
and  Sam  (Robt.)  Maddox.  Among  the 
members  were  Walter,  Wade  and 
James  Cothran;  Barry  and  Laurie 
Cothran,  Bob  Harper,  "Pat"  Cline, 
Jim  Jones,  Ed.,  Linton,  Dick,  Frank 
and  Jim  ("Skinny")  Maddox,  Glover, 
Pierce,  Ralph,  Morgan  and  Frank  Mc- 
Ghee,  Carl  Yeiser,  Millard  Parrish, 
Marshall  Scott,  Linton  and  James 
Vandiver,  Ralph  Carver,  Claire  J. 
Wyatt,  Mayfield  and  Wm.  Wimberly, 
Tom  Quinn,  Manning  Marshall,  Donny 
Hancock,  Joel  B.  Peniston,  Will  Hoyt, 
George  Pitner,  Lindley  and  Hunter 
McClure,  Wurts,  Langdon  and  Hal 
Bowie,  Cliff  Seay,  Claude  and  Johnny 
Saunders,  Muff.  Rob  and  Fox  Word, 
George,    Roy     and     Rob     Rounsavillej 

*He  was  christened  thus  and  the  name  ap- 
pears on  his  headstone,  but  he  preferred  to 
call    himself    Richard    Von     Gammon. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


345 


Will,  Joe  and  Duke  Fahy,  Arthur  and 
Boiling  Sullivan. 

If  other  parents  wanted  to  get  rid 
of  their  boys,  Mrs.  Gammon  was  al- 
ways glad  to  "mother"  them.  She  was 
a  tall  lady  with  a  fine  head  of  auburn 
hair,  a  most  kindly  smile,  a  fine  sense 
of  humor  and  a  whole-soulness  that 
made  her  a  friend  to  every  boy.  On 
her  lawn  and  under  her  watchful  eye 
a  splendid  spirit  of  sportsmanship  and 
play  was  developed;  and  in  a  large  de- 
gree she  was  responsible  for  the  spirit 
that  Rom,ans  have  shown  in  the  years 
that  have  followed.  She  urged  her 
boys  to  do  their  best,  no  matter  the 
consequences,  and  on  every  athletic 
field  they  excelled.  "Monty"  was 
known  as  the  "strong  man"  of  Rome. 
Some  six  feet  six  inches  tall,  he  could 
throw  the  hammer  or  put  the  shot  far- 
ther than  anybody  in  town.  At  the 
North  Rome  Park  field  day  in  1895 
or  1896  he  threw  the  hammer  so  far 
that  it  hit  Capt.  J.  W.  Ewing  between 
the  shoulders.  Capt.  Ewing  was  car- 
ried from  the  field  in  a  cab,  but  soon 
recovered.  Von  exhibited  his  strength 
that  day  by  lying  on  his  back  and 
lifting  "Monty"  (feet  in  hands)  en- 
tirely  off   the    ground. 

Many  a  boy  now  a  man  remembers 
how  "Monty"  and  Von  took  him  in 
their  arms,  standing  six  feet  apart, 
and  tossed  him  from  one  to  the  other 
through  the  air,  caught  him  safely 
and  flung  him  back  and  forth.  Von 
was  of  such  heroic  build  and  nature 
that  many  held  it  the  highest  privi- 
lege to  stand  in  his  presence,  that  they 
might  do  his  bidding,  or  simply  be 
free  to  admire  his  noble  qualities.  He 
never  smoked,  drank,  cursed  or  got  out 
of  humor;  he  never  lorded  it  over  a 
boy  of  weaker  build  or  took  advantage 
of  a  fallen  foe;  his  parents  were  in 
comfortable  circumstances,  but  not 
wealthy,  hence  he  was  not  proud  of 
purse,  nor  would  all  the  money  in  the 
world  have  changed  him  from  the 
manly  boy  that  he   was. 

Bicycling  having  been  taken  up  en- 
thusiastically by  the  young  people  of 
both  sexes,  a  racing  club  of  amateurs 
was  formed  at  Rome,  and  it  included 
Von  Gammon,  Frank  Bowie,  Will  Fahy 
and  others.  Von  got  away  with  the 
most  prizes.  That  was  in  1896  and 
the  summer  of  1897.  On  August  24, 
1897,  Von  was  due  to  have  raced  with 
the  amateurs  in  Atlanta,  but  hurt  his 
leg  in  practice  and  was  unable  to  com- 
pete. R.  D.  Jackson  won.  In  the  pro- 
fessional class,  Bobby  Walthour,  later 
national  champion,  defeated  Anderson, 
and    M.    A.   Elliott  won   the   mile   han- 


dicap in  2:07  1-5.  The  Rome  Tribune 
of  Friday,  Oct.  1,  1897,  reported:  "Mr. 
Von  Gammon  left  yesterday  afternoon 
to  enter  the  University.  lie  will  go 
into  training  for  the  football  team  and 
will    add   great   strength   to   it." 

The  year  before,  in  the  fall  of  1896, 
Von  had  entered  the  freshman  class  at 
the  University  of  Georgia,  Athens,  and 
had  made  the  football  team  as  quar- 
terback. He  was  regarded  as  one  of 
the  University's  most  promising  ath- 
letes. In  the  autumn  of  1897,  W.  Rey- 
nolds Tichenor,  who  had  played  quar- 
terback at  Auburn  the  year  before, 
entered  Georgia.  "Tick"  was  so  small 
he  could  play  quarter  only,  and  Von's 
driving  power  was  needed  at  fullback. 


VON  ALBADE  GAMMON,  who  died  Sunday. 
Oct.  31,  1897,  from  injuries  received  Oct. 
'M)  in  a  GeorKia-Virginia  football  game  in 
Atlanta. 


346 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


so  this  change  was  made,  and  they 
were  playing  those  positions  when  Von 
met  his  death.  "Tick,"  now  an  attor- 
ney in  Atlanta,  and  for  m.any  years  a 
football  referee,  states  that  Virginia 
had  scored  11  points  and  Georgia  4 
when  the  accident  happened.  Virginia 
had  the  ball,  and  sent  a  mass  play 
over  Georgia's  left  tackle.  Von  was 
playing  behind  the  line,  and  he  went 
under  the  play  like  he  had  been  thrown 
from  a  catapult.  When  the  players 
had  been  disentaglcd.  Von  was  uncon- 
scious, and  a  substitute  slipped  upon 
him  "Tick's"  Auburn  sweater.  Miss 
Mary  Connally,  now  Mrs.  John  Spald- 
ing, sent  him  a  carriage  blanket.  He 
was  taken  from  the  field  to  the  Grady 
Hospital,  where  he  lingered  11  hours, 
and    died    at   3:45   a.    m.,   Sunday,    Oc- 

The  game  went  on;  Geo.  Price*  was 
shifted  from  right  guard  to  fullback, 
and  S.  Ed.  Bayless,  of  Kingston,  placed 
at  right  guard.  Virginia  won  it  by 
the  score  of  17  to  4.  After  the  game 
the  Georgia  players  realized  the  con- 
dition of  their  comrade,  and  among  a 
few  of  the  alumni  and  supporters  the 
cry  of  foul  play  was  heard;  a  small 
crowd  went  to  the  Virginia  hotel 
headquarters  inquiring,  "Where's  Col- 
lier; we  want  Collier!" 

Such  an  imputation,  according  to 
Mr.  Tichenor,  was  entirely  unjust. 
There  was  no  foul  play;  the  field  was 
hard  and  it  is  likely  that  Von's  head 
hit  the  sun-baked  clay  as  he  fell  un- 
der the  struggling  players,  or  it  may 
have  been  that  his  head  was  kicked 
by  somebody's  shoe,  just  as  likely  by 
one  of  his  own  teammates.  Tichenor 
also  received  injuries  which  necessi- 
tated  his   removal. 

The  diagnosis  of  the  doctors  showed 
a  fractured  skull  and  concussion  of  the 
brain  in  the  case  of  Von  Gammon. 
He  died  at  18  years,  in  the  flush  of 
young  manhood,  and  mourned  by  every- 
body. His  father  was  with  him  a  few 
minutes  before  the  end,  and  his  Spar- 
tan mother  arrived  shortly  afterward. 

Seldom  had  news  cast  such  a  pall 
over  Rome.  The  word  was  received 
as  the  good  people  were  on  the  eve 
of  entering  the  churches  for  their  de- 
votional services,  and  the  announce- 
ment was  made  from  the  pulpits. 
James  Cothran  carried  the  sad  intel- 
ligence to  the  central  church  neigh- 
borhood and  broke  it  to  Von's  sweet- 
heart, who  expressed  her  great  grief 
through  her  tears.  The  body  was  re- 
moved to  the  residence  at  4:55  p.  m., 
Sunday,  where  many  friends  gazed  for 
the  last  time  on  the  fine  features  of 
their  hero;   then  the  funeral  was  held 


at  11  o'clock  Monday  morning,  Nov. 
1,  1897,  from  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  the  pastor,  the  Rev.  Geo.  T. 
Goetchius,  officiating,  assisted  by  the 
Rev.  S.  R.  Belk,  pastor  of  the  First 
Methodist  Church,  and  the  interment 
was  in  the  Branham  addition  of  Myr- 
tle   Hill    cemetery. 

A  number  of  college  friends  accom- 
panied the  body  to  Rome,  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Bachelors'  Club  (or  Pov- 
erty Hall  Boys)  acted  as  pallbearers 
between  the  station  and  the  home,  and 
as  honorary  pallbearers  at  the  funeral. 
They  sent  a  beautiful  floral  wreath, 
"Gates  Ajar,"  a  featui-e  of  which  was 
a  dove  of  pure  white  hovering  over 
the  lilies.  The  boys  of  the  Virginia 
football  team  also  sent  a  handsome  of- 
fering, and  the  coffin  was  transform- 
ed into  a  bower  of  roses,  carnations 
and  their  accompanying  green.  Offer- 
ings came  from  Atlanta  and  fi-om  the 
students   at   Athens   and   Auburn,   Ala. 

The  active  pallbearers  were  Edward 
E.  Pomeroy,  Sam  Carter,  Jim  Mell 
and  Ed  Lyndon,  representing  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia;  and  Walter  and 
Laurie  Cothran,  Charlie  Hill,  Reuben 
Towers,  Clifford  B.  Seay  and  Boil- 
ing Sullivan,  from  Rome.  The  bal- 
conies of  the  famous  old  church  were 
well  filled,  as  well  as  the  ground  floor; 
a  larger  crowd  had  never  attended  a 
funeral  in  Rome,  and  few  eyes  were 
dry  at  the  conclusion. 

Von's  teammates,  led  by  the  captain, 
Wm.  B.  Kent,  occupied  a  pew  in  the 
center  section  near  the  front.  The 
other  players  present  were  J.  Threatt 
Moore,  H.  S.  Walden,  Brooks  Clark, 
V.  L.  Watson  and  Lawton  ("Cow") 
Nalley.  Col.  Chas.  M.  Snelling  rep- 
resented   the    University   faculty. 

Dr.  Goetchius  was  so  overcome  that 
he  made  his  remarks  very  brief;  but 
they  expressed  the  feeling  of  every 
sorrowing  heart.  He  had  in  mind  the 
sad  fate  of  his  own  son,  "Arnie" 
Goetchius,  who  a  year  or  two  before 
had  been  killed  when  he  skated  off  a 
balcony,  as  a  student  at  the  Alabama 
Polytechnic  Institute,  at  Auburn. 
Misses  May  and  Carrie  Clark  and 
Messrs.  Horace  King  and  Dick  Coth- 
ran sang  "Some  Sweet  Day."  A  vast 
concourse  of  people  rode  or  trudged 
to  the  cemetery.  The  water  sprites 
of  the  Etowah,  the  Oostanaula  and 
the  Coosa  piped  a  melancholy  requiem 
far  below,  and  the  spirits  of  his  an- 
cestors and  the  ancestors  of  his  friends 
opened    up    their    arms     and     received 

*Now  connected  with  the  insurance  office 
of  J.  L.  Riley  &  Co.  in  the  Candler  tSuUding, 
Atlanta. 


Anecdotes  and  Remin'scences 


347 


him  with  a  warm  embrace  as  he  en- 
tered their  beautiful  subterranean  re- 
treat. 

The  following-  faced  each  other  in 
the   game : 

Georgia —  — Virginia 

Clark,  A.,  1.   e Martin,   1.    e. 

Walden,  1.  t Collier,  1.  t. 

Clark,  B.,  1.  g Templeman,  1.  g. 

Bond,    c Wallace,    c. 

Price,  r.  g Davis,  r.  g. 

Kent,    (Capt.)    r.  t Marsh,  r.  t. 

Watson,  r.  e.  Estes,  r.  e. 

Tichenor,   q.   b Walsh,   q.   b. 

Jones,  1.  h.  b Hill,  1.  h.  b. 

Moore,  r.  h.  b Carney,  r.  h.  b. 

Gammon,  f.  b Morrison,  (Capt.)   f.  b. 

According  to  the  Atlanta  Constitu- 
tion of  Oct.  31,  1897,  Von  was  injured 
in  the  middle  of  the  field,  on  the  left 
hand  side,  at  the  beginning  of  the  sec- 
ond half.  After  six  and  a  half  min- 
utes, Hill,  of  Virginia,  scored  the  first 
touchdown  by  bucking  a  yard.  A 
touchdown  counted  four  and  a  goal  two 
at  that  time,  and  Templeman's  goal 
made  the  score  6-0  in  favor  of  Vir- 
ginia. After  a  punt  to  near  the  Vir- 
ginia line,  Morrison  punted  and  the 
ball  hit  Walden,  of  Georgia,  in  the 
breast,  and  rolled  back  of  the  line, 
where  Capt.  Kent,  of  Georgia,  fell  on 
it  for  Georgia's  only  score  of  the  game. 
Tichenor  failed  at  goal,  and  the  score 
stood:  Virginia,  6;  Georgia,  4.  From 
Georgia's  15-yard  line  Morrison  kick- 
ed a  drop-kick  goal,  which  made  the 
score  11-4.  The  half  ended  in  a  few 
minutes  more.  In  the  second  half,  Hill 
scored  on  an  end  run  from  the  Geor- 
gia 25-yard  line,  and  Templeman  kick- 
ed goal.  There  w^as  no  further  scor- 
ing, and  the  final  was  17-4.  After 
Von's  injury,  Tichenor  retired;  he  got 
two  hard  clouts  on  the  head,  and  Har- 
mon Cox  took  his  place  and  played  a 
good  game.  Kent  made  the  longest 
run  of  the  game,  40  yards,  on  a  trick 
play  in  the  first  half.  The  accounts 
stated  that  the  play  was  rough  and 
injuries  were  frequent;  that  Georgia 
played  gamely,  but  was  outclassed  by 
the  heavy  Virginians. 

Georgia's  coach  was  Chas.  Hallan 
McCarthy,  old  Brown  fullback  and 
now  a  college  pi'ofessor  residing  at 
Brookland,  D.  C.  Glenn  Warner,  later 
Carlisle  Indian  school  coach,  had 
coached  Georgia  and  Von  (iammon  the 
year  before.  Hugh  Jennings,  of 
Brooklyn's  ball  club,  later  of  Detroit, 
was  coach  of  the  baseball  team.  Frank 
R.  Mitchell  was  manager.  A  Mr. 
Izard  was  referee  for  the  Virginia- 
Georgia   game,   and    Wm.    Martin    Wil- 


liams, "Tick's"  Auburn  roommate  and 
Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue  un- 
der appointment  by  Woodrow  Wilson, 
was  umpire.  Hatton  Lovejoy,  of  Geor- 
gia, and  a  Mr.  Smith  were  lines- 
men, and  Fred  Morton,  of  Athens, 
timekeeper.  Dr.  Bizzell,  of  Atlanta, 
and  Dr.  Samuel  C.  Benedict,  of  Ath- 
ens, attended  Von  on  the  field,  and 
Dr.  William  Perrin  Nicolson  attended 
him    at    the    Grady    Hospital. 

Georgia's  sponsors,  driven  in  a  car- 
riage behind  four  beautiful  black 
horses,  were  Misses  Dee  Murphy  (Mrs. 
Boykin  Robinson,  of  New  York,'  N.  Y.) 
and  Leontine  Chisholm  (Mrs.  Walter 
P.  Andrews,  of  Atlanta),  and  Vir- 
ginia's sponsors  were  Misses  Callie 
Jackson  and  Catherine  Gay  (Mrs.  In- 
man   Sanders,  of  Atlanta).' 

The  Rome  boys  in  college  when  Von 
Gammon  met  his  death  were:  From 
the  freshman  class  (1901),  Wm.  D. 
Hoyt,  Jr.,  C.  P.  Morton  and  Rol)t. 
Yancey;  from  the  junior  class  (1899). 
Laurence  A.  Cothran  and  J.  Boiling 
Sullivan;  from  the  .senior  class  (1898), 
Eenj.  C.  Yancey;  and  from  the  law 
class,  R.  P.  White.  Von  had  entered 
the  class  of  1900  the  year  before,  but 
on  account  of  some  conditoins  and  late 
entry  in  the  fall  of  1897  was  repeat- 
ing some  of  his  work  and  was  class- 
ed with  1901. 

The  Rome  Daily  Argus  of  Sunday, 
Nov.  14,  printed  this  from   Savannah: 

"Captain  Morrison,  of  the  Virginia 
football  team,  writes  a  letter  to  the 
Savannah  Press  in  reply  to  statements 
of  its  correspondent  that  the  Virginia 
men  deliberately  tried  to  injure  the 
Georgia   players. 

"Capt.  Morrison  denies  this  charge 
and  sends  extracts  from  a  letter  writ- 
ten to  him  by  Capt.  Kent,  of  Georgia, 
thanking  him  for  considei-ations  shown 
the  memory  of  Von  Gannnon,  and 
.wishing  the  Virginia  team  much  suc- 
cess. 

"Morrison  says  the  injuries  sustain- 
ed by  Tichenor  and  Gammon,  of  the 
Georgia  team,  were  entirely  acciden- 
tal and  deei)ly  regretted  by  the  Vir- 
ginia team." 

Martin  V.  Bergen,  ,Ii-.,  old  Prince- 
ton player  and  then  coach  of  Virginia, 
wrote  to  a  friend  in  Atlanta  under 
date  of  Nov.  1,  1897,  from  ("hai-lottes- 
ville,  Va.: 

"The  game  was  clean,  liard  played, 
but  yet  not  a  rough,  foul  game.  Our 
men  had  been  instructed  to  play  fair- 
ly and  did  so,  and  you  have  my  word 
on    the   fact   that    I    saw   no   hitting   at 


348 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


i-.i» 


THE  HOME  OF  VON  GAMMON,  420  THIRD  AVENUE. 

The  Gammon  place  was  the  mecca  for  the  young  men  of  Rome,  who  gathered 
to  test  their  physical  prowess  in  numerous  ways.  Tennis,  weight  exercises,  wrestling 
and  boxing  were  enjoyed  here,  while  at  the  foot  of  the  avenue  was  the  wash-hole 
which    drew    more    boys    than    any    in    town. 


all,  and  no  kneeing  or  such  work. 

"Gammon  was  hurt  while  we  had 
the  ball,  attempting  to  make  a  tackle, 
which  precludes  any  probability  that 
we  were  to  blame.  The  play  was  a 
straight   formation    play. 

"We  have  done  all  we  could  to  ex- 
press our  regret — sent  flowers  and 
messages,  and  our  men  are  all  broken 
up  personally,  as  I  am. 

"I  write  you  this  partly  because  I 
thought  you  would  like  to  have  my 
assurances  of  the  character  of  the 
game  and  the  absolute  absence  of 
either  premeditated  or  actual  rough 
play  or  intentional  injury  to  men." 

The  Georgia  team  and  others  dis- 
banded for  the  season.  In  the  last 
session  of  the  Georgia  Legislature  a 
bill  had  been  introduced  outlawing 
football,  but  it  had  failed  of  passage. 
Now  a  new  attempt  was  made.  A 
legislator  said:  "The  boys  at  Athens 
will  have  to  cut  their  'wool'  and  sell 
the  5-cent  cotton  out  of  their  pants." 
The  bill  would  no  doubt  have  been 
successful  but  for  the  intervention  of 
Von  Gammon's  mother,  who  stated 
publicly  that  a  mishap  to  an  individ- 
ual should  not  be  allowed  to  cut  off 
the  pleasure  and  profit  uf  thousand  ^ 
of  youths,  and  she  declared  to  friends 
that  she  would  sacrifice  her  other  boys, 
if  need  be,  to  the  cause  of  such  body- 
developing  and  character-building  con- 


tests.* The  Georgia  Legislature  had 
railroaded  through  an  anti-football 
bill  by  a  vote  of  91  to  3,  the  Senate 
passed  it  Nov.  18  by  31  to  4,  and  it 
was  up  for  Gov.  Wm.  Y.  Atkinson's 
signature  when  Mrs.  Gammon  wrote 
the  executive  a  letter  which  stayed  his 
pen.  An  Atlanta  dispatch  to  the  Rome 
Tribune  of  Dec.  9,  1897,   said: 

"The  bill  was  passed  soon  after  the 
killing  of  young  Von  Gammon,  and 
the  legislators  felt  that  they  were 
avenging  his  death  by  so  promntl 
making  future  accidents  of  a  similar 
nature  impossible.  But  it  turns  out 
that  Von  Gammon  came  from  a  Spar- 
tan family  and  that  neither  his  rela- 
tives nor  friends  are  seeking  that  sort 
of   vengeance. 

"It  is  the  dead  man's  own  mother 
who  has  induced  the  governor  to  veto 
the    bill.      Mrs.    Gammon    in    her    peti- 

*Mrs.  Gammon's  tenacity  of  purpose  Is  il- 
lustrated by  the  followinB  incident  of  nearly  20 
years  ago :  One  of  the  larg-est  and  most  beau- 
tiful trees  in  Rome  is  an  elm  which  prrows  out 
of  the  far  sidewalk  in  front  of  the  (iammon 
home,  and  also  in  front  of  Judge  Jno.  W. 
Maddox's  abode.  A  telephone  lineman  came 
one  day  to  cut  off  some  limbs  to  make  way 
for  wires.  Mrs.  Gammon  requested  him  to 
"spare  the  tree,"- — it  was  dear  to  her  boys  and 
everybody  in  the  neighborhood.  He  said  it  was 
necessary  to  cut  the  limbs,  and  went  away. 
When  he  returned  with  his  saw,  he  found 
Mrs.  Gammon  sitting  under  the  tree  in  a 
chair,  with  a  double-barrel  shotgun  across  her 
lap.  The  man  went  away  again,  and  stayea 
away. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


349 


tion  says  that  football  was  her  son's 
favorite  game,  and  that  if  he  could 
be  consulted  he  would  join  in  the  re- 
quest  of  his  fellow  students  for  the 
veto    of   the    bill. 

"In  her  letter  this  heroic  mother 
calls  the  governor's  attention  to  the 
fact  that  two  of  her  sons's  school- 
mates. Will  Reynolds  and  Arnie 
Goetchius'''  have  recently  met  acciden- 
tal deaths,  one  by  falling  over  a  preci- 
pice and  one  by  falling  down  stairs. 
She  asks  if  it  is  not  equally  sensible 
for  the  legislature  to  abolish  preci- 
pices and  stairways  on  account  of 
those  deaths  as  it  is  to  abolish  foot- 
ball  because  of   the   death   of  her  son. 

"Letters  from  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try have  poured  in  upon  the  governor, 
and  the  state  has  also  been  thorough- 
ly aroused.  It  has  been  argued  that 
if  football  is  prohibited  at  the  Georgia 
University  and  the  other  colleges  of 
the  state,  these  institutions  will  be  un- 
able to  compete  with  the  big  schools 
of  the  north,  where  football  is  played. 

"One  of  the  most  forcible  argu- 
ments for  the  veto  is  contained  in  the 
following  paragraph  from  Mr.  Gam- 
mon's   letter    to    the    governor : 

"  'You  are  confronted  with  the  prop- 
osition whether  the  game  is  of  such 
a  character  as  should  be  prohibited  by 

*Arnie  Goetchius  was  on  roller  skates  when 
he  fell  to  his  death.  He  was  a  good  student 
and  well  liked  by  his  classmates  and  the  boys 
of  Rome.  Will  Reynolds  had  gone  with  his 
family  to  White  Cliff  Springs,  Tenn.,  neai- 
Athens,  for  the  summer  vacation,  and  one 
Sunday  afternoon  while  out  walking  with  Miss 
Mattie  Rowell  and  others  of  Rome  Tie  ventured 
too  near  a  precipice  and  plunged  to  a  ledge 
perhaps  100  feet  below,  taking  with  him  Miss 
Rowell's  parasol.  Two  mountaineers  climbed 
down  the  steep  mountainside,  tied  WilTs  life- 
less body  to  a  pole  and  carried  it  between 
them  to  the  top.  In  order  to  catch  an  early 
morning  train  for  Rome,  the  funeral  party 
were  obliged  to  go  down  to  the  valley  in  hacks 
at  night,  by  the  light  of  pine  torches  and 
lanterns.  Will  was  one  of  the  most  popular 
young  men  in  Rome,  and  hundreds  of  sorrow- 
ing friends  attended  his  funeral  from  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church.  A  sad  circumstance  con- 
nected with  the  tragedy  was  that  his  mother 
had  intended  leaving  with  her  children  on 
the  day  after  the  accident  for  a  visit  to  her 
old     home     at     .Jacksonville,     Ala. 

**The  reference  is  to  Dr.  Chas.  H.  Herty,  tor 
whom  old  Herty  Athletic  Field  at  Athens  was 
named,  and  who  wrote  as  follows :  "It  stands 
as  a  fact  which  cannot  be  contradictetl  that 
active  jihysical  exercise  is  an  absolute  neces- 
sity. Even  in  cases  of  sickness,  one  of  the 
best  treatments  a  physician  can  give  is  to 
take  exercise.  Over  three  hundred  young  men 
confined  to  their  books,  with  no  well  directed 
exercise,  would  in  a  year  or  two  present  a 
pitiable  figure.  It  is  in  consequence  of  this 
that  college  faculties  are  forced  into  all  kinds 
of  schemes  to  give  regulated  and  active  exer- 
cise to  their  students.  Some  colleges,  in  order 
to  avoid  the  rough  forms  of  field  sports,  have 
large  grounds  for  physical  exercise,  as  well 
as  thoroughly  eriuipped  gymnasiums.  Even 
then  certain  forms  of  field  sports  are  necessary." 


law  in  the  interests  of  society.  In  an- 
.swer,  unquestionably  it  is  not.  In  the 
first;  place,  the  conditions  necessary 
to  its  highest  development  are  tota'l 
abstinence  from  intoxicating  and  stim- 
ulating drinks — alcoholic  or  other- 
wise—as well  as  from  cigarettes  and 
tobacco  in  any  form;  strict  regard  for 
proper  and  healthiest  diet  and  for  all 
the  laws  of  health;  persistent  regular- 
ity in  the  hours  of  going  to  bed  and 
absolute    purity   of   life." 

Jas.  B.  Nevin,  Jno.  H.  Reece  and 
Wm.  H.  Ennis  were  Floyd  County's 
representatives  in  the  legislature  that 
year.  They  made  strenuous  efforts  to 
defeat  the  legislation  after  Mrs.  Gam- 
mon had  written  Mr.  Nevin  as  fol- 
lows  from  Rome  under  date  of  Nov. 
2,   1897: 

"Dear  Mr.  Nevin:  It  would  be  the 
greatest  favor  to  the  family  of  Von 
Gammon  if  your  influence  could  pre- 
vent his  death  from  being  used  as  an 
argun^ent  detrimental  to  the  athletic 
cause  and  its  advancement  at  the  Uni- 
versity. His  love  for  his  college  and 
his  interest  in  all  manly  sports,  with- 
out which  he  deemed  the  highest  type 
of  manhood  impossible,  is  well  known 
by  his  classmates  and  friends,  and  it 
would  be  inexpressibly  sad  to  have  the 
cause  he  held  so  dear  injured  by  his 
sacrifice.  Grant  me  the  right  to  re- 
quest that  my  boy's  death  should  not 
be  used  to  defeat  the  most  cherished 
oliject  of  his  life.  Dr.  Herty's  article 
in  the  Constitution  of  Nov.  2d  is  time- 
ly, and  the  authorities  of  the  Univers- 
ity can  be  trusted  to  make  all  needed 
changes  for  all  possible  consideration 
pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  its  stu- 
dents, if  they  are  given  the  means  and 
the  confidence  their  loyalty  and  high 
sense  of  duty  should  deserve. '^'^^ 
"Yours  most  respectfully, 
"VON  GAMMON'S  MOTHER." 

For  several  weeks  the  enemies  of 
football  trained  the  guns  on  the  game 
through  the  newspapers,  and  its  de- 
fenders replied.  'The  Athens  Banner, 
the  ancient  pai)er  published  at  the 
seat  of  the  University  of  Georgia,  de- 
clared, "We  do  not  favor  a  game  where 
])rutality  steps  in  and  usurps  the  place 
of  athletic  development;  it  was  a  dis- 
play of  savagery  which  tarnishes  the 
fair  names  of  both  of  the  great  uni- 
versities represented  in  the   contest." 

The  Charleston  News  and  Courier 
declared : 

"Football  is  worse  than  'hazing'  and 
'prize  fighting.'  both  of  which  are  pro- 
hibitcd    in   all    well    regulated    colleges. 


350 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ALLS    FAIR    AT    THE    NORTH    GEORGIA    "EXPOSITION." 

Claude   H.   Porter   addressing    "tremendous   audience"   on    "Peace";    part    of    the    Home-coming 

f-R"**^,,'"    *^^    grandstand;    Gov.    Thos.    W.    Hardwick    and    Lee    J.    Langley    after    barbecue    and 

Bevo    ;   George   G.   Stiles,    noted   horseman;    a    group    containing    Gov.    Hardwick    and    a   party   of 

hospitable   Romans;    Lee   J.   Langley,    Mrs.    A.   B.   S.    Moseley    and   Telamon    Cruger   Smith-Cuylers 

elsewhere,  the  young   carnival   performers. 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


351 


Young  men  go  to  college  to  make  use- 
ful citizens  of  themselves,  not  crip- 
ples. There  are  numerous  *manly' 
sports  and  athletic  exercises  which  do 
not  involve  risk  of  lifelong  injury  or 
death  as  the  price  of  indulging 
in  them.  If  we  must  have  football 
riots  for  the  popular  entertainment — 
nugilistic  mills  and  bull  fights  and 
bear  baitings  being  forbidden — let 
them  be  committed  to  professions. 
They  are  not  adapted  to  the  proper 
character  and  ends  of  college  train- 
ing. They  should  be  prohibited  to 
their  students  by  every  college  faculty 
without  waiting  for  an  untimely  fu- 
neral to  make  the  necessity  of  such 
action  more  obvious  than  it  is  al- 
ready." 

Other  press  comnTents,  as  repro- 
duced by  Editor  W.  A.  Knowles  in 
the  Rome  Tribune  of  Nov.  9,  1897, 
follow : 

"The  Georgia  legislature  should  by 
all  means  at  its  present  session  pass  a 
bill  to  prohibit  football  in  this  state." 
— Jackson  Times. 

"Mrs.  Gammon  bears  no  ill-will  to- 
ward the  game  because  of  her  son's 
death,  and  requests  that  his  death  be 
not  used  to  defeat  the  most  cherished 
object  of  his  life.  She  would  have 
the  game  go  on.  But  the  lives  of 
other  worthy  sons  are  to  be  consider- 
ed. It  seems  impossible  to  prevent 
brutality  in  the  game  by  revision  of 
the  rules,  hence  the  only  thing  to  be 
done  is  to  prohibit  the  game." — Savan- 
nah   News. 

"Editor  Stovall's  opinion  of  football 
would  be  more  expert  and  valuable  if 
he  had  been  bunged  up  in  a  game.  He 
says: 

"  'No,  I  never  played  a  game  of  foot- 
ball in  my  life  and  have  no  special 
interest  in  the  matter.  But  if  I  had 
a  son  and  he  were  afraid  to  go  into 
a  game  because  of  the  dangers  of  in- 
jury, I  should  be  ashamed  of  him.  I 
am  sure  young  Americans  are  made  of 
sterner  stuff.  Are  we  ready  to  or- 
dain tiddle-de-winks  and  lawn  tennis 
as  national  games?' 

"If  the  son  happened  to  be  brought 
home  mutilated  or  dead,  we  suspect 
that  our  friend  would  look  at  the  mat- 
ter differently.  There  are  plenty  of 
ways  other  than  brutal  sport  for  a 
young  man  to  exhibit  his  courage,  en- 
durance and  i)luck." — Augusta  Chron- 
icle. 

Gov.  Atkinson  vetoed  the  football 
bill    on    Dec.    7,    1897;    no    attempt    to 


revive  the  measure  wa.s  made  and  it 
expired  with  the  ending  of  the  session 
of  the  Legislature  soon  afterward.  The 
governor  was  moved  by  Mrs.  Gam- 
mon's letter  and  his  own  belief  that 
the  progress  of  the  world  necessarily 
brings   suffering  to  a  few. 

In  his  veto,  Gov.  Atkinson  said: 
"Football  causes  less  deaths  than 
hunting,  boating,  fishing,  horseback 
riding,  bathing  or  bicycling.  If  we 
are  to  engage  in  legislation  of  this 
character  now  under  discussion,  the 
state  should  assume  the  position  of 
parent,  forbid  all  these  sports  to  boys, 
make  it  a  penal  offense  for  a  boy  to 
engage  in  any  of  them,  and  for  any 
parent  to  permit  his  child  to  engage 
in  them.  The  government  should  not 
usuj'p  all  the  authority  of  the  parent. 
Yet  this  legislation  is  a  long  stride  in 
that    direction. 

"It  would  be  unfortunate  to  entirely 
suppress  in  our  schools  and  colleges  a 
game  of  so  great  value  in  the  physi- 
cal, moral  and  intellectual  develop- 
ment   of    boys    and    young   men. 

"The  president  of  the  university  of 
one  of  our  sister  state.s  said  to  me: 
'If  these  young  men  were  not  per- 
mitted to  expend  their  exuberant 
spirits  and  excess  of  youthful  energies 
in  this  way,  they  would  find  vent  in 
carousals,  debaucheries  and  dissipa- 
tions.' 

"Chancellor  Day,  of  the  University 
of  Syracuse,  a  Methodist  institution, 
says:  'I  do  not  feel  like  joining  the 
universal  outcry  against  the  game. 
Football  is  encouraged  by  the  faculty 
of  Syracuse  University.  During  my 
three  years  of  office  there  has  not 
been  a  serious  accident  on  our  field 
or  to  our  team.  I  believe  that  some 
such  game  a.s  football  which  contains 
elements  of  roughness  and  danger  is 
necessary  to  the  development  of  many 
young  men  in  university,  college  and 
seminary.  Its  future,  I  am  told  by 
lovers  of  the  game,  is  tending  toward 
more   open    playing.' 

"P^'ootball  would  fail  of  one  of  its 
chief  ends,  in  my  estimation,  if  it  did 
not  teach  the  young  men  self-control. 
A  man  who  goes  through  a  season  of 
being  trodden  upon  and  kiuaked  down 
deserves  fairly  a  diiiloma  in  the  art 
of  self-control.  It  is  valuable  disci- 
pline. FootI)all  in  the  university  has 
been  a  source  of  gratification^  to  the 
faculty  and  trustees.  We  rejoice  at 
the  high  standard  of  scholarship  kept 
up  by  the  men  in  active  play.  One 
man  who  played  the  game  during  his 
entire  course  was  able  to  keep  up  his 


352 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


work  to  the  extent  that  the  adminis- 
tration selected  him  as  instructor  in 
our   institution    after   graduation." 

On  Wednesday,  Dec.  12,  1895,  a 
group  of  friends  of  Von  Gammon  de- 
cided to  play  a  free  admission  game 
of  football  on  Christmas  Day,  Dec. 
25,  at  the  North  Rome  Athletic  Park. 
Cliff  Seay  was  referee,  Laurie  Coth- 
ran  umpire  and  Barry  Cothran  time- 
keeper. 

The  line-ups: 

Harper,   c   Word,  c 

Spiegelberg,  q.  b Saunders,  q.  b. 

McGhee.  r.  g Jones,  r.   g. 

Wvnn,    1.    g Jones,    1.    g. 

Mitchell,  r.  t Quinn,  r.  t. 

Huffaker,  1.  t Morris,  1.  t. 

Maddox,  r.  e Smith,  r.   e. 

Maddox,  1.   e Parrish,  1.   e. 

Ledbetter,  r.  h.  b Rounsaville,  r.  h.  b. 

P^ahy.  1.  h.  b Cline,  1.  h.  b. 

Vandiver,  f.  b Williamson,  f.  b. 

Substitutes — Turner    and    Maddox. 

Although  the  fond  parents  were 
bowed  down  with  grief,  there  were 
many  consolations  in  the  loss  of  their 
devoted  son.  Mrs.  Cammdn  caused 
the  news  of  Von's  death  to  be  print- 
ed in  the  native  language  in  every  civ- 
ilized country  of  the  world.  Into  her 
scrapbook  went  the  many  written  ex- 
pressions of  sympathy.  The  faculty 
and  students  of  the  University  met  at 
the  chapel,  under  the  leadership  of 
Chancellor  Boggs,  and  resolutions 
passed  there  were  signed  by  Harry 
Dodd  (now  of  Atlanta),  president  of 
the  Athletic  Council;  Paul  H.  Doyal, 
(of  Rome),  president  of  the  Demos- 
thenian  Literary  Society;  Macon  Dud- 
ley, vice  president  of  the  Bicycle  As- 
sociation, and  Harmon  Cox  (of  At- 
lanta and  Chicago),  for  the  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon  fraternity.  Von  was 
then  a  member  of  the  freshman  class 
(1901),  and  its  conimittee — Robt. 
Yancey,  of  Rome;  C.  H.  Story  and 
J.  A.  Scruggs — also  passed  resolutions. 

A  student  correspondent  wrote  The 
Tribune  from  Athens  Dec.  15  that  Von 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in 
college,  and  that  he  had  just  been 
elected  president  of  the  Bicycle  Asso- 
ciation, and  was  a  member  of  the  Phi 
Kappa  Literary  Society  and  the  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon  college  fraternity.  And 
he  added : 

"Rome  is  as  usual  well  represented. 
Rome  boys  have  always  stood  well  at 
the  university  and  the  ones  there  now 
are  endeavoring  to  keep  up  their  good 

'Cieorjria  had  held  Harvard  two  weeks  before 
at    Cambridge    to   a    10-7    score. 


reputation.  They  will  be  home  for 
the   holidays    Dec!    23. 

"There  are  at  present  eight  boys 
from  Rome  attending  the  college. 
These  are:  Ben  C.  Yancey,  '98,  Chi 
Phi  fraternity  and  member  of  Phi 
Kappa  Literary  Society;  Hugh  White, 
'98,  Sigma  Nu  fraternity  and  Phi 
Kappa;  J.  B.  Sullivan,  '99,  Sigma  Al- 
pha Epsilon  and  Phi  Kappa;  Paul  H. 
Doyal,  '99,  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon  and 
Phi  Kappa;  Robert  C.  Yancey,  '01, 
Chi  Phi  and  Phi  Kappa;  Will  Hoyt, 
'01,  Chi  Psi  and  Phi  Kappa,  and  C. 
P.    Morton,   '01. 

"Among  the  offices  held  by  these 
boys  may  be  mentioned:  Editor  in 
chief  of  'The  Georgian,'  business  man- 
ager 'Red  and  Black,'  manager  ten- 
nis team,  manager  track  team,  pres- 
ident Phi  Kappa  Society,  1st  lieuten- 
ant and  sergeant  major  in  the  bat- 
talion, two  members  of  athletic  coun- 
cil, editor  in  chief  of  'Pandora,'  vice 
president  bicycle  club  and  other  small- 
er   offices. 

"Two  Romans  belong  to  the  literary 
club  and  two  are  on  the  track  team; 
they  took  one  first,  one  second  and 
three  third  prizes  in  the  field  day  a 
week  ago." 

An  exceedingly  graceful  act  was 
performed  by  the  authorities  of  the 
University  of  Virginia,  the  surviving 
members  of  the  1897  football  team  and 
others  in  subscribing  $500  for  a  bronze 
plaque  to  Von  Gammon  and  his  nxoth- 
er.  This  memorial  was  presented  in 
the  University  of  Georgia  chapel  at 
Athens  Saturday  morning,  Nov.  5, 
1921,  24  years  after  the  game  in 
which  Von  played.  It  was  given  into 
the  hands  of  Chancellor  David  C.  Bar- 
row and  Prof.  S.  V.  Sanford  by  an 
official  of  the  University  of  Virginia, 
and  Prof.  Sanford  has  since  acted  as 
its  custodian,  pending  selection  of  a 
particular  spot  to  place  it  for  all 
time.  The  plaque  is  circular  in  shape, 
about  three  feet  in  diameter,  and 
shows  the  son  gazing  with  love  and  ad- 
miration into  the  face  of  his  mother. 
Among  the  Romans  present  at  the  ex- 
ercises were  Walter  S.  Cothiian,  J. 
Ed  Maddox,  Wilson  M.  Hardy,  Barry 
Wright,  Paul  H.  Doyal,  Jas.  P.  Jones, 
Thos.  D.  Caldwell,  Sam  S.  King  and 
Thos.    E.    Clemmons. 

Incidentally,  Virginia  and  Georgia 
played  another  football  game  that 
same  afternoon  on  Sanford  Mead,  be- 
fore a  big  crowd,  and  the  Red  and  Black 
of  Georgia  triumphed  over  the  Old 
Gold  and  Blue  of  Virginia  by  the  record 
score  of  21  to  0.* 


Anecdotes  and  Reminiscences 


353 


WRIGHT  WILLINGHAM'S  CIR- 
CUS.—Romans  all— or  500  of  them— 
gathered  at  the  Municipal  Building 
Saturday,  Jan.  1,  1921,  on  call  of  John 
M.  Vandiver,  president  of  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  who  thought  a  mass 
meeting  and  some  oratorical  prescrip. 
tions  might  make  the  farmers  and  ev- 
erybody else  feel  better  over  bad 
times. 

"There  is  too  much  pessimism!"  as- 
serted  B.    I.   Hughes. 

"There  is  not  enough  plain  grit!" 
declared  R.   C.   Sharp. 

"All  pull  together,"  suggested  Hen- 
derson Lanham. 

"You  don't  know  any  hard  times," 
said  Judge  John  W.  Maddox.  "At  the 
end  of  the  Civil  War  we  had  nothing 
in  Chattooga  County  but  a  broken- 
down  steer  that  was  not  worth  the 
Yankees'    trouble   to    take   away." 

The  Rev.  Elam  F.  Dempsey,  pastor 
of  the  First  Methodist  Church,  and  the 
Rev.  A.  J.  Moncrief,  pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  were  listening 
attentively  from  comfortable  seats  on 
the  platform.  Somebody  shouted  that 
it  was  time  to  give  the  bean-spillers 
a  chance  to  be  heard.  No  names  were 
mentioned. 

Mr.  Vandiver  diplomatically  ignored 
the  suggestion  by  conferring  in  an  un- 
dertone with  a  stage  "confederate," 
after  which  he  announced  that  Wright 
Willingham  would  speak.  Col.  Willing- 
ham's  first  shot  woke  the  ministers 
up. 

"My  friends,  I  ain't  much  of  a  pro- 
hibitionist, myself.  I  can  fight  bet- 
ter and  talk  better  with  a  little  en- 
couragement in  me.  Gaze  at  my  friend 
Dr.  Dempsey  here  on  my  right;  he 
has  been  getting  fat  drinking  tea.  And 
as  for  old  Dr.  Moncrief  there,  he  looks 
like  he  never  had  a  drink  in  his  life! 
Ha-ha!" 

When  the  rude  guffaws  of  the  audi- 
ence and  the  embarrassment  of  the 
ministers  had  subsided,  Col.  Willing- 
ham  continued : 

"Judge  Maddox  may  think  just  be- 
cause it  didn't  hurt  to  lose  a  leg  in 
the  war  that  a  man's  swollen  jaw  in 
the  present  contains  no  pain.  My  jaw 
hurts  and  there's  no  use  to  deny  it. 
I'm  just  about  as  careful  tackling  this 
situation  as  I  was  going  after  a  bull 
dog  out  at  George  Stallings'  house 
during  our  own  war  here  recently, 
when  I  was  weak  from  influenza.  I 
went  to  George's  place  in  the  sticks 
one  night;  had  quite  a  time  climbing- 
fences,  crossing  race  tracks  in  getting 


near  the  house,  and  when  I  thought 
I  was  there  a  great  big  dog  came  bow- 
wowing  down  the  front  walk  in  my  di- 
rection. I  could  tell  by  his  voice  he 
was  a  bull  dog.  I  was  too  weak  to 
fight  or  run.  There  was  only  one  way 
in  the  world,  my  friends,  to'  stop  tha't 
bull  dog,  and  that  was  by  diplomacy. 
With  a  prayer  on  my  lips  I  stooped 
down  and  with  all  the  graciousness  at 
my  command,  I  said,  'Here,  doggie, 
here   doggie,    nice   old   doggie!' 

"I  got  away  with  it,  and  in  1921 
I'm  going  to  be  as  diplomatic  as  I 
know  how  until  I  feel  lots  stronger 
than    I  feel   now." 


Col.  Willingham  caused  considerable 
merriment  several  weeks  later  by  diag- 
nosing religious   creeds  in  a  speech. 

"My  picture  of  religion  up  toward 
old  Shorter  hill  is  the  picture  of  the 
shouting  Methodists.  I  ain't  ready  to 
embrace  that.  And  coming  on  down 
toward  Broad  Street  we  find  the  or- 
thordox  Presbyterians.  Why,  my 
friends,  the  Presbyterians  are  so  or- 
thodox that  you  couldn't  pierce  their 
orthodoxy  with  a  Beg  Bertha  shell!" 

ROME'S  WAR  MAYOR.— The  Tri- 
Weekly  Courier  of  Jan.  3,  1861,  pre- 
sented the  following  official  count  for 
the  election  of  Dec.  31,  1860: 

For  Mayor — Dr.  Thos.  Jefferson 
Word,  156;  Zachariah  Branscome  Har- 
grove,  Jr.,    138. 

For  Council — The  Winners — A.  R. 
Harper,  192;  W.  F.  Ayer,  186;  Chas. 
H.  Smith,  172;  Oswell  B.  Eve,  153; 
Jno.  M.  Quinn,  152;  Nicholas  J.  Om- 
berg,    148. 

For  Council — The  Losers — Jno.  W. 
Noble,  147;  J.  G.  Yeiser,  144;  A.  Cald- 
well, 141;  J.  H.  McClung.  134;  Robt. 
T.   Fouche,  122;  J.    W.   Wofford,   104. 

Dr.  Word  was  re-elected  mayor  in 
1861  for  1862,  and  his  record  was 
such  that  his  friends  championed  his 
cause  a  third  time;  but  he  declined, 
saying  that  since  no  man  had  ever 
been  mayor  of  Rome  three  times  in 
succession,  he  would  not  care  to  break 
the  precedent.  Dr.  J.  M.  Gregory  was 
accordingly  elected  without  opposition 
Dec.  29,  1862.  His  aldermen  from  the 
P'irst  Ward  were  J.  C.  Pemberton  and 
Jos.  E.  Veal;  from  the  Second,  Albert 
G.  Pitner  and  Wm.  T.  Newman,  and 
from  the  Third,  J.  H.  Cooper  and  Chas. 
II.  Smith.  Others  who  were  put  for- 
ward for  Council  and  Aldermen  were 
Reuben  S.  Norton,  RoI)t.  T.  Hargrove, 
Jno.  W.  Noble,  Dr.  Joshua  King,  Gen. 
Geo.    S.    Black   and    Wm.    Ramey. 


354 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


^(:^f^ 


LINDALE,   A  THRIVING  FLOYD   COUNTY   TOWN. 

From  the  top,  the  Lindale  Inn;  the  Auditorium,  erected  by  the  Massachusetts  Mills  of 
Georgia  in  honor  of  Lindale's  sacrifices  in  the  World  War;  the  old  Hoss  mill,  now  deserted; 
beautiful  Silver  Creek,  which  divides  Lindale  in  half  and  flows  through  the  mill  property, 
as  shown  in  the  next;  homes  of  mill  employes,  who  are  encouraged  in  every  way  to  developi 
better   citizenship. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


ARMSTRONG  (CHEROKEE)  HO- 
TEL.— This  noted  structure  stands  at 
the  southwest  corner  of  Second  Ave- 
nue and  East  First  Street.  It  was 
built  and  opened  by  R.  T.  Armstrong, 
of  I'ii-niiimluini,  Ala.,  at  a  cost  of  near- 
ly !i;L'')(),()0().  The  first  floor  walls  are 
of  g:ray  p:ranite  and  the  four  stories 
above  of  brick.  It  is  owned  by  the 
Rome  Hotel  Co.,  of  which  concern  the 
J.  A.  Rousavilles  are  the  principal 
stockholders.  For  several  years  sub- 
sequent to  1900  the  hotel  was  called 
The  Cherokee,  but  recently  the  original 
name  has  been  used.  As  lonp:  as  the 
younger  p:enei'ation  can  remember  its 
ground  floor  has  sheltered  a  barber 
shop — first,  Ned  Huj^gins'  (Ned  was 
also  sexton  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church),  and  now  Slaughter  McCain's 
— where  enough  hair  and  whiskers 
have  been  cut  to  fill  the  Armstrong. 
In  the  corner  Dick  Cothran  conducted 
a  brokerage  business  for  quite  a  while. 

Some  of  the  glories  of  The  Arm- 
sti'ong  were  recounted  by  W.  S.  Row- 
ell  in  The  Tribune-Herald  of  March 
9,  1921,  as  follows: 

"The  partial  destruction  by  fire  of 
one  section  of  the  Armstrong  hotel 
early  yesterday  morning  injures  for  a 
short  time  a  building"  that  has  stood 
as  an  ornament  to  this  city  for  more 
than  30  yeai-s. 

"When  this  hotel  was  constructed 
and  opened,  it  was  the  largest  and 
finest  in  Noi'thwest  (Georgia.  It  was 
a  veritable  capitol,  as  hotels  went  in 
those  days.  It  pushed  Rome  at  one 
swoop  from  a  town  into  the  j)r'opor- 
tions  of  a  city. 

"The  annual  banquets  of  the  Mer- 
chants' and  Manufacturers'  Associa- 
tion were  long  famed  foi-  tlieir  feast- 
ing   and    their   oi'atory. 

"Among  those  famous  orators  and 
notable  men  who  have  held  forth  here 
were  Senators  A.  O.  Bacon,  A.  S.  Clay 
and  Hoke  Smith,  of  (Jeorgia;  Senator 
liroussard,  of  Louisiana;  Congressman 
James  Tawney,  of  Minnesota;  .John 
Temple  Graves,  Gordon  Lee,  Judge 
Wm.  T.  Newman,  Seaborn  Wright, 
Senator  Burton,  of  Ohio;  Congressman 
Jno.  L.  Burnett,  of  Alabama;  Wni.  J. 
Bryan,  of  Nebraska;  David  B.  Hill,  of 
New  York,  and  a  host  of  others  that 
we  cannot  now   recall. 

"The  dining  room  of  the  hotel  has 
been  used  as  a  ball  room  by  the  local 
cotillion    club,    since     its     organization, 


and  many  other  clubs  and  dance  or- 
ganizations used  it. 

"When  the  hotel  was  first  opened  a 
large  number  of  Rome's  wealthiest  and 
most  prominent  families  left  their 
homes  and  I'esided  there.  For  a  while 
it  was  the  center  around  which  the  so- 
cial life  of  Rome  revolved. 

"Many  times  since  its  construction 
the  hotel  has  l)een  on  fire,  but  always 
hei'ctofore  the  fire  depailment  has 
been  able  to  conti-ol  the  flames.  The 
inside  architecture  of  the  hotel  was 
peculiarly  sensitive  to  fire,  being  such 
as  readily  drew  a  draft  to  any  part 
of  the  building.  This  class  of  hotel 
construction   is   now   out  of  date." 

*  M:  * 

BELCJIAN  COLONY.— In  1848  Gen. 
Louis  Joseph  Barthold  LeIIardy  (Vis- 
count de  Beaulieu),  dissatisfied  with 
jjolitical  conditions  growing  out  of  the 
liberation  of  Belgium  from  the  Unit- 
ed Neitherlands,  left  Brus.sels  at  the 
head  of  a  company  of  Belgians  to 
found  a  colony  in  the  Unitecl  States, 
for  the  pui'i)ose  of  engaging  in  agricul- 
tural pui-suits.  The  old  General  and 
those  members  of  his  household  who 
joined  him  were  idealists  to  whom  the 
songs  of  birds  and  bees  in  trees  and 
clover  constitued  much  sweeter  music 
than  the  hum-drum  strife  of  the  Old 
World,  .so  they  tui-ned  their  faces 
southward  on  reaching  America's 
friendly   shores. 

It  is  (juite  likely  that  they  disem- 
barked at  New  Yoi-k,  asked  for  new 
country,  were  directed  to  Charleston 
and  there  sent  I)y  a  Rome  "Scout"  to 
the  heart  of  (Cherokee  Geoi'gia.  Rome 
was  a  place  of  some  .'J, 000  inhabitants, 
and  it  stood  out  as  the  lai'gest  settle- 
ment in  that  corner  of  the  state  and 
a   city  which    nmst   grow   fast. 

General  Lellaidy  was  a  man  ac- 
customed to  ainiy  life  and  the  hard- 
ships of  the  outdoors;  his  training  had 
been  along  democratic,  practical  lines, 
and  he  welcomed  an  opi)oi'tunity  to  re- 
move the  restraints  of  political  obliga- 
tions like  a  bird  released  from  the 
cage.  He  tuined  his  estate  into  cash 
and  financed  the  colony  across  the  At- 
lantic. In  the  party  were  his  son,  Ca- 
mille  LeIIardy,  an(i  family;  his  neph- 
ews, the  sons  of  his  brother,  Compte 
Adolph  LeIIardy— Eugene  LeHardy, 
21,  and  J.  C.  LeIIardy,  17;  Louis 
Henry  Carlier,  a  civil  engineer  and  Ca- 
mille"  LeIIardy's    I)rother-in-Iaw;    Prof. 


356 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


E.  Gaussoin  and  daughter,  Miss  Elise 
Gaussoin.  whom  Henry  Carlier  married 
after  they  reached  Rome;  a  Miss  Rob- 
ert (pronounced  like  the  French),  who 
later  married  Max  Van  Den  Corput, 
of  Cave  Spring:,  (Max  Corput  and 
Felix  Corput,  his  brother,  w^ere  also 
Belfrians)  ;  and  a  number  of  others, 
perhaps  a  total  of  25.  General  Le- 
Hardv.  Caniille  LeHardy  and  Louis 
Carlier  selected  a  farm  tract  three 
miles  east  of  Rome,  where  in  a  low- 
land dip  there  was  an  abundance  of 
fresh  water  bubbling  from  a  dozen 
springs.  This  was  on  the  Etowah 
River  and  included  a  productive  bot- 
ton  land  full  of  arrow  heads  and  bits 
of  pottery,  evidence  that  an  Indian  vil- 
lage was*  once  there  located.  Included 
in  their  settlement  were  several  men 
and  women  of  the  agricultural  class. 
The  others  scattered;  Eugene  and 
Julius  ("Jules")  went  to  work  in  Rome, 
while  a  few  of  the  Belgians  set  out 
stakes  between  the  eastern  foot  of  Mt. 
Alto  and  the  Coosa  River.  Dr.  L.  M. 
E.  Berckmans,  another  Belgian,  was 
attracted  to  Rome  by  the  exploits  of 
his  friends,  the  LeHardys,  but  he  did 
not   arrive   until   about   1870. 

The  farming  Belgians  raised  truck 
and  fruit,  especially  grapes,  and  they 
sent  their  goods  to  the  Rome  market 
in  little  wagons  drawn  by  ponies  or 
mules.  Everything  they  offered  for 
sale  was  fresh  and  wholesome  and  put 
up  in  good  style;  the  apples  in  nice 
boxes,  the  grapes  covered  with  mos- 
quito netting,  and  their  prices  were  as 
low  as  could  be  found.  The  law  per- 
mitted of  making  wine  out  of  grapes, 
and  considerable  wine  was  made. 

As  in  most  cases  where  aristocrats 
attempt  to  go  back  to  the  soil,  how- 
ever, the  colony  plan  was  not  a  suc- 
cess financially.  The  titled  Belgians 
undoubtedly  did  their  utmost  with 
Dame  Nature,  but  Her  Highness,  treat- 
ed to  the  picture  of  the  grandeur  of 
palaces  and  of  refined  tastes  and  tem- 
peramental dispositions,  did  not  smile 
her  favor  upon  them.  The  story  is 
told  that  a  fastidious  young  Belgian 
was  in  the  habit  of  driving  an  ox  cart 
to  Rome,  the  while  he  was  dressed  in 
a  summer  suit  of  snowy  whiteness, 
suede  gloves  and  patent  leather  shoes. 

After  some  seven  years,  disintegra- 
tion of  the  colony,  individually  and 
collectively,  set  in.  General  LeHardy 
and  Camille  LeHardy  and  family  left 
for  Charleston,  where  they  lived  until 
18.58,  when  they  returned  to  Brussels. 
Dr.  J.  C.  LeHardy  went  to  live  in  Sa- 
vannah. Eugene  LeHardy  departed 
Jan.   2,   1861,  for   Europe  to  buy   sup- 


plies for  the  Confederate  Government, 
and  was  there  marooned  until  after  the 
Civil  War. 

But  a  circumstance  was  eventually 
to  arise  which  was  to  pile  sorrow  upon 
disappointment  for  the  doughty  Bel- 
gians. Cam,ille  LeHardy,  it  will  be  re- 
called, had  married  Rosine  Marie 
Terese  Josephine  Carlier,  a  sister  of 
Henry  Carlier.  Relations  between  the 
brothers-in-law  were  apparently  pleas- 
ant enough  to  permit  Mr.  LeHardy  to 
go  back  to  Belgium  and  leave  the  coun- 
try place  in  the  care  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carlier.  Quite  possibly  Mr.  Carlier 
never  expected  Mr.  LeHardy  to  return, 
so  that  when  he  and  his  family  did 
come  back  after  the  close  of  the  war, 
friction  arose  between  the  two  men 
over  possession  of  the  place.  They 
continued  to  live  together,  but  it  was 
a  house  divided.  According  to  the 
story  told  by  Mr.  LeHardy,  Mr.  Carlier 
would  frequent  throw  rocks  at  him 
from  the  woods,  and  otherwise  nag  him 
and  members  of  the  LeHardy  family. 
Finally  one  day  Mr.  LeHardy  heard  a 
commotion  in  the  barn,  and,  rushing 
to  the  scene,  found  Mr.  Carlier  astride 
of  and  pummeling  Henry  LeHardv 
then  17.  Mr.  LeHardy  went  to  the 
house  and  got  a  gun,  and,  poking  it 
through  a  crack  in  the  barn,  fired  and 
killed  Mr.  Carlier,  whose  body  was  laid 
to  rest  in  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery.  Mr. 
LeHardy's  peaceful  disposition,  his  un- 
blemished reputation  and  the  attend- 
ant circumstances  caused  a  jury  to 
render   a    verdict   of   acquittal. 

The  tragedy  occurred  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1870  and  about  eight  years 
later  Mr.  LeHardy  removed  his  family 
to  Eagle  Cliff,  Lookout  Mountain,  near 
Flintstone,  Walker  County,  Georgia, 
where  he  died  March  6,  1888.  He  was 
the  last  of  the  Belgians  at  Rome,  Eu- 
gene LeHardy,  his  cousin,  having  died 
there  Dec.  27,  1874,  and  having  been 
put  to  rest  in  Myrtle  Hill. 

BERRY  INFANTRY.— A  Civil  War 
company  organized  by  Col.  Thos.  W. 
Alexander,  commanding  officer,  and 
named  after  Capt.  Thos.  Berry,  Mex- 
ican War  veteran  and  father  of  Miss 
Martha  Berry,  head  of  the  Bel'ry 
Schools. 

On  the  eve  of  its  departure  for  camp 
near  Griffin,  the  company  was  pre- 
sented with  a  handsome  battle  flag  by 
Miss  Florence  W.  Underwood  (Mrs. 
E.  M.  Eastman),  a  daughter  of  Judge 
John  W.  H.  Underwood. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


357 


NOTED  GUESTS  AT  THE  BERRY  SCHOOLS. 


1— Dr.  Howard  A.  Kelly,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  group  on  g.rls  "^P«^-  ^ay  S.  1921. 
2— Princess  Caroline  R.  Radziwill  among  girls.  3-Pres.dent  Theodore  Roosevelt  Oct  8  19  O, 
—a  Republican  with  a  background  intensely  Democratic  '*—'^'"„Al.ce  Nielsen  m  »  e^°"P^ 
5— Dr.  Albert  Shaw,  of  New  York,  editor  of  the  American  Review  of  Reviews,  and  Mrs.  Shaw,  on 
visit   Apr.   22-26,    1921.      6 — A   group    containing   Miss    Helen    Keller. 


358 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


BOOTEN  &  HARKINS'  CAVALRY 
COMPANY.— The  following  officers 
were  listed  in  the  Tri-Weekly  Courier 
of   Apr.   20,    1862: 

Daniel  F.  Booten,  captain;  John 
Harkins,  1st  lieut.;  A.  J.  Bearden,  2d 
lieut.;  N.  C.  Napier,  3d  lieut.;  M.  A. 
Ross,   orderly   sergrt. 

BROAD  STREP:T         "INHABI- 

TANTS."—Now  and  then  an  old-time 
chronicler  comes  back  to  Rome  and 
takes  note  of  the  many  changes  in  bus- 
iness locations.  In  order  that  the  pres- 
ent occupants  may  "write  their  own," 
the  following'  list  of  establishments 
and  individuals  (furnished  by  R.  V. 
Mitchell)-  for  1922,  is  herewith  set 
down.  The  chronicler  starts  at  the 
foot  of  Broad  (Etowah  River)  and 
walks  northward  through  North  Rome. 
On  his  left  at  1  and  3  Broad  is  the 
market  produce  establishment  of 
Stamps  &  Co.,  after  which  the  100  block 
starts,  and  continues  to  Second  Ave- 
nue; the  200  block  starts  at  Second 
and  ends  at  Third,  and  so  on. 

Left 

101— 
101 1/> 
103—. 

1  Os- 
lo? 


109- 

111- 

113— 
115— 
117— 
119 


Hcnid  Side— 100   (Shoytey)   Block. 

Holder    Coal   &   Lumber    Co. 

Rome  Musical  Center. 
J.   P.   Reid   Wholesale   Grocery. 

Gibson   &    DeJournett,    wholesale 
grocery. 

Montgomery  &  Co.,  wholesale  gro- 
cery. 

Scoggins   Furniture  Co. 
McGhee    Cotton    Co, 

R.  J.  Ragan,  wholesale  grocery. 


121— 


201— 


205— 
107— 
209— 
2091/0 


211— 
213— 
215— 
2151/, 


J.    L.    Brannon    &    Co.,   wholesale 

grocery. 
Arrington-Buick  Co. 

200    (Noble)   Block. 

First  National  Bank. 
Rome     Chamber     of     Commerce, 
Floyd  County  Farm  Bureau  and 
Boy     Scout     headquarters      (in 
rear). 

Rome   Book   Store   Co. 

McGhee  Tire  Co. 

Floyd  County  Bank. 

— Drs.   M.   M.    McCord   and   Carl 
L.   Betts. 

Griffin-Cantrell    Hardware    Co. 


Newark    Shoe    Store. 
— Frank  W.   Copeland,  Nat  Har- 
ris   and    Wm.    H.    Ennis,    attor- 
neys. 
217— Wyatt   Book    Store. 

*The  telephone  directory  has   also  been   free."y 
consulted. 


219 — McGinnis    &   Welch,    lunch    room. 

221 — Edward    A.    Farley,    clothing. 

223— S.   H.   Kress  5  and  10-cent  store. 

225— Elite    Motion    Picture    Theater. 

22511.— Drs.  L.  F.  McKoy  and  J.  I. 
Todd,  dentists. 

227— Citizens'  Bank. 

227 — Will  S.  Hawkins,  tailoring  and 
haberdashery. 

229— M.   M.  J.    Mendleson,  tailor. 

231 — Nixon   Hardware   Co. 

2311/.— McCrary  &  Co.,  photographers. 

233— Strand   Motion   Picture  Theater. 

235— H.    B.    Parks    Co.,    crockery. 

237-239— W.  M.  Gammon  &  Son,  cloth- 
ing. 

241-243 — Owens  &  King,  gents'  fur- 
nishings. 

2431/1.— L>r.  J.  S.  Daniel,  dentist. 

247 — Daniel    Furniture    Co. 

300    (Nevi)i's  Opera  House)  Block. 

301 — Piggly  Wiggly,  retail  grocery. 

303— Allen   Jewelry    Co. 

Dr.  Geo.  B.  Wood,  optometrist. 

305 — Johnston    Hardware    Co. 

3051/2— Drs.  J.  Turner  McCall  and  J. 
H.  Mull,  physicians;  Dr.  A.  F. 
Daniel,  dentist. 

307-309-311— Ira  A.  Watson  Salvage 
Co.,  dry  goods  and  groceries. 

3111/.— Quick  "Lunch   stand. 

313— F.  W.  Woolworth  Co.,  5  and  10- 
cent  store. 

315 — Porter  Phillips,  soft  drinks. 

323 — Second  Precinct  Police  rest  room. 

325 — Rome  Supply  Co.,  electric  outfits 
and  plumbing. 

327 — E.  A.  Leonard,  dry  goods. 

329— Walker   Electric  &   Plumbing  Co. 

331 — Henry  Powers,  shoes. 

333 — Fred  M.  Henderson,  retail  gro- 
cer. 

3331/2— Todd  &  Hickman,  tailoring  and 
pressing. 

335 — Rome    Shoe    Hospital. 

337— Palace  Barber   Shop. 

3371/2— Drs.  Geo.  B.  Smith  and  Wm. 
J.  Shaw,  physicians.  Shoe 
shine  parlor  and  news  stand. 

339 — McGinnis',  cigars,   soda,  lunch. 

400    (Old  Cihj  Hall)   Block. 

401 — Lanham  &  Sons'  Co.,  dry  goods. 
Eugene   Logan    Kandy   Kitchen. 

403 — Broadway  Motion  Picture  Thea- 
ter. 

407 — Friedman  Co.,  dry  goofls. 

409— Paris    Cafe. 

4091/2— W.  P.  Bradfield,  contractor. 
Wilkerson  Realty  Co, 

411 — L.   H.   Esserman,  dry   goods. 

413 — Boston    Shoe    Store. 
Liberty    Shoe    Shop. 
Lewis  Barrett,  barber  shop  (c). 

417 — Watson   Shoe   Store. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


359 


419 — Culpepper,    Storey   &    Co.,    gents' 

furnishings. 
419  ]/,  —Rome   Tribune-Herald. 
421 — M.   Rosenberg,  dry  goods. 
423 — Watson's    grocery. 
425-427 — Esserman    &    Co.,    dry    goods 

and   shoes. 
4291/2— Drs.    R.    H.    Wicker,   Henry    A. 

Turner,   Roland   D.   Russell  and 

A.   W.    Wright,   physicians. 
431 — Sam  McKinney,  meat  market. 
431 — Fifth   Avenue  "Drug   Co. 

500    (Hargrove-Bofiworth)    Block. 
501— National    City   Bank. 
503— L.    W.   Rogers    Grocery    Co. 
503% — Industrial    Life    and    American 

National    Life    Insurance    Com- 
panies. 
505— Buehler  Bros.  Market. 
511 — Purity   Ice   Cream   Co. 

Isom    Jones'    Restaurant     (c). 

Guarantee   Shoe   Repair   Shop. 

Asa  Johnson's  Barber  Shop   (c). 
513 — Rome  Co-operative  Drug  Co.   (c) . 

Dr.   C.  T.   Cain,  physician. 
515 — Rome  Fish  Produce  Co. 
517 — Paul  Henderson,  grocer. 
525-533— Best   Motor  Car  Co. 
535-537— Woco    Oil    Co. 
600  Block. 

Standard   Oil    Co.,   gasoline   and 

oils. 

700  Block. 
700 — Gulf   Refining   Co.,   gasoline    and 


oils. 


1600  Block. 


Atkinson   &   Jolly,   general   mer- 
chandise. 

Right      Hand      Side— 100       (Etowah) 
Block. 

100— Chero-Cola    Bottling    W,orks. 

100 1/0— Shrine    Club    and    Dance    Hall. 

102 — Consolidated    Grocery    Co. 

104 — McCord-Stewart,    wholesale    gro- 
cery. 

106 — Mann    Bros.,    moat    market. 

108 — People's    Cafe     (Tony    Vincenzi). 

110 — I.   M.  Adams,  meat  market. 

llOy.— E.    R.     Fishburnc,     watch    re- 
pairer. 

112— 

1 14 — Rome  Hardware   Co. 

116 — A  grocery  warehouse. 

118 — Empire  Lunch  room. 

120 — Sam    Bredosky,   shoes. 

122— New  York   Slioe  Stores. 

124 — Anaerican   Lunch   Room    (c). 

126 — Fred    Huffman,    shoe   repairer. 

128 — Harris  &  Vann,  meat  market. 

130 — Norton    Drug   Co. 

1301/3— Drs.  Ross  P.  Cox,  J.  C.  Watts 
and  A.   C.  Shamblin. 
200     {Veranda-Yancey)    Block. 

200 — Curry-Arrington    Drug  Co. 


202 
204 
206 
208 
208 


210 

212 


212 

214 
216 
218 
220 
222 
224 
226 

228 
232 
236 
238 
240 
242 

246 
250 

300 

300 
300 


: — Bartlett   Automotive   Co. 

—Miller    Shoe    Co. 

—Lesser   Bros.,  dry  goods. 

! — L.  W.  Rogers,  retail  grocery 

'1/2— Dr.    J.    D.    Moreland,     dentist; 

Dr.  J.  J.  Farmer;  H.  E.  Beery, 

attorney. 
I — The   Bee    Hive,   dry  goods. 
— Burnes-White       Mercantile       Co., 

wholesale   grocers. 
V> — Henson    Pressing   Club. 
— Wm.    J.    Pilson,    Jr.,    groceries. 
—Holder's   5   and    10-cent  store. 
— Misses   Hawkins,    millinery. 


302- 
304- 
306- 
308- 

SIO- 
312- 

314- 
316- 


318- 
324- 


— Busy  Bee  Cafe. 

— Central  Barber  Shop. 

—Exchange    National    Bank. 

Burney's    Department    Store. 
-230— 

234 — Fahy's   Store,  dry  goods. 
-238 — J.  Kuttner,  dry  goods. 
1/2 —Dr.   A.    A.    Orr,   dentist. 
— Cantrell   &   Owens,  shoes. 
:-244— Miller's      Cash      Store,      dry 

goods   and   clothing. 
— R.  L.  Williamson  Jewelry  Co. 
I — S.    P.    Coalson    Co.,   general   mer- 
chandise. 

{Medical    Building-Masonic     Tem- 
ple) Block. 
—Hale   Drug   Co. 

%— Drs.  Henry  H.  Battey  and 
Robt.  O.  Simmons,  physicians; 
Dr.  T.  L.  Morgan,  'dentist; 
Henry  Walker,   lawyer. 


5241/ 


326— 

328- 
330- 
332- 
334- 


334  i/j 


Wyatt    Jewelry    Co. 

A.   Pintchuck," tailor. 

City  Supply  &  Vulcanizing  Co. 

Brown    Transfer    Co. 
■Reagan's    Barber    Shop, 
Graves-Harper    Co.,    coal. 

E.   J.   Moultrie,   real  estate. 
•New  York   Hat   Shop. 
Rome  Pawn   Brokers. 
Sam  Williams'  lunch  room. 
Shoe    shine    parlor. 
Miller's    Electric    Shoe    Shop. 
Misses  Belle  &  Estelle  Cato,  mil- 
linery. 
—Claude    H.    Porter    and    W.    B. 
Mebane,  and  J  no.   W.    Bale   and 
Joe  Lesser,  lawyers;  Judge  Geo. 
S.   Reese,  justice  of  the   peace; 
Clarence  J.   Mull,  lawyer. 
E.    S.    and    Paul     Nixon,     music 

store. 
Singer    Sewing    Machine    Co. 
Reese's    Garage. 

E.   R.  Fishburnc,  watch  repairer. 
Orr  Art   Studio,   photograph   gal- 
lery. 

W.   A.   Mullinix   Shoe   Shop. 
— Jno.     P.     Davis,     real      estate; 
Jno.    Camp   Davis,    lawyer;    Jas. 


360 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


A  STUDY  IN  BETTER  CITIZENSHIP. 

"Human  products  of  the  soil"  at  the  Berry  Schools,  Mt.  Berry  (via  Rome),  in  Floyd 
a  De"e7'i„^Vhe  It'.  ^  VMf  '^'  ^°yf  ^^"^^.^^^'^^  -  -  "wind-jamminV  organization  without 
fl,*^       I      1,  fu      H-}^^   "^"^^X  '^   ^    ^'^^^    ^^y    eroup    receiving    medals    from    the    girls     and 

the  onlookers   are   the  children   of  Georgia   farmers.      In   the   oval   is   the   champion   baseball   team 


Encyclopedic  Section 


361 


P.  Jones,  lawyer;  C.  N.  Feath- 
erston  and  C.  Irving  Carey, 
lawyers;  Linton  A.  Dean  and 
Lamar   Camp,  lawyers. 

338-340 — Jervis-Davidson  Co.,  drugs 
and   tea    garden. 

334-340— (In  Masonic  Temple). 

400    (Liimpkin-Empire)    Block. 
400— Southern    Bell    Telephone    &    Tel- 
egraph   Co.    Exchange. 
408— McCartha   Bros.  Garage. 
410— Blue    Ribbon    Shoe    Shop. 

A.     Victor,     confectionery     and 
lunch   room. 
412 — Rome  Bakery. 
414— R.   A.   Jones"  Marble   Co. 
416-418— McBrayer      Bros.      Furniture 

Co. 
420-422— McDonald   Furniture   Co. 
424 — Franklin  Auto   Supply  Co. 
424% — Willingham,  Wright  &  Coving. 

ton,   lawyers. 
428 — Harvey-Given    Co.,   r-eal   estate. 
430— Hotel  Forrest  Building. 
The   Flower   Shop. 
Hotel  Forrest  Barber  Shop. 
Sam    J.    Davis,    real    estate    and 
insurance. 

Woodmen  of  the  World,  W.  A. 
Keown,  clerk. 

Hale-Brannon    Co.,   real   estate. 
Frank  Salmon  Piano  Co. 

500    (Bnena  Vista)   Block. 
500 — Parsons   &   Ward,   life  insurance. 

Updegrove  Marketing  Co. 
502-504— Howell-Cantrell         Furniture 

Co. 
506 — Misses    McGinnis,    millinery. 
508— Howell-Cantrell    Undertaking    Co. 
510 — Hape   Sing  Steam   Laundry. 
512— Franklin  Meat  Market. 
514- Rome    Cafe    (c). 
516 — Rome    Pressing    Club    (c). 
518— Smith-Malone    Barber    Shop     (c). 
520 — Auto    Repair    Co. 
522-524— E.    E.    Lindsey,   automobiles. 
526—0.  W.   Curtis,  undertaker,    (c). 

Drs.  Eugene  W.  Weaver  and  J. 
W.   Sams,  physicians,    (c). 
528.530— Curtis    Cafe    (c). 
532-534— Daniell's  Garage. 

E.    L.    Adams    Motor    Car   Co. 

J.   H.   Carroll   Auto  Repair   Co. 
536— Keith-Gray  Grocery  Co. 

600  Block. 
600 — Texas   Co.,  gasoline  and  oils. 

800  Block. 
800— Rome  Railway  &  Light  Co. 

1000  Block. 
1010— W.  G.   Duke,  grocery,    (c). 

1100  Block. 
1100 — Florence   Restaurant    (c). 

Dozier   Undertaking  Co.    (c). 


P.  D.  Q.  Dyeing  &  Cleaning  Co. 
(c). 

1300  Block. 
1310— Howell    Grocery    Co.    No.    2. 

1500  Block. 
1502— Harvey   Chair   Co. 

Standard    Marble   Co. 
1506— F.   M.    Scott   Coal   Yard. 
Byrd's   Engine   Mills. 
J.   W.    Mullinix,   shoe  shop. 
1800  Block. 
1806— Harper  Mfg.  Co. 

1900  Block. 
1904 — Harry  Brooks,  grocery. 


On  South  Broad  Street,  South  Rome, 
may  be  mentioned  the  following  estab- 
lishments, nestling  close  to  Myrtle 
Hill    cemetery: 

East  Side. 

1 03 — Colegate-Calloway     Confectionery 
and  Ice  Cream  Parlor. 

113— Beard   &   Helton    Garage. 

123 — Thos.  Warters  Cigar  Factory, 

133— C.  O.  Walden,  grocery. 

102— Dry   Cleaners    (c). 

Ever-Ready  Garage. 

104 — Sims'   Barber   Shop    (c). 

206— H.   J.    Klasing   Carriage   Works. 

310 — Frances   Berrien    Hospital. 

420 — August  Vincenzi,  fruits  and  gro- 
ceries. 

601— Howell   Grocery   Co.,   No.    1. 

BURIED  TREASURE.— There  are 
various  tales  of  buried  treasure  and 
frenzied  hunts  around  Rome.  North- 
ern soldiers  dug  into  an  old  cemetery 
in  North  Rome,  later  abandoned.  Now 
and  then  somebody  gets  an  idea  old 
Dr.  Berckmans  was  rich,  and  disturbs 
the  ruins  of  his  retreat  on  Mt.  Alto,  as 
they  do  the  sacred  precincts  of  Gen. 
Burwell's  deserted  home  near  Hell's 
Hollow.  Virgil  A.  Stewart  tells  how 
his  father,  Samuel  Stewart,  used  to 
receive  from  the  Indians  gifts  of  pieces 
of  gold,  lead  and  tin  which  they  could 
produce  at  any  time  by  going  out  on 
the  trail  for  four  hours.  White  men 
often  tried  to  follow  the  Indians  to 
these  treasure  beds,  but  the  redskins 
were  too  nimble  for  them,  and  the 
secret  is  supposed  never  to  have  been 
discovered. 

James  Foreman,  an  Indian,  was 
brought  back  from  the  west  after  the 
war  by  the  Nobles  to  locate  precious 
metals  and  ores.  He  searched  some 
time,  but  claimed  the  face  of  the  coun- 
try and  the  forests  had  changed,  and 
he  could  not  find  anything.  The  forks 
of    the    rivers    wei-e    thought    to    be    a 


362 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


jcood   direction   point,  but  this   did   not 
help  him. 

James  went  to  gardening:  for  Mrs. 
P.obt.  Battey.  She  showed  him  one 
day  how  to  set  out  okra  seed.  When 
the  plants  came  up  they  were  too  close 
together,  for  which  Mrs.  Battey  re- 
buked him.  James  was  half  full  of 
"fire-water,"  and  he  replied  with  a 
fiendish  grin,  "Do  you  know  I'm  an 
Indian?"  She  replied,  "Do  you  re- 
member my  father,  William  Smith?  He 
often  whipped  Indians  bigger  than 
you!" 

James  soon  went  back  to  his  tribes- 
men. He  told  Horry  H.  Winipee  while 
he  was  here  that  Coosa  meant  "rip- 
pling water"  or  "where  two  waters 
meet,"  Oostanaula  meant  "mother  of 
waters"  or  "clear  water,"  and  Etowah 
meant  "muddy  bottom."  These  mean- 
ings are  doubtful.  "Etowah"  is  said  to 
mean  "high  banks." 

Will  Mitchell  tells  of  a  spooky  hunt 
for  buried  treasure.  Looking  wistfully 
from  a  window  of  the  North  Rome 
Public  Schools  one  day  when  he  was 
a  boy,  wishing  he  could  be  out  where 
the  birds  were  singing  so  sweetly,  he 
saw  two  men  drive  up  to  the  front  of 
the  school  lot  and  measure  off  a  cer- 
tain distance  from  a  tree,  and  then 
measure  from  another  tree.  Inquiry 
next  morning  of  a  negi-o  family  living 
near  the  school  disclosed  that  at  mid- 
night two  men  had  driven  up  in  a 
buggy  and  gone  to  digging  by  the  light 
of  a  lantern,  and  sure  enough — by 
looking  down  the  hole  Will  could  dis- 
cern plainly  the  print  of  a  tin  or  steel 
box  which   had  been   removed. 

A  Cherokee  Indian,  Holland,  came 
to  Rome  between  1874  and  1880,  prob- 
ably from  Indian  Territory,  looking  for 
minerals.  He  may  have  been  the  In- 
dian who  went  to  the  Sproull  place 
on  the  Kingston  road  and  told  Capt. 
C.  Wm.  Sproull  that  he  had  a  chart 
which  showed  where  buried  treasure 
was  located  and  would  give  him  half 
if  they  found  anything.  The  Indian 
stepped  off  distances  from  certain 
large  trees,  made  cross  marks  on  the 
ground  and  finally  came  to  the  black- 
smith shop.  His  chart  showed  that  the 
treasure  was  supposed  to  have  been 
hidden  under  the  anvil.  The  anvil  was 
moved  and  the  Indian  and  a  negro  dug 
a   deep  hole,  but   without   success. 

*  :!=  * 

^  CARLIER  SPRINGS.— On  the  Chu- 
110  road,  three  miles  east  of  Rome 
Here  in  1848  Gen.  L.  J.  B.  LeHardy. 
Camille  LeHardy,  Louis  Henry  Carlier 
and    others    started    a    Belgian    colony. 


with  the  idea  of  housing  other  colon- 
ists from  Belgium  if  the  venture 
proved  a  success.  The  Belgians  built 
a  two-room  log  house  and  several  out- 
buildings, and  lived  there  perhaps 
seven  years.  Around  the  springs  was 
a  tract  of  100  acres  which  extended  to 
the  Etowah  River.  J.  J.  Cohen  ac- 
quired it  later,  and  sold  to  Geo.  M. 
Battey,  who  about  1890  sold  to  his 
father.  Dr.  Robert  Battey,  who  died 
there  in  1895.  S.  R.  Cockrill,  a  grad- 
uate of  Cornell  University,  now  con- 
ducting a  truck  farm  on  the  Alabama 
road  near  the  North  Georgia  Fair 
Grounds,  bought  the  place  from  Mrs. 
Martha  Battey,  having  lived  in  a  cabin 
on  a  part  of  it  for  some  years  pre- 
viously. The  present  owner  is  Mrs. 
Ella   tarvin. 

In  a  two-story  frame  house  on  this 
place  Mrs.  Battey  established  about 
1894  a  small  school  for  the  neighbor- 
hood children,  and  maintained  it  at  her 
own  expense.  Sunday  School  under 
Methodist  auspices  was  held  on  Sun- 
days. The  day  school  later  was  taken 
over  by  Floyd  County  and  called  the 
Battey  Heights  School,  and  in  time 
was  removed  to  another  building  in 
the  neighborhood. 

There  is  a  suggestion  of  the  old 
world  on  this  place  for  which  the  Bel- 
gians were  not  i-esponsible.  Many 
years  ago  Godfrey  Barnsley,  the  Eng- 
lishman who  developed  Barnsley  Gar- 
dens near  Adairsville,  brought  from 
the  grave  of  Napoleon  on  the  Island 
of  St.  Helena  a  willow  switch  which 
he  transplanted  on  his  Bartow  Coun- 
ty estate.  Some  years  later  he  pre- 
sented an  off-shoot  of  this  willow  to 
Mrs.  Battey  and  she  planted  it  on  or 
near  a  pond  at  Carlier  Springs,  and 
there  it  is  today  in  the  form  of  quite 

a  willow  tree. 

*     *     * 

CARNEGIE       LIBRARY.— Erected 

in  1911  with  funds  donated  by  Andrew 
Carnegie,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.;  7,000  vol- 
umes; nearly  5,000  members;  main 
story  and  basement  devoted  to  meet- 
ings of  the  U.  D.  C,  Floyd  County 
Camp  368  of  Confederate  Veterans,  the 
Junior  Music  Lovers'  Club,  Woman's 
Club,  Girl  Scouts  and  other  organiza- 
tions and  conventions.  Librarian  since 
establishment,  Miss  Helen  Underwood 
Eastman;  board  of  trustees.  Judge 
Max  Meyerhardt,  president;  Mrs.  J. 
Lindsay  Johnson,  vice  president;  W. 
Sinclair  Rowell,  secretary;  Mrs.  Jno. 
C.  Printup,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Rounsaville, 
Mrs.  Perrin  Bestor  Brown  and  Prof. 
Byard  F.  Quigg.  Located  on  city  prop- 
erty on  west  side  of  Broad   Street  be- 


Encyclopedic  Section 


363 


SCENES    ON    THE   BERRY    SCHOOL    CAMPUS. 

At  top,  a  dormitory  built  by  the  boys;  in  oval,  the  log  cabin  on  the  Thos  Berry  place, 
where  the  idea  of  the  institutioi^  originated  in  small  classes  taught  by  Miss  Martha  Berry , 
the  handsome  chapel,  inside  which  is  a  blank  tablet  to  be  engraved  at  the  anonymous  donor  s 
death;  at  bottom,  the  "shack"  where  Col.  Roosevelt,  Wm.  G.  McAdoo,  Dr.  Albert  Shaw  and 
a    host    of    noted    men    and    women    have    been    entertained. 


tween  Sixth  and  Seventh  Avenues, 
next  to  and  north  of  the  City  Audi- 
torium. 

CAVES      AROUND      ROME.— The 

best  known  cave  in  Floyd  County  i.s 
at  Cave  Spring:,  sixteen  miles  south- 
west of  Rome.  From  this  flows  a 
spring  that  is  an  important  part  of 
Little    Cedar    Creek,    and    from   which 


the  town  is  supplied  with  pure,  spark- 
ling water  through  a  ram,  at  practi- 
cally no  cost.  Entrance  is  effected  in 
a  steep,  rocky  bluff  innnodiately  above 
the  point  whence  the  water  issues,  and 
still  higher  is  a  second  opening,  lined 
with  rusty  brown  boulders.  It  is  pos- 
siblo  to  go  quite  a  distance  down  on  a 
bidder.  Water  and  beautiful  stalac- 
tites and   stalagmites  are  found;   it  is 


364 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


said  there  are  small  blind  fish  in  the 
niiniature  lake  of  the  interior.  Thou- 
sands of  people  visit  the  cave  yearly 
from    all    directions. 

On  a  ridpce  equidistant  between  the 
old  Lytle  Park  in  South  Rome  and  De- 
Soto  Park,  back  of  the  home  of  J. 
Nephew  Kinp:  and  on  his  land,  is  what 
used  to  be  known  as  Jonas  King's  cave. 
This  is  easily  entered  and  candles  or 
lamps  reveal  a  large,  irregularly 
shaped  compartment,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  flows  a  small  stream.  There 
are  several  smaller  compartments  con- 
nected by  tunnels  which  must  be  crawl- 
ed through  on  the  stomach.  At  cer- 
tain intervals  during  the  Civil  War 
this  cave  was  used  as  a  "magazine" 
for  the  storage  of  gun  powder  made 
from  the  salt  peter  in  Bartow  Coun- 
ty, and  for  other  war  materials. 
At  one  time  also  the  magazine  had 
been  located  on  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery 
near  the  section  which  now  contains 
the  mortal  remains  of  277  Confeder- 
ate soldiers.  The  entrance  of  this  cave 
is  in  a  small  oak  grove  and  is  free 
from  obstructions. 

Rome's  so-called  "salt  peter  cave"  is 
about  half  a  mile  north  of  Reece's 
spring,  in  North  Rome.  This  is  ob- 
scured by  a  heavy  growth  of  under- 
brush in  the  center  of  a  cultivated 
field.  Small  boys  say  the  Oostanaula 
River,  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half  away, 
can  be  reached  through  the  cave,  but 
nobody  has  ever  ventured  to  explore  it 
to  that  extent.  In  1854  it  was  called 
Nix's  Cave  by  White's  Historical  Col- 
lections  of  Georgia. 

Mitchell's  cave,  named  after  Daniel 
R.  Mitchell,  is  located  in  the  face  of 
Whitmore's  Bluff,  nine  miles  up  the 
Oostanaula  River.  A  cool  stream  of 
water  flows  out  of  it  and  treakles 
laughingly  down  the  mountainside  to 
the  silvery  Oostanaula.  White's  Col- 
lections called  it  Woodward  Cave  and 
stated  it  was  once  a  noted  cache  for 
stolen  goods. 

Another  cave  of  some  interest  can 
be  found  on  Black's  Bluff,  three  miles 
down  the  Coosa  River.  It  was  ex- 
plored more  than  a  year  ago  by  a 
group   of   Boy    Scouts. 

A  large  cave  is  located  in  Turkey 
Mountain,  northeastern  end  of  Texas 
Valley,  and  another  of  some  size  in 
Texas  Valley  is  on  the  farm  of  the  late 
J.  J.  Fisher. 

William  Salmon's  place,  quarter  of 
a  mile  south  of  Armuchee  Creek,  on 
the  Summerville  I'oad,  contains  a  cave. 

When  Rome  was  first  settled  a  cave 
was  found  in  the  northern  part  of  Myr- 


tle   Hill    cemetery,    and    Indian    relics 
and  skeletons  were  discovered. 

On  May  23,  1922,  a  cave  was  found 
on  the  Peek  place  1,000  feet  south  of 
Bird  Station,  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  Polk  County  line.  It  was  explored 
by  County  Engineer  Kieffer  Lindsey 
and  County  Commissioner  J.  E.  Campj 
who  found  it  to  be  30  feet  deep  and 
20  feet  wide  at  the  bottom.  The  walls 
were  smooth  and  composed  of  hard 
shale  rock,  and  they  tapered  into  a 
cone. shape  toward  the  top.  Mr.  Lind- 
sey was  the  first  man  who  had  ever 
entered  it,  for  the  earth  at  the  open- 
ing had  just  given  away  when  he  was 
called.  He  threw  a  lighted  newspaper 
to  the  bottom.  The  paper  exhausted  the 
oxygen,  so  when  he  went  down  by  rope 
his  lantern  was  extinguished.  His 
opinion  was  that  the  place  had  been 
a  lime-sink  and  the  lime  had  worn 
away  through  erosion,  leaving  an  un- 
derground chamber  as  perfectly  form- 
ed as  the  cupola  of  a  knight's  castle. 
*     *     * 

CAVE  SPRING,  MONTGOMERY 
M.  FOLSOM  ON.— "At  last  we  as- 
cended a  rising  ground,  from  which  we 
could  see  the  tapering  spires  and  arch- 
ing roofs  of  the  most  beautiful  town 
in  Georgia.  There  sat  Cave  Spring 
like  a  happy  school  girl,  framed  in  a 
setting  of  green  and  gold,  with  the 
deep  blue  sky  and  the  purple  hills  of 
the  Coosa  in  the  background;  Little 
Cedar  Creek  bubbling  melodiously  at 
her  feet;  the  vine-clad  summits  of  the 
hills  rising  ovei-head;  the  streets  wind- 
ing leisurely  along  through  verdant 
bowers,  under  spreading  branches  and 
over  grassy  levels;  each  happy  home 
nestled  cozily  among  the  yards  and 
gardens,  orchards  and  vineyards.  It 
was  a  scene  once  beheld  never  to  be 
forgotten." 

CAVE  SPRING,  HENRY  W.  GRA- 
DY ON. — Henry  W.  Grady,  traveling 
with  the  Georgia  Press  Excursion  be- 
tween Rome  and  Selma,  Ala.,  wrote 
as  follows  for  the  Sept.  10,  1869,  is- 
sue of  the  Rome  Weekly  Courier:  "Our 
first  stop  was  made  at  Cave  Spring, 
and  all  hands  made  a  flying  visit  to 
the  cave,  and  to  niany  of  the  party 
it  was  quite  a  show.  From  the  cave, 
many  visited  the  Asylum  for  the  Deaf 
and  Dumb,  and  all  united  in  pronounc- 
ing Cave  Spring  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful spots  in  all  the  land,  but  were  at 
a  loss  to  understand  why  the  railroad 
did  not  pass  through  the  town.  I  will 
not  repeat  the  sad  story  of  old  fogy- 
ism  that  was   related  to   us   as   a   rea- 


Encyclopedic  Section 


365 


son.  Suffice  to  say,  property  sudden- 
ly became  valuable,  right-of-way  a  ter- 
rible obstacle,  and  the  boss  of  the  road 
simply  made  a  little  curve,  and  went 
around    our    forest   village." 

CAVE  SPRING,  COL.  JNO.  L. 
MARTIN  ON.— Col.  Jno.  L.  Martin 
wrote  as  follows  of  Cave  Spring  in 
the  Anniston  (Ala.)  Hot  Blast  in 
1888: 

"There  is  no  more  beautiful  inter- 
vallation  in  all  the  Blue  Ridge  chain 
of  mountains  than  Vann's  Valley,  and 
its  most  charming  scenery  is  in  and 
about  Cave  Spring.  No  one,  unless 
he  be  a  dullard,  can  look  upon  the  out- 
stretching panorama  of  Vann's  Valley 
without  being  lastingly  impressed  with 
its  marvelous  picture,  in  which  there 
stand  forth  most  striking  beauties  of 
wooded  mountainside,  groves  of  majes- 
tic trees,  greensward  on  whose  bosom 
rest  in  gentlest  touch  most  inviting 
shades,  and  through  which,  like  loved 
bands  of  silver,  there  merrily  run  bab- 
bling streams  of  pure  water,  fresh 
from  the  dark  depths  of  the  sternal 
hills. 

"Cave  Spring  and  its  surroundings 
is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  and 
pleasant  spots  in  the  world.  It  is  a 
spot  where  nature  has  lavished  her 
deftest  charms  with  captivating  wealth, 
and  is,  like  Auburn  of  old,  the  fair- 
est village  of  all  the  plain.  Its  nat- 
ural attractiveness  is  almost  peerless. 
Some  day  when  the  younger  genera- 
tion takes  charge,  grand  hotels,  bath- 
ing houses,  fountains  and  parks  will 
draw  to  this  spot  each  succeeding  sum- 
mer thousands  of  guests,  every  one  of 
whom  will  become  a  lover."  (The  col- 
onel evidently  meant  "nature  lover." — 
Author.) 

*     *     * 

CHEROKEE  ARTILLERY  (LA- 
TER CORPUT'S  BATTERY).— The 
following  were  the  original  officers  of 
this  concern,  organized  early  in   1861 : 

Captain— M.   A.    Stovall. 

First  Lieut. — J.  G.  Yeiser. 

Second    Lieut. — J.    H.    Lawrence. 

Third  Lieut.— Max  V.  D.  Corput. 

Fourth    Lieut.— C.    O.    Stillwell. 

First   Sergt.— T.   D.   Attaway. 

Second    Sergt.— J.    M.    Bowen. 

Third    Sergt.— G.    N.    Sandifer. 

Fourth  Sergt. — A.  S.  Hamilton. 

Fifth    Sergt.— Wm.    Noble. 

Sixth   Sergt.— J.    B.   Clark. 

First   Corporal— T.   F.   Hooper. 

Second   Corporal — D.  G.   Love. 

Third  Corporal— Jno.  S.  Holland. 

Fourth    Corporal— R.   M.   Farrar. 


Fifth  Corporal — S.  Magnus. 
Sixth    Corporal— G.    B.    Butler. 
Surgeon — Dr.   Robt.  Battey. 

CENTRAL     GROVE     DISTRICT.— 

This  part  of  Floyd  County  was  settled 
in  1854,  Jimmie  Duke  and  his  family 
being  the  first  settlers.  Mr.  Duke 
bought  160  acres  of  land  at  the  inter- 
fection  of  the  O'Brien  and  Central 
Grove  roads  for  a  gun  valued  at  $25. 
His  son,  Lumpkin  Duke,  was  a  prom- 
inent man  in  the  neighborhood  and 
raised  a  large  family,  the  boys  of 
which  engaged  in  the  saw  mill  busi- 
ness. Two  of  his  sons,  Lumpkin  and 
Tom  Duke,  are  now  living  in  Rome 
and  are  still  engaged  in  the  same  kind 
of  work. 

Jim  Duke's  brother,  Green  R.  Duke, 
settled  on  what  is  known  as  the  Green 
Duke  place  in  1860.  His  son,  Martin 
M.  Duke,  who  is  now  living  in  this 
neighborhood,  is  the  oldest  living  de- 
scendant of  the  original  settlers.  Mar- 
tin M.  Duke  gave  the  land  on  which 
the  Central  Grove  School  was  built  in 
1900.  The  institution  was  known  as 
the  Duke  School  House  for  many  years. 
Mrs.  Henry  O.  Littlejohn,  one  of  his 
daughters,  lives  near  the  school.  An. 
other  early  settler  was  Joel  Stowe,  who 
was  a  noted  barbecuer.  Assisted  by 
William  A.  Littlejohn,  he  barbecued 
the  meat  for  the  joint  encampment  of 
the  Confederate  and  Union  veterans  at 
Chickamauga  35  years  ago.  W.  A. 
Littlejohn,  his  stepson,  lives  near  Cen- 
tral Grove  School.  Jesse  P.  Ayers, 
who  settled  on  what  is  known  as  the 
Math  Beard  place,  was  another  one 
of  the  pioneers.  He  was  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Georgia  Allen,  Frank  and  Ab. 
Ayers,  all  still  living  in  this  conimu- 
nity.  Some  of  the  present  residents 
who  are  doing  work  of  interest  to  the 
public  are  R.  L.  Brown,  who  taught 
when  the  school  was  located  where 
Mountain  Springs  church  now  stands 
and  is  now  county  surveyor;  W.  Ed. 
Beard,  who  has  been  bailiff  for  a  num- 
ber of  years;  W.  P.  Bradfield,  who  is 
one  of  the  county  commissioners  and 
has  been  instrumental  in  giving  this 
part  of  the  county  its  share  of  good 
roads;  Willis  Griffin,  a  strong  advo- 
cate of  Tom  Watson,  who  was  reared 
in  this  settlement;  Henry  O.  Littlejohn, 
who  served  the  Berry  School  for  the 
longest  continuous  period  of  any  of  its 
employees,  in  charge  of  much  of  the 
carpentry  work  and  the  superintend- 
ent who  built  all  of  the  log  houses; 
C.  Ira  But  lei-,  wlio  is  prominent  in 
church  and  Sunday  School  work,  and 
a  song  leader;  and  M.  A.  Hughes,  who 


366 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


found  on  his  farm  the  Indian  relics 
displayed  at  the  North  Georgia  Fair 
in  October,  1921;  O.  L.  Titrud,  who 
came  from  Minnesota  in  the  fall  of 
1907  to  teach  aprriculture  at  the  Berry 
Schools  and  held  that  ])osition  for  eig:ht 
years,  helping:  to  lay  the  foundation  for 
the  ag-ricultural  work  of  the  school.  He 
was  the  first  president  of  the  Floyd 
County  Farm  Bureau  and  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Advisory  Board  for 
Glen  wood  District.  He  has  developed 
a  laying?  strain  of  Barred  Rock  chick- 
ens; is  a  breeder  of  Holstein  cattle, 
and  has  developed  a  variety  of  white 
cob  yellow  dent  corn.  Mr.  Titrud  was 
one  of  the  division  presidents  of  the 
Georg-ia  Sunday  School  Association  for 
a  number  of  years  and  was  succeeded 
by  Fair  C.  Moon.  He  is  now  secre- 
tary of  the  County  Sunday  School  As. 
sociation,  and  has  been  superintendent 
of  the  Central  Grove  Sunday  School 
ever  since  the  church  was  org:anized. 
He  is  also  lay  leader  of  the  Rome  cir- 
cuit of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Central  Grove  School  District  has  been 
prominent  in  the  work  fostered  by  the 
county  agricultural  and  home  demon- 
stration agents.  The  following  people 
have  been  especially  interested  and 
helpful  in  the  home  demonstration 
work:  Mrs.  W.  A.  Littlejohn,  Mrs. 
C.  I.  Butler.  Mrs.  H.  O.  Littlejohn  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  L.  Titrud.  Lillie  Bell 
Butler  received  the  first  scholarship 
here  to  the  Athens  short  course  in  can- 
ning work.  Bculah  Buchanan  Titrud 
won  a  scholarship  for  poultry  work. 
Lois  Littlejohn  won  two  scholarships 
for  home  demonstration  work.  Among 
the  boys  who  received  prizes  were  Al- 
bert Littlejohn,  for  Pig  Club  work; 
Jack  Beard  and  Benson  Butler,  for 
Corn  Club  work,  and  Clyde  Titrud  for 
Calf  Club  work.  Central  Grove  won 
second  prize  for  community  exhibits  at 
the  North  Georgia  Fair  of  1921.  There 
are  two  Methodist  churches  in  this  lo- 
cality, Mountain  Springs  church,  which 
was  moved  from  the  Summerville  road 
about  1900,  and  Central  Grove,  organ- 
ized   June   28,    1914. 

*     *     * 

CHILDREN'S  FREE  CLINIC— 
Since  Floyd  County  was  the  leader 
among  Georgia  provinces  to  adopt  the 
Ellis  Public  Health  law,  unusual  in- 
terest attaches  to  the  early  results. 
The  law  was  adopted  in  1915  on  the 
approval  of  two  successive  grand 
juries,  and  the  County  Board  of  Health 
was  then  organized  and  Dr.  M.  M. 
McCord  chosen  county  commissioner 
of  health  from  a  field  of  twelve  appli. 
cants  from  over  the  state.     The  board 


was  composed  of  Jno.  C.  King,  chair- 
man, as  county  superintendent  of 
schools;  J.  G.  Pollock,  by  virtue  of  his 
office  as  chairman  of  the  County 
Board  of  Roads  and  Revenues ;  and 
Dr.  Wm.  P.  Harbin,  elected  by  the 
grand  jury.  Active  work  of  the  health 
office  began  Jan.  1,  1916.  Appreciat- 
ing the  need  of  a  thorough  canvass  of 
the  county.  Dr.  McCord  applied  to  the 
Treasury  Department  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  for  a  corps  of  public  health  med- 
ical experts  to  prepare  a  survey.  Op. 
position  was  met  at  first,  but  it  was 
overcome,  and  from  March  to  Novem- 
ber a  staff  working  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Maj.  L.  L.  Lumsden,  U.  S.  A., 
gathered  data  for  a  survey. 

Every  home,  school,  church,  factory, 
dairy,  cafe,  drug  store,  hotel,  grocery 
store,  meat  market  and  slaughter  pen 
was  visited  and  an  examination  made 
looking  to  the  prevention  of  commu- 
nicable   disease. 

Dr.  McCord  was  ex-officio  medical 
inspector  of  the  public  schools,  and  he 
made  frequent  visits  and  delivered  a 
series  of  lectures  on  sanitation  and 
personal  hygiene.  Of  6,000  children 
examined,  it  was  found  that  40  per 
cent  of  them  had  serious  physical  de- 
fects, either  curable  or  correctible 
through  medical  or  surgical  skill  or 
dental  attention.  Card  index  records 
were  kept  and  reports  made  to  parents. 
Every  effort  was  made  to  the  end  that 
each  defective  child  should  report  to 
dentist  or  physician.  On  checking  the 
cards  the  second  year.  Dr.  McCord 
found  that  while  several  hundred  chil- 
dren had  received  attention,  one-third 
of  the  defectives  were  unable  to  pay 
for  professional  services  and  had  had 
nothing  done.  He  therefore  associat- 
ed with  him  one  of  the  teachers  in  the 
public  schools  in  a  plan  for  a  free 
clinic.  Civic  organizations  and  citi- 
zens contributed  the  necessary  money 
and  a  competent  nurse  was  put  in 
charge  of  the  Children's  Free  Clinic  in 
Municipal  Building  quarters.  The  ex. 
periment  in  Floyd  County  proved  a 
fine  investment  and  received  warm  ap- 
proval all  over  the  state.  Dr.  Mc- 
Cord resigned  in  1919  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  Eugene  0.  Chimene,  who 
resigned  in  1921  to  go  to  Greenville, 
S.  C.  Dr.  B.  V.  Elmore,  an  experienced 
health  offidal  of  Blountstown,  Fla., 
was  elected  to  the  vacancy,  and  still 
fills  it.  Dr.  Elmore  has  been  relent- 
less in  his  war  on  germs,  mosquitoes, 
flies  and  their  ilk,  and  is  doing  his 
part  to  maintain  the  reputation  of 
Ronie  and  Floyd  as  the  healthiest  parts 
of  an  unusually  healthy  section. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


367 


WHERE  EVERY  BOY  LEARNS   A  TRADE. 

At  top,  the  blacksmith  shop  of  the  Berry  Schools,  and  a  group  of  earnest  workers. 
All  metal  part  repairs  for  the  farm  are  made  here.  At  the  bottom  is  the  wood  shop,  over 
the  other.  This  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Nesbit,  an  experienced  carpenter  and  wood  worker,  who 
teaches  his  boys  to  make  hall  trees,  lamp  stands,  book  cases,  cabinets,  and  furniture  of  alb 
kinds.      This    place    is    a    stranger    to    loafers    and    shams. 


CITY  CLERKS.— The  first  mention 
of  City  Clerks  comes  in  a  Rome  Week- 
ly Courier  of  1852.  As  deputy  clerk 
Chas.  H.  Smith  issued  an  official  notice 
under  date  of  July  15.  It  is  safe  to 
assume  that  Mr.  Smith  soon  thereafter 
wrote  and  talked  himself  into  a  clerk- 
ship. D.  Clinton  Harg:rove  was  clerk 
in  1860,  Reuben  S.  Norton  in  1865,  and 
Henry  A.  Smith  (mayor  in  1870-1) 
just  after  him.      The  others,  according: 


to  the  best  recollections  and  records 
available,  were  Ed.  F.  Shropshire, 
1870-1;  Henry  C.  Norton,  1873-83; 
W^m.  Seay,  1883-7;  Mitchell  A.  Nevin, 
1887.April,  1894;  Halstead  Smith. 
April,  1894-1906;  J.  R.  Cantrell,  1906. 
12;  Hu{?h  McCrary,  1912-17;  J.  M. 
Cooley,  April  1  to  Nov.  1;  Sim  F.  Ma- 
gruder,   Nov.    1,   1919    (incumbent). 

J.    H.    McClung  was   City   Treasurer 
in   1860  and  his  annual  salary  was  $25. 


368 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


The  City  Clerk    (Mr.  Hargrove),  drew 
$100,   and   the  marshal,    Samuel    Stew- 
art, $650  for  all  his  time. 
*     *     * 

COOSA.  —  A  village  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Coosa  River,  eleven  mile.s 
west  of  Rome,  at  the  southern  foot  of 
Turnip  Mountain  and  one  niile  south- 
west of  Judy  Mountain;  center  of  the 
North  Carolina  District,  which,  with 
the  exception  of  Rome  and  Cave 
Spring,  pays  more  tax  than  any  other 
district  in  the  county.  Nearby  are  the 
farms  once  or  now  owned  by  the 
Camps,  Montgomerys,  Quins,  Turners, 
Deans,  Sheltons,  Catheys  and  McAr- 
vers,  on  which  is  raised  some  of  the 
finest  cotton  in  the  South,  and  where 
great  quantities  of  wheat  were  pro- 
duced in  the  old  steamboat  days.  Some? 
people  erroneously  call  the  place  Coo- 
saville. 

It  was  via  Veal's  Ferry  at  Coosa 
that  the  Confederate  Army  of  Gen. 
Jno.  B.  Hood  crossed  the  Coosa  River 
after  the  fall  of  Atlanta  in  1864,  lead- 
ing Sherman's  Army  in  a  hot  pursuit 
through  Texas  Valley  and  in  the  di- 
rection  of   Resaca   and   Dalton. 

Coosa  was  first  known  as  Missionary 
Station.  In  January,  1821,  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  Elijah  Butler  were  sent  to  this 
spot  by  the  American  Baptist  For- 
eign Mission  Society  of  South  Canaan, 
Conn.,  and  they  set  up  a  mission  house 
for  the  religious  and  educational  in- 
struction of  the  Indians.  After  eight 
years  of  arduous  toil  Mrs.  Butler  died 
there  at  31  years  of  age,  and  was 
buried  in  front  of  the  present  home  of 
Cicero  Evans.  A  large  wild  cherry 
tree  has  grown  up  directly  over  her 
gi-ave.  Dr.  Butler's  activities  among 
the  Indians  led  to  a  charge  by  the 
Georgia  authorities  that  he  was  in- 
citing them  to  revolt,  and  he  and  Rev. 
Samuel  A.  Worcester,  of  Vermont, 
who  was  stationed  at  the  mission  at 
New  Echota,  Gordon  County,  were 
sentenced  to  serve  four  years  in  the 
Georgia  penitentiary,  and  served  a 
year  and  four  months.  The  United 
States  Supreme  Court  had  reversed 
the  lower  court,  but  Georgia  disregard, 
ed  the  decision.  The  missionaries  wei-e 
released  on  their  promise  to  leave  the 
state. 

An  old  description  of  Coosa  by  an 
appreciative  visitor  of  1888  reads: 
"Coosa  does  not  boast  any  brownstone 
fronts  towering  spires,  "but  when  it 
ccmes  to  rolling  up  a  tremendous  Dem- 
ocratic majority,  good  living,  .solid 
comfort,  or  getting  up  a  free  show,  or 
anything  from  a  North  Georgia  fair 
to   an   old-time  barbecue,   you   can   set 


her  down  as  a  file  leader  at  the  head 
of  the   column." 

COURTS— The  Inferior  courts  of 
before  the  Civil  War  gave  way  to  the 
Superior  and  County  (now  City) 
courts.  The  first  County  Court  of 
Ployd  was  organized  in  conformity 
with  a  general  law  passed  Mar.  17, 
1866,  by  the  Georgia  Legislature.* 
Rome  was  in  the  Tallapoosa  Circuit 
of  the  Superior  Court  from  1864  until 
1869,  when  the  Rome  Circuit,  still  ex- 
istent now,  came  into  being.**  Dennis 
Hills  was  the  first  clerk. 

From  Judge  Joel  Branham's  book- 
let, "The  Old  Court  House  in  Rome," 
(ps.  6  and  7)  the  following  material 
is  taken: 

The  Superior  Court  judges  for  the 
Tallapoosa  Circuit  were  L.  H.  Feath- 
erston,  1864-7;  Jno.  W.  H.  Under- 
wood, 1867-9;  Jno.   S.   Bigby,   1869. 

The  judges  /of  the  Rome  Circuit 
were  Francis  A.  Kirbv,  1869-70;  Robt. 
D.  Harvey,  1870-73;  Jno.  W.  H.  Un- 
derwood, 1873-82;  Joel  Branham, 
1882-8;  Jno.  W.  Maddox,  1886-92; 
Wm.  M.  Henry,  1892-94;  Waller  T. 
Turnbull,   1894-96.*** 

The  County  Court  judges  were  D. 
M^ck  Hood,'  1866.70;  Wm.  Barclay 
Terhune,  Mar.  24,  1873-1874;  Richard 
R.  Harris,  July,  1874,-1879;  Junius 
F.  Hillyer,  May  30,  1883-Sept.  27,  1883. 

In  1883  the  County  Court  became 
the  City  Court  by  an  act  passed  Sept. 
25  and  27,****  and  the  judges  who 
served  were  Richard  R.  Harris,  1894- 
98;  Jno.  H.  Reece,  1898-1903;  Harper 
Hamilton,  1903-10;  W.  J.  Nunnally, 
May  to  October,  1910;  Jno.  H.  Reece, 
1910-15.***** 

Jesse  Lamberth  served  as  Ordinary 
of  Floyd  County  from  1861  to  1868, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  Henry  J. 
Johnson,  who  served  25  years,  until 
1893.****** 

The  Solicitor  General  of  the  Supe- 
rior Court  from  1882-6  was  J.  I. 
Wright,  and  of  the  County  Court  from 
1866-70  Jas.  P.  Perkins';  from  1873 
until  Octber,  1874,  Dunlap  Scott,  and 
from  December,  1874,  until  1879,  Col. 
Hamilton    Yancey. 

*Acts,    1865-6,  p.   64. 

**Acts,    1869,   p.   20. 

***Since  1896  and  to  the  present  time  the 
judges  have  been  Moses  R.  Wright  (incum- 
bent)    and    Jno.    W.    Maddox. 

****Acts,    1882-3,    ps.    .534-5. 

*****W.  J.  Nunnally  again  became  judge  in 
1915  and  held  the  office  until  Sept.  13,  1922, 
when    he    was    succeeded    by    Jno.    W.    Bale. 

******Henry  J.  Johnson  was  the  father  of 
the  present  ordinary,  Harry  Johnson,  who  suc- 
ceeded Jno.  P.  Davis,  Judge  Davis  having  suc- 
ceeded   the    elder   Johnson. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


369 


The  clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  from 
1867-70  was  Adolphus  E.  Ross.* 

Nathan  Yarbrough  was  SheriflF  in 
1866-7,  and  he  was  followed  by  Col. 
Jno.  R.  Towers.  The  justices  of  the 
peace  in  1867  were  Thos.  J.  Perry  and 
Samuel  Johnson. 

A  list  of  the  lawyers  of  the  period 
covered  by  Judge  Branham's  account 
will  be  found  elsewhere  herein. 

Judge  Jno.  W.  Maddox,  former  Su- 
perior Court  justice,  died  at  Rome 
Thursday,  Sept.  28,  1922,  aged  74,  and 
was  buried  Friday  in  Myrtle  Hill  cem- 
etery, Rome. 

CREEKS  OF  FLOYD  COUNTY.— 
The  principal  creeks  of  Floyd  County: 

Armuchee,  probably  the  largest;'''* 
made  up  of  East  Armuchee  and  West 
Armuchee  both  rising  in  CTiattooga 
County;  flows  southeasterly  and  emp- 
ties into  Oostanaula  River  at  Pope's 
Ferry  and  the  farm  of  Mrs.  Bessie 
Battey  Troutman. 

Big  Cedar,  the  second  largest;  head- 
waters in  Polk  County;  flows  north- 
westerly and  empties  into  Coosa  River 
one  mile  east  of  the  Alabama  line. 

Big  Dry;  rises  on  the  southern  side 
of  Lavender  Mountain,  flows  south- 
easterly through  the  Berry  School 
property  and  empties  into  the  Oosta- 
naula about  three  miles  north  of  Rome. 

Little  Dry;  rises  in  West  Rome, 
flows  easterly  through  the  Flat  Woods 
and  empties  into  the  Oostanaula  at  the 
Linton  A.  Dean  place,  near  the  Sum- 
merville  road,  one  mile  north  of  Rome. 

Lavender;  rises  south  of  Rock 
Mountain,  in  Little  Texas  Valley,  flows 
northeasterly  through  the  valley  and 
empties  into  Armuchee  Creek  a  mile 
above   Armuchee. 

Heath;  rises  southeast  of  Simms' 
Mountain,  flows  northeasterly  through 
Big  Texas  Valley  and  empties  into  Ar- 
muchee creek  2  miles  above  Armuchee. 

Woodward;  rises  in  Gordon  and  Bar- 
tow Counties,  flows  southwesterly  and 
empties  into  the  Oostanaula  half  a 
mile    (by  land)    south  of  Pope's  Ferry. 

Jimmy  Long;  rises  near  Hermitage, 
Ridge  Valley,  flows  westerly  and 
empties  into  the  Oostanaula  a  mile 
north    of    Harper    Station. 

Dykes';  named  after  Dr.  G.  J.  Dykes, 
who  came  to  Rome  in  18;5G;  rises  on 
the  southern  side  of  Armstrong  Moun- 
tain, flows  south  and  empties  into  the 
Etowah  River  about  a  mile  above 
Freeman's  Ferry.  It  is  fed  by  the 
large  spring  at  Morrison's  Camp 
Ground  and  other  springs. 


Barnsley;  rises  south  of  Armstrong 
Mountain,  flows  south  through  the 
western  edge  of  Bartow  County  and 
empties  into  the  Etowah  in  Bartow, 
three  miles  east  of  Bass'  Ferry. 

Spi-ing;  rises  in  Chulio  district,  runs 
northward  to  the  Etowah  between 
I'reeman's  and  Bass'  Ferry. 

Spring;  rises  in  Chulio  district,  runs 
northward  to  the  Etowah  between 
Freeman's  and  Bass'  Ferries. 

Silver;  rises  in  Polk  Cotinty  six 
miles  northeast  of  Cedartown,  flows 
northward  into  the  Etowah  River  mid- 
way between  the  East  Rome  and  Broad 
Street    bridges,    at    Rome. 

Lake;  rises  four  miles  east  of  Ce- 
dartown in  Polk  County,  flows  gen- 
erally northwestward  and  empties  into 
Big  Cedar   Creek  near   Chubbtown. 

Little  Cedar;  rises  near  Etna  in 
Polk  County,  flows  northeastward  and 
empties  into  Big  Cedar  Creek  near 
Vann's   Valley   Station. 

Spring;  rises  in  Indian  Moun- 
tain, Polk  County,  practically  on  the 
Alabama  line,  flows  northward  into 
Floyd,  then  westward  into  Alabama 
and  empties  into  the  Coosa  River  near 
Yancey's  Bend. 

Mud;  rises  four  miles  west  of  Cave 
Spring,  flows  northwestward  into  Ala- 
bama and  empties  into  the  Coosa  near 
Kirk's  Grove,  Ala. 

Webb;  rises  near  Landers  and  the 
Southern  railroad,  Vann's  Valley,  flows 
northwardly  through  the  valley  and 
empties  into  the  Coosa  at  the  W.  Green 
Foster-Van  Dyke  farm,  four  miles 
northeast  of  Livingston.  One  of  the 
headwaters  of  Webb  Creek  is  the  Cress 
Spring  on  the  farm  of  Wm.  S.  Gib- 
bons, Cave  Spring  road. 

Cabin;  rises  south  of  Simms'  Moun- 
tain, western  end  of  Lavender  Moun- 
tain, flows  southwardly  and  empties 
into  the  Coosa  about  a  mile  east  of 
Coosa   and   Veal's    Ferry. 

Beach;  rises  a  mile  northeast  of 
Judy  Mountain,  flows  south,  then  west, 
and  empties  into  the  Coosa  at  Turner's 
Bend. 

Burwell;  rises  on  the  old  home  place 
of  Capt.  Wm.  Moore  near  the  North 
Rome  depot.  Southern  railway,  flows 
west  and  empties  into  the  Oostanaula 
quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  Rome. 

Horseleg;  rises  three  miles  north  of 
Ilorseleg    Mountain     (Mt.    Alto),    flows 

*See  Memorial  of  Feb.  2,  1S<)1,  in  Minutes 
No.    25,    p.    1. 

♦♦Authority  :  County  Kiit'ineer  KielTor  Linii- 
sey. 


370 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


eastward  through  Shorter  College  prop- 
erty and  empties  into  the  Coosa  one 
mile  west  of  Rome. 

Note:  Exact  accuracy  is  not  claimed 
for  the  above  descriptions.  The  mnp 
principally  consulted  was  the  "Rome 
Quadranfrk'''  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey,  which  is  very  helpful.  A  more 
elaborate  map,  but  of  a  different  char- 
acter, is  the  soil  map  published  by 
the  Federal  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, Washington,  many  copies  of 
which  have  been  sent  out  by  Congress- 
man  Gordon  Lee. 


DARKEYS  OF  ROME,  OLD-TIME. 

— Among  the  "segashuating  corporosi- 
ties"  of  the  older  colored  folk  of  Rome 
may  be  mentioned  the  following,  as 
mostly  supplied  by  Richard  Venable 
Mitchell: 

Lewis  Barrett:  "Veteran  barber, 
while  an  old  timer,  he  says  he  is  never 
too  tired  to  entertain  his  friends." 

Jack  Battel) :  ''The  body-guard  of 
Dr.  Robt.  Battey  in  the  Civil  War. 
Jack  had  charge  of  'Fleeter,'  Dr.  Bat- 
tey's  faithful  mare,  which  safely  swam 
with  her  master  across  the  Potomac 
River  at  night  in  1863  in  the  Gettys- 
burg campaign.  'Fleeter'  was  given 
shortly  afterward  by  Dr.  Battey  to  the 
Sproull  boys  on  the  Kingston  road,  and 
was  put  to  plowing,  which  she  had 
never  done  before.  She  was  a  small 
gray  mare,  almost  white,  and  a  fine 
pacer;  she  went  through  the  Battles 
of  First  Manassas,  the  Wilderness, 
Gettysburg,  Richmond  and  others, 
without  a  scratch,  although  a  cannon 
ball  once  knocked  dirt  upon  her  and 
Jack  and  an  iron  gray  pack  horse 
which  Jack  rode.  Jack  died  in  1912 
at  Chattanooga.  He  had  been  employ- 
ed in  a  hotel  restaurant  by  Sam  P. 
Light.  On  one  occasion  he  had  a  ter- 
rible fight  with  another  cook  over  the 
question  of  who  could  make  the  best 
chicken  chop  suey.  He  was  a  con- 
temporary of  two  other  servants  of 
Dr.  Battey:  Jim  Hagan,  who  drove 
the  one-horse  wagon,  and  'Aunt  Che. 
ney,'  an  old  slave.  'Aunt  Cheney's' 
only  picture  was  taken  by  W.  Kennedy 
Laurie  Dickson,  assistant  to  Thos.  A. 
Edison,  while  he  was  sojourning  in 
Rome  in  1890  after  a  siege  of  work 
on  the   motion   picture   invention." 

Gus  Carlton:  "Retired  blacksmith, 
with  age  about  9.'5,  and  slightly  bowed 
from  bending  over  the  hind  hoof  of 
many  a  'jarhead.'  Resides  on  Tower 
Hill  and  is  now  blind." 

Chubb  Faviily:  "These  darkeys  were 
farmers  around  Chubbtown,  near  Cave 


Spring  and  the  Polk  County  line,  whose 
industry  and  thrift  enabled  them  to  ac- 
cumulate considerable  property,  gins, 
mills,  houses,  etc.  They  are  law-abid- 
ing, respected  by  the  whites  and  gen- 
erally good  citizens.  Their  master  set 
them  free  before  the   Civil  War." 

Allen  Collier:  "His  occupation  is 
that  of  a  cook.  He  knows  how  to  pre- 
pare something  that  will  satisfy  one's 
bread  basket.  His  wife,  Alice  Collier, 
washed  many  a  garment  in  her  younger 
days,  but  as  she  was  suffering  from 
the  white  swelling,  she  retired  about 
15  years  ago  and  has  always  lived  with 
her  old  man.  She  never  knew  she  was 
an  offspring  of  one  of  Col.  Alfred 
Shorter's  slaves.  Allen  does  not  belong 
to  the  aristocratic  Shorter  crowd,  how- 
ever." 

Charlie  Coppee:  "Retired  drayman. 
Some  eight  years  ago  Charlie  quit  and 
has  since  been  doing  pretty  much  as 
he  pleases  as  a  butler  in  a  good  family 
on  West  Eleventh  Street,  Fourth  Ward. 
He  is  80  years  old.  His  team  con. 
sisted  of  a  small  flat-top  wagon  drawn 
by  a  slow-moving  'hard-tail.'  He  leaped 
tf)  this  city  in  1885  from  Athens.  When 
he  talks  to  you  he  squinches  out  of  one 
eye  and  smiles  out  of  one  side  of  his 
mouth.  He  can  still  do  a  plantation 
breakdown  if  you  give  him  a  young 
enough  partner  and  a  shot  of  mean 
licker.  In  size  he  is  very  low  and 
stumpy,  but  can  cover  ground.  His 
home  is  in  the  rear  of  the  place  where 
he  works." 

Loit  Cothran:  "For  25  years  cook 
and  nurse  for  the  Moultrie  ifamily  and 
now  nurse  of  the  Ernest  E.  Lindsey 
children." 

Ellen  Pentecost  Daniel:  "A  slave  of 
Col.  Alfred  Shorter.  She  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1914,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  73. 
One  of  the  most  appetizing  cooks  in 
her  day.  She  was  my  nurse  and  I 
understand  held  the  bottle  for  quite 
a  number  of  Romans,  all  of  whom  re- 
member her  affectionately.  Poor  old 
soul ;  she  never  rusted,  but  wore  her- 
self out." 

Steve  Eberhart  (or  Perry)  :  "Pro- 
fession, whitewasher.  Steve  came  to 
Rome  about  20  years  ago  from  Athens, 
where  he  was  the  slave  in  the  war 
of  Col.  Abraham  Eberhart.  He  is  the 
mascot  of  the  Confederate  Veterans  of 
Rome,  and  in  his  attempts  to  attend 
every  reunion  of  the  Boys  in  Gray 
collects  a  lot  of  money  under  various 
false  pretenses,  and  gets  away  with  it. 
Some  of  his  whitewash  might  well  be 
used  on  himself,  for  he  is  as  black 
as    African    midnight    and    nearly    as 


Encyclopedic  Section 


371 


^'  ■  iMMh- 


OLD-TIME   DARKIES   WITH  THEIR   "HABITS  ON." 

The   South    owes    much    to    its    ante-bellum    population,    and    will    always    ••'^•"r"^^J^r j/l'^'"^^'^'; 
deep    affection.      In    this    group   we    get    a    glimpse    of    a    number    of   well-known    ^^a^cters    caught 
here   and    there.      Included   are    the   old   sprinkler    sprucing    up    the    yard    of    the   F'"*   ^["J'*'*^"^" 
church;     Steve     Eberhart     in     a     "fowl     escapade."     "Aunt    Martha"     Stevenson.        Aunt     Cheney. 
Augustus    Sams,    Bob    Lake    and    others. 


372 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


small  as  a  chinquepin,  but  he  carries 
himself  with  an  erectile  strut  that  im- 
mediately becomes  a  dissembling:  sham- 
ble when  he  wants  to  pass  around  the 
hat.  At  reunion  time  he  puts  on  his 
artillery  uniform  of  red  and  gray,  and 
lays  a  "barrage  of  profanity  that  with- 
ers every  new-fangled  darkey  that 
crosses  his  path.  Under  his  arm  is  his 
pet  rooster,  borrowed  from  a  conven- 
ient hen-house,  and  such  feathers  as 
are  missing  from  the  fowl's  tail  can 
be  found  in  Steve's  beaver  hat.  Steve 
is  on  the  shady  side  of  80.  His  side- 
line is  collecting  clothes  from  the  white 
folks  so  the  women  can  wash  'em,  and 
on  his  shiny  dome  he  can  balance  a 
bag  of  clothes  nearly  as  well  as  a  wa- 
termelon. He  is  of  the  aristocracy, 
having  been  just  after  the  war  valet 
at  Athens  to  Henry  W.  Grady  and  Ben 
Hill.  He  is  a  powerful  orator,  with 
'Fiddling  Bob'  Taylor's  ability  to  cry 
on  occasion,  and  if  his  education  had 
not  been  cut  short  by  Mr.  Grady's 
gi-aduation  from  the  University,  he 
might  have  been  the  Daniel  Webster 
of  his  race.  While  he  has  never  been 
ordained  as  a  minister,  he  can  preach 
with  the  best  of  them.  He  served  with 
his  'mar.ster'  in  the  war  on  the  west 
Coast  of  Florida,  and  there  learned 
how  to  fish." 

Lena  Hudson:  "Age  about  70;  oc- 
cupation, sick  nurse." 

Ned  Huggins:  "Retired  Arm- 
strong Hotel  barber  and  retired  sex- 
ton of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 
His  good  word  was  always  'Call 
again.'  " 

Boh  Lake:  "Bob  is  only  middle-aged 
but  has  old-fashioned  ways.  He  still 
works  when  there  is  a  chance  to  make 
an  honest  living.  At  Christmas  time 
he  helps  the  Rotary  Club  distribute 
baskets  to  the  poor,  and  totes  home  a 
well-filled  basket  for  himself.  He  is 
the  handy  man  at  Judge  Harper  Ham- 
ilton's on  East  Fourth  Street,  but  for 
80  years  has  'drayed'  for  the  Simpson 
Grocery  Company  and  is  an  expert  at 
handling  salt  meat  with  a  cotton  hook." 

Hennj  Little:  "Farmer;  bachelor; 
his  home  is  one  quarter  of  a  mile  north 
of  the  city  limits,  near  the  old  Ridge 
place,  on  the  Oostanaula  River  road. 
His  complexion  is  slate  color  and  hair 
and  mustache  a  dark  gray;  he  is  tall, 
comports  himself  like  a  soldier  and 
has  a  pleasing  address.  Henry  still 
wears  his  clod-hoppers  at  73,  and  says 
he  can  see  a  boll  weevil  as  far  as  any 
man,  but  is  wise  enough  to  try  corn 
and    wheat." 

Pomp    Lovejoy:      "Faithful    standby 


janitor  of  the  N.,  C.  &  St.  L.  passen- 
ger depot  for  37  years.  He  swears  he 
never  used  an  oath  or  an  alcoholic  bev- 
erage. Is  a  native  of  Floyd  Springs 
and  resides  in  'Tim-buck-too,'  where 
he  has  a   fine  home." 

Mack  Madison :  "An  old-time  farm- 
er who  can  always  get  together  a 
mess  of  vittles  like  ham,  cracklin' 
bread,  pot  licker  and  turnip  greens, 
in  spite  of  the  boll  weevil  and  potato 
bugs.  He  is  a  shy  old  rascal,  and  when 
he  comes  to  town,  which  is  not  often, 
he  keeps  out  of  the  way  of  the  police. 
If  you  eye  him  too  closely  or  try  to 
question  him,  he  gets  off'  like  a  rabbit 
through  a  brier  patch.  He  has  a  sweet 
tooth,  so  keeps  a  bee  gum,  and  is  as 
industrious  as  anybody  in  the  hive. 
Once  he  ignored  a  summons  to  court, 
and  two  officers  brought  him  in.  Asked 
by  a  friend  why  he  finally  went,  he  said 
his  legs  got  in  motion  and  his  body 
had   to   go   too." 

West  McCoy:  "Retired  plasterer; 
uncertain  age.  He  winks  out  of  one 
eye  because  he  has  lost  the  other.  He 
sits  around  on  garbage  boxes  and  holds 
out  his  hand  for  a  penny,  saying,  'It 
takes  only  100  to  make  a  dollar.'  " 

Pomp  Mosclcy:  "Lives  with  his  wife, 
Lucy,  72,  in  South  Rome.  Always  con- 
nected with  the  furniture  business,  and 
he  hung  many  a  shade  and  stretched 
many  a  carpet  before  the  days  of  rugs 
and  waxed  floors.  He  carries  his  age 
of  76  as  lightly  as  a  man  of  40,  and 
withal  is  as  quiet  and  polite  as  a 
basket  of  chips,  being  one  of  the  Shor- 
ter slaves.  He  carries  a  yard  stick 
for  a  cane,  to  advertise  his  business." 

Carrie  Mullen:  "Lives  on  Gibson 
Street  and  is  80  and  highly  respected." 

Flora  Payne:  "Cook  for  the  Wade 
S.  Cothran  family.  Long  since  gone 
to  her  reward." 

Harrison  Payne:  "Retired  teamster; 
occasionally  is  seen  at  the  curb  mar- 
ket with  his  spring  wagon  full  of  veg- 
etables at  reasonable  prices.  His  nag 
is  an  old-fashioned  high  stepper,  but 
now  somewhat  broken  down." 

Hamp  Pentecost:  "The  bodyguard 
of  Col.  Chas.  M.  Harper  during  the 
Civil  War.  He  was  one  of  the  blue- 
blooded  darkeys  of  Rome,  having  be- 
longed to  Col.  Shorter,  and  was  faith- 
ful to  the  last.  For  a  long  time  he 
w^as  assistant  boss  of  Ed.  L.  Bos- 
worth's  dray  line,  and  could  always 
be  depended  upon." 

Taylor  E.  R.  Persons:  "Died  at  the 
age  of  72.  He  was  discovered  in  1882 
by   City    Clerk   M.   A.   Nevin,  who   re- 


Encyclopedic  Section 


373 


quisitioned  his  services  to  fight  cob- 
webs and  dust  at  the  old  City  Hall, 
and  to  plaster  up  rat  holes.  He  was  a 
stout  darkey  and  was  often  called  upon 
by  the  police  to  help  put  an  unruly 
character  into  the  'jug.'  He  made  such 
a  favorable  impression  upon  Rev.  Jas. 
W.  Lee  that  when  Dr.  Lee  was  trans- 
ferred in  1885  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
Trinity  Methodist  church  in  Atlanta 
he  made  a  special  trip  to  Rome  and 
borrowed  Taylor  to  fill  a  sexton's  place. 
Taylor  did  not  come  back  to  Rome  until 
Dr.  Lee  tried  to  take  him  to  Missouri. 
On  returning,  he  assumed  his  old  posi- 
ion,  and  when  the  City  Hall  was  moved 
to  its  present  location,  he  went  along, 
and  served  there  until  age  caused  him 
to  be  'let  out.'  He  took  a  vacation 
once  in  1898,  and  remained  away  until 
after  the  Spanish-American  War, 
where  he  acquired  quite  a  military 
presence.  It  gave  him  great  pleasure 
to  crack  his  heels  together  and  salute 
any  of  the  white  folks  who  asked  him 
a  favor;  and  he  was  well  cared  for  in 
his  old  age.  He  was  a  pillar  in  the 
Upper  Broad  Street  Colored  Methodist 
Episcopal   church." 

Jim  Ponder:  "Has  been  dead  about 
20  years.  Used  to  haul  slops  from  the 
Battey  Infirmary.  He  was  a  sort  of 
doctor  among  his  people;  buried  buz- 
zards in  large  frying  pans,  and  when 
the  grease  ran  out  used  it  to  cure 
rheumatism." 

Tol  Reed:  "Had  a  white  beard  and 
could  cover  lots  of  ground.  His  neph- 
ew was  hanged  near  the  old  Rome  rail- 
road above  the  Southern  crossing  about 
1900,  and  he  was  run  out  of  Rome  and 
is  supposed  to  have  died  in  Atlanta. 
He  sometimes  went  by  the  name  of 
Dr.  Potter.  He  was  a  mortar  mixer 
and  boasted  loudly  that  he  helped  build 
the  Armstrong  Hotel.  His  hobby  was 
fine  horseflesh,  on  which  he  was  an  au- 
thority." 

Alice  Richardson:  "Resident  of  Pen- 
nington   Avenue." 

Anna  Richardson :  "Once  residing 
in  West  Rome,  but  moved  away  to 
a  better  opportunity  in  Atlanta." 

Palmer  Ri.r:  "Retired  from  farming 
to  gardening;  aged  7G,  and  still  active 
on  his  trade.  He  resides  near  the 
Oostanaula  on  West  Second  Street,  to 
the  height  of  where  the  stream  when 
it  is  too  full  does  not  quite  reach  and 
disturb  his  comforts." 

Andy  Robinson:  "Aged  90  and  re- 
sides at  605  W.  Second  Street.  He  re- 
members the  founders  of  Rome  and 
the  Indian  chiefs;  says  Col.  Chas.  H. 
Nelson  gave  passes  to  Ross  and  Ridge 


and     moved    500    Indians    from    Cave 
Spring  to  Red  River,  Ark.,  in  wagons." 

Angnstus  Sams:  "Business  is  wood- 
chopper  and  age  about  80.  He  chops 
wood  all  around  the  country,  and  for 
the  want  of  a  conveyance  sometimes 
walks  to  Cedartown  for  a  job,  and  then 
walks  back.  He  will  not  quit  chop- 
ping wood  except  to  go  'possum  hunt- 
ing or  to  eat  a  watermelon.  He  wears 
a  black  felt  hat  with  a  curve  in  it, 
only  needs  a  turkey  feather  to  make 
him  look  like  a  Dutch  admiral;  and 
he  carries  his  lunch  in  a  crocus  sack. 
He  has  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  but  oc- 
casionally when  outraged  rears  back 
on  his  dignity  like  an  angry  porcu- 
pine." 

Mary  Sheppard:  "Aged  80;  resides 
on   Blossom  Hill." 

"Mink"  Sims:  "A  darkey  of  25 
years  ago  who  hunted  and  fished  a 
great  deal,  but  was  never  known  to 
hit  a  lick  of  work.  He  used  to  sing 
a  song  that  started  'Rabbit  and  the 
Ha.sh,'  and  which  brought  in  the  pole- 
cat, the  jaybird  and  the  other  birds 
and    animals    of    the    menagerie." 

"Tip"  Smith:  "Passed  to  the  other 
world  Jan.  25,  1911,  at  the  age  of  77. 
He  was  an  old  slave  who  had  belonged 
to  Maj.  Chas.  H.  Smith  ('Bill  Arp'). 
After  he  got  his  freedom,  he  took  up 
the  trade  of  carpet  and  mattress 
stretcher  and  house  cleaner,  and  made 
a  very  useful  citizen.  He  hung  shades, 
did  wall-papering  and  generally  helped 
many  a  housewife  of  Rome.  At  enter- 
tainments he  was  indispensable,  wheth- 
er it  was  freezing  the  pineapple  sher- 
bet or  handing  the  guests  their  hats 
and  coats;  and  many  a  grateful  Roman 
said  if  he  could  have  'Tip'  around  at 
the  final  trumpet  call,  he  would  not 
bother  to  summon  an  undertaker.  'Tip' 
lived  in  peace  and  African  plenitude 
on  the  gentle  slopes  of  Blossom   Hill." 

Martha  Stevoison:  "She  is  shoi-t 
and  dark  and  wears  a  turban.  For  a 
long  time  she  cooked  for  Mrs.  Seaboi-n 
Wright,  then  served  Mrs.  Bessie  B. 
Troutnian  at  Pope's  Ferry,  then  was 
cooking  for  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  when 
Mrs.  Battey  died  and  now  is  indispen- 
sable at  Mrs.  Evan  P.  Harvey's.  She 
is  nigh  onto  75  and  spry  as  a  cricket, 
but  occasionally  complains  of  the 
misery   in   her   side." 

Mark-  Taylor:  "Veteran  barber, 
long  since  dead.  Ned  Iluggins  start- 
ed with  him  as  a  bootblack,  and  he 
trained  many  others  in  the  tonsorial 
art.  Mark  never  used  vulgarity  or 
profanity,  nor  would  he  allow  any 
roughhouse   in   his  shop." 


374 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


"Shcvi"  ThoDias:  "Not  particular, 
ly  old,  but  exceedingly  old-fashioned. 
Janitor  at  Darlington  School.  Though 
not  a  millionaire,  he  gave  $2.5  to  the 
Greater  Darlington  Endowment  Fund 
in  1922.  He  is  sure  to  pass  through 
the  pearly  gates." 

"Uncle  Toivns:"  Never  seemed  to 
have  any  other  name,  but  worked  many 
years  around  yard  and  flower  garden 
of  the  I.  D.  Fords  on  Second  Avenue. 
He  wore  a  heavy  gray  beard,  and  his 
old  back  was  bent  from  much  cutting 
of  grass  and  pruning  of  shrubs.  He 
bore  a  closer  resemblance  to  a  certain 
large  creature  of  the  jungle  than  any- 
body in  Rome.  His  fondness  for  lit- 
tle children  was  well  known,  but  such 
as  he  didn't  like  he  would  scarce  with 
a  fiendish  grin." 

Lex'f'.s"  Vcmible:  "The  male  cook  of 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  on  First 
Avenue.  Every  time  the  Rome  rail- 
road trains  would  pass,  Lewis  would 
climb  to  the  barn  roof,  dressed  in  a 
Japanese  gown,  with  a  crimson  sash 
around  his  waist  and  a  feather-dec- 
orated silk  hat  on  his  head.  Thus  ar- 
rayed, he  would  dance  to  the  delight 
of  train  crew  and  passengers.  He  has 
long  ago  gone  to  his  Heavenly  Master. 
He  was  hired  by  the  Venable  family 
of    Atlanta    before    coming    to    Rome." 

Annie  Walker:  "About  80;  lives  on 
Reservoir    Street." 

Caleb  Walker:  "Perhaps  the  oldest 
person  in  Rome;  born  in  1824,  as  well 
as  he  remembers,  and  is  consequently 
98.  He  began  to  feel  a  bit  old  last 
year,  and  cut  him  a  hickory  stick  in 
the  neighborhood  of  his  home  at  114 
Chambers  Street,  Sixth  Ward;  but  he 
can  get  about  like  a  cricket  when  he 
sees  greenback  or  coin  for  light  car- 
pentry work.  He  has  always  been  fair 
and  square,  and  is  thoroughly  con- 
firmed in  his  ways  of  thrift  and  hon- 
esty. He  claims  to  have  been  a  soldier 
in  1864  and  186.5,  though  in  just  what 
capacity  he  does  not  make  clear." 

William  Walker:  "Not  less  than 
80,  but  gets  about  like  a  man  of  45. 
He  is  a  retired  plasterer  and  his  earth- 
ly home  is  in  Hell's  Hollow.  He  says 
he  has  mixed  lots  of  Etowah  River 
sand  and  slack  lime  for  buildings  in 
Rome,  has  always  served  the  Lord  and 
expects  to  make  the  acquaintance  of 
St.   Peter  instead  of  the  devil." 


DEBTS  OF  LONG  AGO.— Members 
of  the  City  Commission  and  other.s 
who  speak  in  whispers  of  Rome's  aw- 
ful S40,000  overdraft  might  do  well 
to   peek   into  the   records  for  the  year 


1875,  when  $450,000  hung  above  the 
heads  of  the  city  fathers  like  the  quiv- 
ering Sword  of  Damocles.  Included  in 
this  was  $100,000  in  Memphis  Branch 
Railroad  bonds;  $100,000  in  North  and 
South  Railroad  bonds;  $107,500  in  wa- 
ter works  bonds;  $65,000  in  currency 
bonds;  $32,000  in  floating  debt  bonds; 
and  accrued  interest  making  up  the 
balance.  In  1877  and  1878  this  debt 
had  been  reduced  to  $337,100.  and  in 
1884  it  stood  at  $312,000.  The  an- 
nual income  from  all  sources  in  1888 
was  about  $60,000  and  expenses  un- 
der prudent  management  about  the 
same. 

Says  an  old  clipping  of  1888:  "Since 
the  new  bonds  were  issued  in  1877, 
never  has  the  city  been  an  hour  in 
default  in  meeting  her  interest.  Every 
obligation  to  creditors  has  been  prompt- 
ly met,  and  so  firm  is  the  standing 
of  the  city  in  the  financial  world  that 
not  even  her  5  per  cent  bonds  can  be 
purchased  at  less  than  par,  and  her 
other  bonds  command  from  1.06  to  1.16. 

"A  large  part  of  our  city  debt  arises 
from  investments  in  railroads  that 
were  never  built.  The  hearts  of  Rome's 
people  always  went  out  to  those  who 
proposed  to  develop  her  resources  and 
asked  her  aid.  To  say  that  she  was 
imposed  upon  is  putting  it  lightly.  But 
she  has  never  faltered;  she  has  cheer- 
fully undertaken  to  pay  this  $200,000 
for  which  she  has  never  received  one 
dollar's  benefit,  and  now  goes  on  to 
fight  greater  battles.  Victory  has 
crowned  her  on  every  field,  and  still 
beckons   her   on." 


DESOTO,  SUBURB  OF.— Named 
after  Ferdinand  DeSoto,  Spanish  cav- 
alier, who  is  supposed  to  have  pitched 
camp  on  the  spot  in  June,  1540,  for 
about  30  days.  Located  west  of  Rome 
proper  and  across  the  Oostanaula 
River.  The  heart  of  it  is  known  as 
the  Fourth  Ward,  containing  about  160 
acres  of  land,  most  or  all  of  which 
was  owned  up  to  1835  by  John  Ross, 
the  Indian  chief,  then  became  the  prop- 
erty of  Jno.  B.  Winfrey.  Mr.  Win. 
frey  sold  60  of  the  160  acres  to  Dan'l. 
R.  Mitchell  and  60  to  Col.  Alfred 
Shorter.  The  part  bought  by  Col. 
Shorter  contained  the  John  Ross  home, 
which  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  site  of 
the  J.  M.  Bradshaw  home  at  505  Fifth 
Avenue.  To  the  Ross  house  in  1845 
Col.  Shorter  brought  the  J.  M.  M.  Cald- 
wells,  and  they  taught  school  there  for 
some  time  prior  to  establishment  of 
the  Rome  Female  College  on  Eighth 
Avenue. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


375 


I  'lis    '■   ^&"-^'<^' 


PRACTICAL   LESSONS   IN   DEMOCRACY. 

Here  are  views  which  will  demonstrate  that  Berry  School  boys  work  hard  and  U»al^\\y. 
Miss  Ma^h^sryTth:  sons  of  the  rich  -^^  J^*^"r '' V  T ''IchLl'lor"  smluTo^s"  ^L'^Tr: 
ire-  in\he"ov:i;'%r-.aW^e;    Z    '::^  '^J^  ^^^^^^^ ^^^l   a^nd    T p'^rd^^ractor    in    a 


furrowed    field    are    also    presented 


376 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


DeSoto  was  once  a  separate  town 
from  Rome,  and  came  into  the  city  cor- 
poration under  an  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  1884-5  which  abolished  its  char- 
ter. Most  of  the  DeSotans  fought  in- 
clusion strenuously,  and  to  win  out, 
Rome  was  forced  to  grant  liberal  tax 
and  improvement  concessions.  The  con- 
tract in  the  bill  was  drawn  by  Attor- 
ney J.  I.  Wright,  of  the  law  firm  of 
Alexander  &  Wright.  It  provided  that 
no  saloon  license  should  ever  be  grant- 
ed in  DeSoto.  The  population  then  was 
about  500,  and  now  it  is  estimated  at 
about  five  times  that  figure.  The  land 
is  flat  and  low,  and  the  citizens  han- 
dle themselves  very  nimbly  when  the 
rivers   overflow. 

DeSoto  has  furnished  some  of 
Rome's  leading  citizens.  It  was  the 
birthplace  of  Milford  W.  Howard,  of 
Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  formerly  Congress- 
man from  Fort  Payne,  Ala.,  who  used 
to  wield  a  powerful  axe  in  the  forests 
nearby  that  he  might  sell  wood  and 
complete  his  education.  Its  mayor  for 
several  terms  was  D.  R.  Mitchell,  the 
grocer,  w'ho  was  a  nephew  of  Col. 
Danl.  R.  Mitchell,  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  Rome.  J.  H,  Lanham  was 
once   the  postmaster. 

DeSoto  (or  the  Fourth  Ward)  con- 
tains Hamilton  Athletic  Field;  the 
North  Georgia  Fair  Grounds;  the  Trin- 
ity Methodist  Church  (founded  by  Rev. 
Sam  P.  Jones)  ;  the  Jones  residence; 
the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  and  Sec- 
ond Christian  churches;  the  Fourth 
Ward  Public  School,  and  the  homes  of 
J.  A.  Glover  and  Mrs.  Hiram  Hill, 
also  a  thriving  business  section  on 
Fifth  Avenue  at  the  Oostanaula  River 
bridge.  The  Stone  Quarry  hill,  Sum- 
merville  Road,  was  used  by  the  Con- 
federates and  was  known  as  Fort  At- 
taway. 

ELKS'  CLUB  (B.  P.  O.  E.)— Rome 
Lodge  No.  694  was  organized  July  25, 
1901,  and  surrendered  its  charter  June 
14,  1918.  Its  motto  was  "Fidelity, 
brotherly  love,  justice."  At  one  time 
it  boasted  a  membership  of  250.  At 
the  time  of  ceasing  operations,  it  had 
the  following  names  on  the  "Red, 
White  and  Blue  Roll:" 
A.  A.  Antognoli  Isaac  May 
A.  E.  Anderson  Geo.  H.  Magruder 
J.  P.  Broylcs  J.   D.  McCartney 

W.   T.   Brown  Robt.   H.   McGinnis 

Hiram   M.   Bobo         R.  V.   Mitchell 
Wesley  O.   Connor,  Wm.   J.    Nunnallv 
J.   S.    Cleghorn  R.    Sewell 

J.  Ed.   Camp  Ray    G.    Stewart 

W.  M.  Carey  Hart   H.    Smith 

Lloyd    Damron  Joe   H.    Sulzbacher 


Paul  Duke 
Wm.  H.  Ennis 
Augustus   A.    Fite 

E.  A.  Green,  P.  E.  . 
John   M.  Good 

F.  L.  Godwin 
Nathan   Harris 
Horace  C.  Johnson 
J.  N.  King 
Clifton   H.  Lansdell 
Moultrie  S.  Lanier 


Joe  Spiegelberg 
Wm.   Siglin 
W.  J.  Shaw 
Roy  R.  W«st 
A.   C.  Williamson 
R.  H.  West 
Phil  S.  Wilby 
Moses   Wright 
Ben  Watts 
R.   W.    Watts 
Arthur  West 


The  death  roll  showed  the  following 
names:  1903— Maj.  Wm.  A.  Patton, 
Sr.,  and  Gordon  Tatum;  1904— J.  H. 
Sanders;  1905— J.  W.  Grant;  1906— 
Halsted  Smith,  Sr.;  1907— M.  C. 
White,  J.  C.  Lewis,  Wm.  J.  West;  1909 
— C.  N.  Patterson;  1910— Mark  G. 
McDonald,  Robt.  Yancey  and  J.  H. 
Roberson;  1911— E.  B.  Marshall,  J.  L. 
Young,  W.  B.  Everett,  B.  F.  A.  Saylor 
and  C.  A.  Woods;  1912— M.  B.  Gerry, 
Wurts  W.  Bowie,  A.  S.  Gresham,  W. 
Chinnick,  Gordon  Wheeler;  1914— Dr. 
Thos.  R.  Garlington;  1915 — J.  Lindsay 
Johnson,  Sr.,  Arthur  R.  Sullivan,  Jr.; 
1916— Thos.  Evins;  1917— N.  J.  Steele; 
1918— Geo.  H.  Magi'uder. 

FIRE  COMPANIES  IN  1888.— "The 
fire  department  of  the  city  of  Rome 
consists  of  three  companies :  Rainbow 
Steam  Fire  Engine  Co.  No.  1,  Moun- 
tain  City  Steam  Fire  Engine  Co.  No. 
2,  and  Citizens'  Hook  &  Ladder  Co.  No. 
1.  The  membership  of  the  whole  is 
165  men — the  most  gallant  and  cour- 
ageous in  the  city.  As  an  illustration 
of  their  promptness  and  discipline,  an 
instance  is  characteristic  of  the  depart- 
ment: An  old  fire  trap  in  the  rear 
of  a  saddle  shop  on  Broad  Street,  con- 
taining about  2,500  bundles  of  fodder, 
caught  fire,  and  whilst  all  the  ends  of 
the  bundles  were  burned,  not  a  whole 
bundle  was  destroyed.  The  work  of 
extinguishment  was  done  so  quickly  by 
one  company  that  the  other  company, 
400  yards  off,  was  cut  out  from  fire 
plugs  and  could  not  throw  any  water 
upon  the  fire,  much  to  their  chagrin. 
Each  of  these  rival  companies  accuses 
the  other  of  keeping  men  at  the  reel 
houses,  ready  to  turn  out  for  a  fire. 
Further  proof  of  their  gallantry  and 
skill  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  ac- 
tual losses  from  fire  in  the  city  of 
Rome  have  not  averaged  $1,500  per 
year  for  the  last  ten  years.  This  fact 
is  the  more  remarkable  because  it  is 
a  volunteer  department,  the  members 
themselves  bearing  a  goodly  share  of 
the  expenses  of  their  organizations. 
Not  a  single  Georgia  pine  building  of 
one  story  has  burned  to  the  ground  in 
15   years.      In    1884   the   fire   loss    was 


Encyclopedic  Section 


377 


$2,580;     in    1885,    $167,    and    in    1886, 
$6,780. 

"Each  of  the  companies  has  substan- 
tial trophies  of  the  victories  gained  in 
speed  contests  abroad,  and  no  city  in 
the  country  can  show  as  effective  a 
fire  service  by  any  paid  department." 
— Tribune  of  Rome,  Anniversary  and 
Trade    Number,    Oct.    2,    1888. 

FIRESIDE  DEFENDERS.— This 
Civil  War  company  was  organized 
Aug.  4,  1861,  at  Spring  (or  Silver) 
Creek,  near  Lindale,  by  Robt.  H.  Jones, 
who  later  became  a  wagon  and  buggy 
manufacturer  at  Cartersville.  There 
were  95  original  members  and  26  re- 
cruits; total,  121.  Mrs.  John  Reese 
sent  the  boys  away  with  a  stirring 
speech  and  the  gift  of  a  beautiful  flag. 
She  was  well  qualified  for  this  duty, 
as  may  be  judged  by  an  incident  of  a 
few  years  before.  Mrs.  Reese  was 
the  wife  of  a  well-known  physician;  as 
a  girl  she  was  Elizabeth  Hills,  grand- 
daughter of  old  Dennis  Hills,  a  "down 
East  Yankee"  from  Leominster,  Mass. 
She  was  sent  to  school  in  New  Eng- 
land at  the  age  of  fifteen.  One  day 
in  chapel  or  class  a  teacher  addressed 
the  pupils  on  the  subject  of  slavery  in 
the  South.  "The  Southei*j  people,"  de- 
clared the  teacher,  "drive  ine  poor  ne- 
gro to  the  plow,  and  shut  him  up  m 
a  crib  and  feed  him  raw  corn." 

Little  Miss  Elizabeth  jumped  to  her 
feet,  her  face  aflame  with  indignation, 
and  cried,  "That  is  a  lie!"  She  was 
allowed  to  return  home  to  continue  her 
studies,  and  she  became  one  of  the 
most  steadfast  advocates  of  the  South- 
ern cause. 

By  way  of  putting  fire  into  the  Fire- 
side   Defenders,    Miss   Elizabeth   said: 

"Soldiers  of  the  Fireside  Defenders: 
On  behalf  of  the  ladies  of  Silver  Creek 
and  vicinity  I  am  before  you  today  to 
ask  the  acceptance  of  this  flag.  You 
are  all  aware  that  every  nation  on 
earth  has  its  ensign.  This,  my  brave 
friends,  is  the  ensign  of  the  Southern 
Confederate  States  of  America.  It  is 
needless  for  me  to  retrospect  the  his- 
tory of  this  nation,  to  tell  you  why 
the  flag  of  the  Union  no  longer  floats 
over  the  land  of  sunshine  and  flowers 
or  why  the  crashing  of  mu.sketry  and 
the  booming  of  cannon  is  heard  in  our 
border  states.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
our  cause  is  a  just  one,  and  on  present- 
ing these  colors  to  you,  you  have  a 
testimony  of  the  spirit  which  governs 
the    women   of   the    South. 

"Be  assured  we  disdain  as  much  as 
yourselves  the  idea  of  becoming  slaves 


to  the  oppressors  of  our  land,  and 
should  it  become  necessary  there  is  not 
a  free  woman  in  the  Southern  Confed- 
eracy who  would  not  dispute  the 
ground  inch  by  inch,  and  who  would 
not  die  in  the  cause  of  libertv  and 
justice. 

"To  you  as  the  first  agents  in  the 
hands  of  an  all-wise  Father  we  consign 
these  colors.  Never,  never,  my  friends 
permit  it  to  trail  in  the  dust;  never 
lower  the  flag  in  servile  submission  to 
the  ruthless  invaders  of  our  homes, 
our  liberties  and  our  most  sacred 
rights;  never  furl  these  ample  folds 
not  until  liberty  shall  be  perched  upon 
this  banner. 

"There  is  a  just  God  who  presides 
over  the  destinies  of  nations.  He  it  is 
who  will  give  might  to  your  arms  in 
the  deadly  strife.  The  battle  is  not 
to  the  strong  in  numbers  alone.  It  is 
to  the  just,  to  the  right,  to  the  brave. 
Oh,  do  not  permit  our  enemies  to  forge 
chains  to  bind  in  degradation  our  pos- 
terity. With  hearts  within  and  God 
overhead,  press  onward  higher  and 
higher.  Wave  these  colors,  and  that 
God  in  whom  we  trust  may  permit 
every  soldier  of  the  Fireside  Defend- 
ers to  return  under  the  protection  of 
this  banner  is  our  prayer  to  God.  We 
shall  rise  incessantly  in  your  behalf 
and  we  entreat  you  to  yield  your 
hearts  and  lives  into  His  charge, 'and 
if  it  be  your  doom,  as  it  has  been  for 
many  near  and  dear  to  us,  to  meet 
death  on  the  battlefield,  in  a  nation's 
heart  shall  be  written  your  epitaph. 
'History  shall  prolong,  posterity  shall 
bless  the  valiant  arms  and  noble  spirits 
who  fought,  bled  and  died  to  purchase 
for   us   liberty   and   freedom.' 

Oh.   flag  of  the    South,   still   thy  way, 

Undimmed    the    ages    untold. 
Over    earth's    proud    nations    the   stars 
display 
Like   morning's   radiant  changes   un- 
fold ; 
Oh,    flag    of    Dixie's    noble    band, 
Oh,  flag  of  the  South,  still  peerless, 
shine. 
O'er   earth,  remotest  lands  expand. 
Till  every  heart  and  hand   entwine! 

The  Fireside  Defenders  went  to 
camp  twelve  days  after  they  were  or- 
ganized. Their  first  stop  was  Big 
Shanty,  Cobb  County,  now  known  as 
Kenncsaw.  Thence  they  went  into 
training  at  Columbus,  and  thence  to 
the  front  in  Virginia.  They  became 
Company  G,  22d  Georgia  Regiment  of 
Infantry,  and  Capt.  Jones,  their  com- 
manding officer,  was  advanced  to  col. 
onel  of  the  regiment. 


378 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


At  the  surrender  April  9,  1865,  at 
Appomattox,  Va.,  the  following  mem- 
bers   laid    down    their    arms: 

Capt.  G.  W.  Thomas,  Sergt.  W.  B. 
Judkins,  and  Privates  J.  W.  Judkins, 
Jno.  S.  Black,  Wm.  Morris,  Ephraim 
Morris,  Jason  Morrfs.  Wm.  J.  and  T. 
X.  Vincent,  11.  N.  and  Alfonzo  Queen, 
Jos.  A.  Sharp,  Wm.  M.  Gossett,  Wm. 
A.  Witcher,  E.  E.  Burkhalter,  Wm.  R. 
Mountcastle,  J.  M.  Fuller,  J.  W.  Miller, 
I.  N.  Teat,  T.  J.  Gossett,  W.  J.  Pope. 

Starting  in  1895,  the  survivors  held 
annual  reunions  at  the  Primitive  Bap- 
tist Church  (now  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian) at  Lindale.  On  this  occasion 
they  were  addressed  by  Paul  Reese, 
son  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Reese.  Capt. 
Harry  P.  Meikleham,  superintendent 
of  the  Massachusetts  Mills  at  Lindale, 
gave  them  a  bit  of  ground  10  feet 
square,  on  which  they  erected  a  monu- 
ment which  bears  the  names  of  the 
company's  officers.  Capt.  Meikleham 
also  stands  for  a  yearly  barbecue,  but 
there  are  only  three  or  four  left  to 
eat  it  now,  and  they  include  Jos.  A. 
Sharp  and  Win.  J.  Vincent,  of  Rome. 

FLOYD.— (From  the  Rome  News, 
Wednesday,  April  0,  1921.)— Floyd 
County  was  named  for  Gen.  Jno.  Floyd 
because  his  Indian  victories  made  it 
possible  for  white  men  to  settle  in  com- 
parative safety  in  the  region  around 
Rome,  according  to  Judge  Junius  F. 
Hillyer,  who  has  furnished  the  follow- 
ing sketch  on  this  intrepid  leader, 
after    an    exhaustive    search   of   books. 

"Gen.  Floyd  was  born  in  South  Caro- 
lina, came  to  Georgia  early  in  life,  and 
settled  in  Camden  County,  where  he 
died  June  27,  1829.  His  father  was 
Capt.  Chas.  Floyd,  a  conspicuous  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  War,  who 
wore  on  the  front  of  his  helmet  a  sil- 
ver crescent  with  the  inscription,  'Lib- 
erty or  Death.'* 

"Gen.  Floyd  was  a  member  of  the 
Georgia  Legislature  in  1803.  Among 
his  associates  in  that  body  were  James 
Jackson.  John  Milledge  and  Josiah  Tat- 
nall.  Tatnall  County,  Jackson  Coun- 
ty and  Milledgeville  in  the  state  of 
Georgia  bear  respectively  the  names  of 
these,  his  associates,  and  Floyd  Coun- 
ty bears  his  name. 

"He  was  elected  to  Congress  from 
Georgia  in  1826,  and  served  two  years. 
He  was  appointed  brigadier  general  of 
the  Georgia  Militia  in  1803.  His  serv- 
ice with  this  command  established  his 
reputation  for  military  skill  and  in- 
flexible patriotism.  On  one  occasion 
the  savages  surprised  a  fort  where  300 


men,  women  and  children,  except  17, 
were  cruelly  put  to  death.  Gen.  Floyd 
was  recognized  as  the  proper  man  to 
suppress  and  avenge  such  wrongs.  Ac- 
cordingly, Gov.  Peter  Early  selected 
him  to  command  the  Georgia  troops 
in  an  expedition  against  the  Creeks 
and  Choctaw  Indians,  who  for  some 
time  had  been  troubling  helpless  fron. 
tier  settlements  of  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama. Co-operating  with  Gen.  An- 
drew Jackson,  he  waged  a  destructive 
war  against  the  savages,  who  were  de- 
feated and  permanently  dispersed  with 
great  loss.  The  three  famous  battles 
of  this  campaign  were  fought  at  Au- 
tossee,  Tallassee  and  Camp  Defiance 
in  Alabama.  In  one  of  these  battles 
Gen.  Floyd  was  severely  wounded,  but 
refused  to  retire  from  the  field.  His 
civic  honors  furnished  proof  of  the 
high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by 
his  contemporaries.  His  success  in  the 
military  service  to  which  he  was  ap- 
pointed fully  vindicated  the  judgment 
of  Gov.  Early  in  making  the  appoint- 
ment. The  ability  he  displayed  more 
than  sustained  his  reputation  and  at 
the  same  time  illustrated  the  energy 
and   force   of    his   character. 

"As  a  private  citizen,  Gen.  Floyd  is 
accredited  to  us  by  the  historians  as 
a  man  of  lofty  ideals  and  unspotted 
integrity,  unscrupulous  in  moral  dis- 
tinctions, honest  with  a  warm  and  gen- 
erous nature.  His  military  success  no 
doubt  contributed  to  the  peaceful  term- 
ination of  Georgia's  Indian  problems. 
Soon  after,  in  1829,  as  stated.  Gen. 
Floyd  died;  and  then  in  1833,  the  Geor- 
gia Legislature,  as  was  fit,  gave  to 
Floyd  County  his  name.  It  was  emi- 
nently appropriate  that  the  newly- 
made  county,  carved  out  of  Georgia 
territory,  should  bear  the  name  of 
Floyd,  after  her  battle-scarred  hero, 
whose  recent  victories  had  redeemed 
that  territory  from  the  Indian  peril, 
thereby  as  if  by  magic  transforming 
a  semi-barbarous  frontier  into  a  veri- 
table Arcadia  of  civilization,  and  cap- 
italizing its  dormant  treasures  into  un- 
told millions  of  wealth  for  its  deni- 
zens and  the  commonwealth  at  large. 

"The  citizens  of  Floyd  County  are 
justly  proud  of  their  county  because  of 
its  intrinsic  merits;  its  incomparable 
situation  and  climate;  its  natural  and 
acquired  resources;  and  of  its  honor- 
able history.  The  county  hopefully 
faces  the  dawn  of  a  new  era,  in  which 
it  is  to  solve  greater  problems  and  win 

*Now  in  the  possession  of  a  grandson  sev- 
eral times  removed,  Wm.  G.  McAdoo,  of  New 
York,  formerly  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and 
son-in-law    of    Woodrow    Wilson. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


379 


A   PEEK   AT   THE   BERRY    SCHOOL   FOR    GIRLS. 

At  top,  mountain  lassies  at  old-fashioned  spinning  wheels,  and  below,  making  rugs 
at  the  looms;  boys  building  a  house  for  the  girls;  the  greenhouse;  in  oval.  Miss  Ida  M. 
Tarbell  and  Miss  Martha  Berry,  with  students;  at  bottom,  the  rustic  chapel,  designed  by  a 
neighborhood  character  who  thus  expressed  his  interest  in  this  seat  of  learning;  the  dining- 
halls,    which    seat    about    200. 


380 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


uieater  victories,  in  which  its  honored 
name  is  to  put  on  new  luster  and  to 
become   more  and   more   j?lorious." 

The  Weekly  Georprian,  Savannah, 
printed  the  following  squib  under  date 
of  Saturday,  July  (i,  1839:  "The  late 
Gen.  John  Floyd. — The  intelligence  of 
the  death  of  Gen.  John  Floyd  has  been 
received  in  this  city.  At  one  period 
of  his  life  Gen.  Floyd  had  the  honor 
ot  representing  his  state  m  the  Con. 
g-ress  of  the  Union,  and  was  always 
respected  and  esteemed  in  every  sta- 
tion which  his  confiding  fellow  citizens 
invited  him  to  occupy." 

Officers  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Sa- 
vannah, John  Millen,  chairman,  and 
Jno.  W.  Anderson,  secretary,  passed 
resolutions  of  respect  under  date  of 
July  3,  1839. 

Gen.  Floyd  served  in  the  Twentieth 
Congri-ess,  1827-9,  with  Tomlinson  Fort, 
Chas.  E.  Haynes,  Wiley  Thompson, 
Richard  Henry  Wilds,  Wilson  Lump- 
kin and  Geo.  R.  Gilmer,  the  last  two 
of  whom  as  Governors  of  Georgia 
fought  hard  for  the  removal  of  the 
Indians  to  the  West. 

Lucian  L.  Knight,  in  Vol.  II,  Geor- 
gia's Landmarks,  Memorials  and  Leg- 
ends (ps.  27-28)  tells  of  a  famous  duel 
fought  by  Gen.  Floyd  with  a  Mr.  Hop- 
kins in  Camden  County.  Mr.  Hopkins 
had  been  challenged,  so  it  was  his  right 
under  the  existent  code  to  name  the 
weapons,  and  he  stipulated  that  they 
should  first  shoot  from  a  distance  with 
shotguns,  and  if  that  did  not  bring  a 
conclusion  they  would  advance  with 
pistols,  and  if  that  failed,  they  would 
fight  with  their  Bowie  knives.  At  the 
first  or  second  stage  Mr.  Hopkins  was 
so  badly>  wounded  that  the  duel  was 
halted.  Gen.  F'loyd's  sons,  Gen.  Chas. 
L.  Floyd  and  Captain  Richard  S.  Floyd, 
also  fought  duels. 

FLOYD  COUNTY  LEGISLATORS. 
(From  the  State  Department  of  His- 
tory,   Atlanta.) 

Members  of  the  State  Senate:  1833- 
35,  James  Hemphill;  1836,  William 
Smith;  1837,  James  Wells;  1838,  Wil- 
liam Smith;  1839-40,  Joseph  Watters; 
1841-43,   William   Smith. 

From  1845  to  1853,  there  was  a 
grouping  of  counties  into  districts  (old 
system),  and  Floyd  was  put  in  the 
Forty-Seventh  District.  There  were 
four  Senators  during  this  period,  two 
of  whom  were  from  Floyd:  1845-6, 
Thomas  C.  Hackett;  1851-2,  Joseph 
Watters. 

From  1853  to   18G1   there  was  a  re. 


turn  to  the  former  basis  of  representa- 
tion, each  county  electing  a  Senator: 
1853-4,  Jesse  Lamberth;  1855-8,  Ter- 
rence  McGuire;  1859-60,  Daniel  S. 
Printup. 

Since  1861  Floyd  has  been  in  the 
Forty-Second  District,  and  during  this 
time  she  has  furnished  the  following 
Senators:  1861-2,  D.  R.  Mitchell; 
1865-6,  C.  H.  Smith  ("Bill  Arp")  ; 
1868-72,  John  T.  Burns;  1877,  James 
R.  Gamble;  1880-1,  R.  T.  Fouche; 
1886-7,  L.  A.  Dean;  1888-9,  James  W. 
Harris;  1890-1,  W.  T.  Irwin;  1898-9, 
R.  T.  Fouche;  1905-6,  W.  S.  McHenry; 
1911-12,  W.  H.  Ennis;  1917-18,  R.  A. 
Denny;   1922-23,  Jno.  Camp  Davis. 

Members  of  the  House:  1833,  John 
Ellis;  1835,  John  H.  Lumpkin; 
1836,  John  Ellis;  1837-8,  Jesse 
Lamberth;  1839-40,  A.  J.  Liddell, 
Wesley  Shropshire;  1841,  Philip  W. 
Hemphill,  Alfred  Brown;  1842,  A.  Ta- 
bor Hardin,  John  Townsend;  1843,  Jer- 
emiah L.  McArver,  A.  Tabor  Hardin; 
1845,  Nathan  Yarbrough ;  1847,  Wm. 
T.  Price;  1849-50,  Isaac  N.  Culbertson; 
1851-2,  Wm.  T.  Price;  1853-4,  M.  H. 
Haynie;  1855-6,  W.  B.  Terhune,  M.  H. 
Haynie;  1857-8,  J.  W.  H.  Underwood 
(Speaker),  W.  R.  Webster;  1859,  Thos. 
W.  Alexander,  Z.  B.  Hargrove;  1861-2, 
Z.  B.  Hargrove,  Geo.  S.  Black;  1863-4, 
Melville  Dwinell,  Kinchin  Rambo;  1865, 
G.  W.  Thomas,  W.  A.  Woods;  1868-72, 
Dr.  M.  R.  Ballenger,  Dunlap  Scott; 
1873-4,  Jno.  R.  Towers,  Fielding  Hight; 
1875-6,  John  W.  Turner,  D.  B.  Hamil- 
ton; 1877,  Jno.  R.  Freeman,  John  H. 
Reece;  1878-9,  A.  J.  King,  John  H. 
Reece;  1880-1,  John  W.  Turner,  Sea- 
born Wright;  1882-3,  Seaborn  Wright, 
W.  G.  Foster,  Walker  W.  Brookes; 
1884-5,  J.  Lindsay  Johnson,  J.  W.  Tur- 
ner, J.  M.  Walker;  1886.7,  J.  M.  Walk- 
er, C.  N.  Featherston,  Richard  A. 
Denny;  1888-9,  J.  W.  Turner,  J.  W. 
Ewing,  J.  Lindsay  Johnson;  1890-1,  J. 
W.  Turner,  W.  C. "Bryan,  John  J.  Seay; 
1892-3,  E.  P.  Price,  W.  C.  Bryan.  W. 
J.  Neel;  1894-5,  John  H.  Reece,  Robt. 
T.  Fouche,  Moses  Wright;  1896-7,  Jas. 
B.  Nevin,  J.  H.  Reece,  Wm.  H.  Ennis; 
1898-9,  Richard  A.  Denny,  J.  Lindsay 
Johnson,  W.  C.  Bryan;  1900-1,  Jno.  C. 
P'oster,  W.  A.  Knowles,  Seaborn 
Wright;  1902-3,  W.  S.  McHenry,  W.  A. 
Knowles,  Wm.  H.  Ennis;  1905-6,  G.  B. 
Holder,  Claude  H.  Porter,  Seaborn 
Wright;  1907-8,  Seaborn  Wright,  Lin- 
ton A.  Dean,  R.  L.  Chamblee;  1909-10, 
Claude  H.  Porter,  G.  B.  Holder,  Barry 
Wright;  1911-12,  John  C.  Foster,  G. 
D.  Anderson,  Walter  Harris;  1913-14, 
John  C.  Foster,  Barry  Wright,  W.  J. 
Nunnally;     1915-16,    G.     D.    Anderson, 


Encyclopedic  Section 


381 


John  W.  Bale,  A.  W.  Findley;  1917-18, 
John  W.  Bale,  Seaborn  Wright,  James 
W.  Russell;  1919-20,  John  W.  Bale, 
Harper  Hamilton,  R.  H.  Copeland ; 
1921-2,  Harper  Hamilton,  Jno.  Camp 
Davis,  Jas.  W.  Salmon;  1923-4,  Lee  J. 
Langley,  Jas.  P.  Jones,  J.  Scott  Davis. 

FLOYD  INFANTRY.  —  Organized 
at  Rome  in  March,  1861,  by  Jno.  Fred- 
erick Cooper,  son  of  Hon.  Mark  An- 
thony Cooper,  of  Cass  County,  and 
father  of  J.  Paul  Cooper,  of  Rome,  and 
Walter  G.  Cooper,  of  Atlanta.  It 
started  with  46  men ;  good-byes  were 
said  May  10,  1861,  for  the  boys  were 
going  straight  to  Virginia. 

An  item  in  The  Courier  said :  "The 
Infantry  were  escorted  to  the  station 
by  the  other  companies  then  forming. 
The  train  moved  off  amid  the  cheers 
of  the  crowd  and  the  thunders  of  ar- 
tillery." 

The  original  officers  follow:  Cap- 
tain, Jno.  F.  Cooper;  first  lieutenant, 
D.  C.  Hargi-ove;  second,  John  H. 
Reece;  third,  R.  W.  Echols;  first  ser- 
geant, Harvey  M.  Langston;  second, 
G.  G.  Martin;  third,  Henry  Burns; 
fourth,  L.  P.  Bryant;  fifth,  John  Osley; 
first  corporal,  T.  B.  Moore;  second,  J. 
P.  Duke;  third,  Harvey  Shackelford; 
fourth,  Henry  Cohen.  Before  the 
company  left,  D.  C.  Hargrove  joined 
the  Light  Guards,  and  was  killed  July 
21,  1861,  at  the  First  Battle  of  Ma- 
nassas. 

Equipment  was  poor,  and  only  46 
of  the  following  74  privates  went  out 
with  the  first  contingent:  Wm.  T. 
Allen,  J.  D.  Alton.  Joel  Bagwell,  B.  P. 
Barker,  T.  J.  Barber,  Frank  Bean,  R. 
O.  Beavers,  Jr.,  Wm.  Bishop,  Julius 
Borck,  W.  C.  Brantley,  J.  J.  Buchan- 
an, J.  M.  Burns,  F.  M.  Burrow,  J.  L. 
Callahan,  W.  J.  Chastain,  M.  E.  Coop- 
er, Howell  Davis,  W.  J.  Drennon,  J.  H. 
Drummond,  J.  H.  Dunn,  J.  H.  Echols, 
T.  C.  Estes,  L.  H.  Farmer,  L.  J.  Far- 
mer, B.  L.  Ford,  M.  B.  Formby,  W.  E. 
Fowler,  A.  J.  Cordon,  J.  M.  Cordon, 
J.  M.  Green,  Geo.  W.  Griffith,  W.  A. 
Hammett,  A.  W.  Harshaw,  Wm.  Hen- 
derson, W.  Henderson,  W.  J.  Ilidle,  W. 
R.  Hidle,  J.  L.  Holbrook,  F.  N.  Hop- 
kins, J.  D.  Hubbard,  Adolphus  Jonas, 
C.  D.  Lumpkin,  Edward  Maness,  J.  F. 
Mandry,  A.  F.  Manning,  T.  R.  Martin, 
Wm.    McGuire,    T.    M.    McKinney,    L. 

*Rome's  Sunday  School  superintendents 
have  met  with  sad  fates  in  war.  Geo.  T.  Sto- 
vall,  of  the  First  Methodist,  was  killed  at  First 
Manassas,  and  A.  Walton  Shanklln,  head  of 
the  same  institution  in  1917,  was  kilTcd  In 
France  in  1918  as  a  soldier  of  the  World  War. 
apt.  Melville  winell,  who  precede<i  Mr.  Sto- 
vall   as    superintendent,    came   out   unscathed. 


Morrow,  S.  J.  Nowlin,  J.  H.  Overby, 
F.  A.  Owings,  John  Padget,  J.  L.  Phil- 
lips, D.  A.  Pool,  G.  B.  Quarles,  A.  J. 
Reed,  John  Reeves,  C.  B.  Rogers,  J. 
W.  Selman,  J.  P.  Smith,  W.  A.  Smith, 
Geo.  Somers,  J.  B.  Stallings,  J.  H. 
Steadman,  R.  M.  Stephens,  H.  A. 
Stone,  Jack  Tate,  G.  M.  Tolbert,  J.  T. 
Wamack,  R.  I.  H.  Warren.  A.  White, 
F.    R.   Woodel,   Thos.   Wright. 

Among  the  Manassas  casualties  were 
W.  T.  Chastain,  George  Martin,  A.  W. 
Harshaw,  F.  M.  Mandry,  J.  T.  War- 
mack  and  J.  H.  Dunn,  killed;  Capt. 
Cooper,  Oswell  B.  Eve  and  Thos.  J. 
Hills,  mortally  wounded.  Capt.  Coop- 
er was  shot  in  the  knee  or  the  leg,  and 
refused  to  submit  to  amputation.  Com- 
plications set  in  and  he  died  several 
weeks  later  at  Culpepper,  Va.  Mr.  Hills 
died  about  two  weeks  after  the  battle. 
He  had  been  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  School  at  Running  Waters,* 
the   John    Ridge   place  north   of   Rome. 

FORREST  MONUMENT.— Broad 
Street  at  Second  Avenue;  about  20 
feet  high,  with  reduced  figure  of  Gen. 
Forrest  at  top.  Presented  to  Rome  by 
the  United  Daughters  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, assisted  by  other  organizations, 
and  unveiled  Friday,  Apr.  23,  1909, 
by  Sarah  Elizabeth  Bass;  presentation 
speech  by  Judge  Jno.  W.  Maddox;  ac- 
ceptance by  Mayor  Thos.  W.  Lips- 
comb; prayer  by  Rev.  C.  B.  Hudgins, 
rector  of  St.  Luke's  Episcopal  church, 
and  Rev.  Chas.  C.  Jarrell.  pastor  of 
the  First  Methodist  church;  present: 
Governor-elect  Jos.  M.  Brown.  Con- 
gressman Jas.  A.  Tawney  (Minn.), 
Jno.  A.  Moon  (Tenn.),  Jno.  L.  Bur- 
nett (Ala.)  and  Gordon  Lee  (Ga.). 
The  monument  inscriptions  feature  the 
capture  of  Gen.  Abel  D.  Streight's 
force  Sunday,  May  3,  1863,  at  Law- 
rence, Ala.,  by  a  handful  of  men  under 
Gen.  Forrest,  and  the  march  of  the 
prisoners  to  Rome. 

:|:  *  :i= 

FORT  JACKSON  RESERVOIR.— 
When  the  old  waterworks  system  built 
by  the  Nobles,  consisting  of  the  pump- 
ing station  near  Fourth  Avenue  and 
the  N.,  C.  &  St.  L.  railroad  and  the 
tower  on  Neely  School  Hill,  was  aban- 
doned, the  modern  reservoir  on  Ft. 
Jackson  and  the  pum])ing  station  a 
mile  below  on  the  Oostanaula  River 
were  constructed.  This  work  was  done 
in  1892  and  1893  while  Sam  S.  King, 
Sr.,  was  mayor,  and  Louis  J.  Wagner 
was  City  Engineer  in  charge.  Wm.  J. 
Griffin  was  chairman  of  the  water- 
works committee,  made  up  of  Chas.  W. 


382 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


Underwood  and  W.  H.  Steele  in  1892 
and  of  J.  F.  McClure  and  Wm.  A. 
("Blue  Billy")  Wright  in  1893.  The 
filter  plant  was  opened  for  use  Jan. 
27,  1900.  The  original  cost  was  $20,- 
000. 

City  Manager  Sam  S.  King  furnishes 
the  following  information: 

The  Fort  Jackson  plant  has  been  in- 
creased steadily  until  it  is  made  up 
of  seven  filters;  one  2.000,000-gallon 
settlement  basin;  one  1,000, 000. gallon 
settlement  basin;  one  500,000-gallon 
clear  water  basin;  one  emergency 
stand  pipe  of  18,000  gallons  (the  city 
clock  tower)  ;  two  2,000,000-gallon 
compressed  steam  pumps;  one  4,500,- 
000-gallon  electric  drum  centrifugal 
pump;  36  miles  of  cast-iron  water 
mains;  269  hydrants  for  the  fire  de- 
partment's use;  3,200  water  services 
(individual  and  company  taps,  etc.)  ; 
also  chlorine  apparatus,  alum  tanks, 
pumps  and  other  necessary  apparatus. 

Sam  M.  Frye  is  the  superintendent 
at  Fort  Jackson  reservoir,  and  Jno.  T. 
Sessler  is  the  engineer  in  charge  of 
the  pumping  station  at  the  Oostanaula 
River.  Both  are  constantly  on  their 
jobs  to  give  Rome  one  of  the  best  flows 
of  pure  water  to  be  found  anywhere. 
The  Municipal  swimming  pool  near 
the  jail  puts  an  extra  tax  upon  the 
apparatus,  but  the  officials  say  they 
can  stand  the  racket.  If  it  were  not 
for  the  pool,  perhaps,  more  water 
would  be  needed  to  bathe  the  children 
at  home. 

FOSTER'S  INFANTRY.— This  Civil 
War  organization  was  formed  in  Floyd 
County  down  the  Coosa  River  by  Col. 
W.  Green  Foster  in  1861.  The  fol- 
lowing account  is  taken  from  a  Rome 
Tribune  account  of  about  1910: 

"A  feature  of  the  recent  Memorial 
Day  in  Rome  was  the  tattered  old 
battle-flag  carried  by  the  thin  gray 
line  of  veterans.  The  flag's  dingy 
folds  show  a  crimson  stain,  the  blood 
of  one  of  the  color  bearers,  who  fell, 
shot  dead,  across  the  flag. 

"The  colors  were  carried  through 
the  war  by  Co.  D  of  the  65th  Geor- 
gia. This  was  the  company  and  reg- 
iment of  Col.  W.  G.  Foster.  That 
officer  enlisted  in  1861,  and  was 
made  second  lieutenant.  Later  he  be- 
came captain.  In  1862  there  was  a 
reorganization  into  six  companies  of 
infantry  and  six  of  cavalry,  which 
were  called  Smith's  Legion  of  the  First 
Georgia,   Partisan   Rangers. 

"In  1863,  after  the  campaign  through 
Kentucky,  there  was  again  a  reorgani- 
zation,    and     they    were     assigned     to 


Walker's  division  of  the  65th  Georgia, 
and  later  still  to  Cheatham's  division. 
Gist's  brigade.  The  general  was  killed 
at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  and  then  Col.  Fos- 
ter was  put  in  command  of  the  brigade 
and  remained  in  this  position  until  the 
surrender.  He  was  in  line  for  the  rank 
of  brigadier  general,  but  never  received 
his  commission. 

"The  hardest  fighting  of  the  regi- 
ment was  at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  where 
the  color  bearers  were  killed.  After 
the  first  fall.  Col.  Foster  picked 
up  the  colors  and  was  almost  instant- 
ly shot  through  the  arm,  and  the  staff' 
of  the  flag  was  shot  off'.  Private  Da- 
vis then  picked  up  the  colors,  and  car- 
ried them  along  until  the  flag  was  stuck 
on  the  breastworks  captured  by  the 
regiment. 

"At  the  surrender  the  color-bearer 
tore  the  colors  from  the  staff,  and 
stuffed  them  in  his  boot,  thus  keep- 
ing possession  of  them.  They  are  still 
in  the  possession  of  the  surviving  mem- 
bers of  the  company,  and  are  an  object 
of  reverence  to  all,  and  especially  to 
those  who  know  of  their  history. 

"The  company  and  regiment  saw 
much  hard  fighting  in  this  vicinity. 
Its  roster  included  many  familiar 
names,  some  of  whom  are  still  living, 
and  others  whose  memory  is  perpetu- 
ated by  their  descendants.  The  gen- 
eral engamenets  of  the  regiment  and 
the  roll  of  Company  D  follows: 

Perryville,  Ky.,  Big  Creek  Gap, 
Tenn.,  and  Snake  Creek  Gap,  Tenn., 
1862;  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Missionary 
Ridge,  Tenn.,  Ringgold,  Ga.,  (Nov. 
27),  1863;  Mill  Creek  Gap  (May  9), 
Dug  Creek  Gap  (May  8),  Resaca,  Ga. 
(May  15),  Lay's  Ferry  (May  15), 
New  Hope  Church,  Pickett's  Mill 
(May  27),  Allatoona,  Ga.  (Oct.  5), 
Kennesaw  Mt.  (June  27),  capture  of 
Degress'  Battery  (July  7),  Franklin, 
Tenn.  (Dec.  1) ,  Nashvi'lle,  Tenn.  (Dec. 
15),  1864;  suri-endered  at  Greensboro, 
N.   C,   1865. 

Officers:  Captain,  W.  Green  Foster; 
first  lieutenant,  J.  F.  Morton;  second 
lieutenant,  F.  T.  Griffin;  third  lieu- 
tenant, A.  C.  Hawkins;  orderly  ser- 
geant,  H.   Hammond;   second   sergeant, 

C.  V.  pass;  third  sergeant,  H.  P.  Cross- 
man;  fourth  sergeant,  J.  P.  McDonald; 
corporals,  H.  V.  Bruce,  J.  W.  McDon- 
ald, Jos.  Davis,  J.  L.  Worthington. 

Privates:  A.  D.  Anderson,  D.  D. 
Anderson,  S.  J.  Anderson,  L.  H.  Aus- 
tin, M.  Alfred,  J.  W.  H.  Burnes,  F. 
Brewer,  D.  M.  Coleman,  J.  E.  Cook,  I. 
Chapman,   F.   A.   Chapman,   C.   Cordle, 

D.  P.   Copeland,   W.   H.   Collier,   R.    C. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


383 


Cox,  E.  Garter,  H.  Carter,  W.  M. 
Crocker,  E.  M.  Dyer,  Jno.  Davis,  B.  M. 
Davenport,  Jos.  Espy,  J.  H.  Eng'lish, 
Thomas  Edge,  W.  M.  Fincher,  A.  V. 
Ford,  C.  Green,   R.   S.  Glasgow,   V.  A. 

C.  Harbin,  J.  N.  Hendricks,  Eli  Hub- 
bard, J.  T.  Holtzclaw,  W.  D.  Hawkins, 
T.   J.    Harris,   J.   V.   Huff,   R.   Jackson, 

D.  J.  Kenney,  W.  M.  King,  J.  A.  Lyons, 
J.  D.  Lynch,  W.  A.  Martin,  D.  A.  Mil. 
ler,  Eli  Miller,  A.  P.  Milam,  T.  Ma- 
roney,  W.  Nelson,  P.  M.  Nelson,  R.  F. 
Patman,  F.  M.  Penson,  W.  D.  Penson, 
W.  Phelps,  W.  C.  D.  Phelps,  J.  L. 
Reese,  J.  J.  Reese,  Isaac  Ramsey,  H.  A. 
Roe,  W.  T.  Selman,  J.  J.  Smith,  W.  T. 
Strickland,  Charles  Snow,  W.  R.  Ship- 
ley, R.  Sherwood,  Jno.  Talley,  T.  J. 
Wortham,  F.  M.  Watters,  J.  W.  Wat- 
ters,  S.  B.  Worthington,  J.  H.  Worth- 
ington,  C.  Worthington,  Robt.  Worth- 
ington, John  Worthington,  Jack  Worth- 
ington, Samuel  Worthington,  G.  B. 
Whitehead,  F.  W.  Young,  T.  V.  Young, 
S.  H.  Zuber,  J.  B.  Zuber,  J.  L.  Gravit, 
Jim  Webb. 

HARBIN  HOSPITAL.— This  insti- 
tution, of  which  Rome  is  justly  proud, 
was  established  in  1908  with  twelve 
beds  by  Drs.  Robt.  Maxwell  Harbin 
and  William  Pickens  Harbin,  brothers. 
In  1917  a  new  fireproof  40-bed,  four- 
story  structure  was  opened,  and  the 
original  building  was  converted  into  a 
nurses'  dormitory.  This  dormitory,  by 
the  way,  was  once  occupied  as  a  resi- 
dence by  Henry  W.  Grady,  who  brought 
his  bride  there  from  Athens.  It  is  lo- 
cated at  the  southeast  corner  of  Third 
Avenue  and  East  First  Street,  directly 
opposite  the  First  Presbyterian  church; 
and  beside  it  on  Third  Avenue  is  the 
hospital  proper. 

In  1920  three  additional  stories  and 
other  enlargements  were  added  to  the 
main  building,  raising  the  bed  capacity 
to  75,  and  making  in  all  a  seven-story 
building.  The  architects  were  R.  S. 
Pringle  and  the  late  W.  T.  Downing, 
of  Atlanta,  with  M.  J.  Sturm,  hospital 
aix'hitect  of  Chicago,  as  consultant,  and 
the  concrete  engineers  were  Spiker  & 
Lose,  of  Atlanta. 

The  building  is  a  marvel  of  sturdi- 
ness,  architectural  beauty  and  com- 
pleteness, and  is  highly  symbolic  of  the 
character  of  work  performed  by  the 
staff.  It  contains  every  modern  im- 
provement and  convenience,  such  as 
vapor  heating  and  electric  light  signal 
systems,  silent  calls,  running  hot  and 
cold  water  in  every  room,  linoleum  on 
cement  floors  in  corridors,  nqiseless 
closing  doors,  three  complete  operating 
rooms,     large     sun     parlors     on     three 


floors,  private  telephone  exchange  with 
telephones  in  private  rooms,  etc.  The 
safety  gate  elevator  runs  from  base- 
ment to  roof  garden.  The  kitchens  are 
models  of  cleanliness  and  the  cuisine  is 
in  charge  of  an  expert. 

The  structure  represents  practically 
all  the  savings  from  hospital  income 
and  professional  fees  during  the  life 
of  the  owners,  with  obligations  to  last 
five  or  ten  years,  and  the  idea  of  serv- 
ice to  patients  has  been  put  ahead  of 
the  idea  of  material  gain.  Romans 
who  understand  the  spirit  of  the  insti- 
tation  are  as  proud  of  it  as  of  any. 
thing  that  Rome  boasts. 

Disinterested  opinions,  however,  are 
even  more  convincing.  The  1922  re- 
port of  the  American  College  of  Sur- 
geons on  hospital  standardization 
places  the  Harbin  Hospital  among 
three  others  in  Georgia  which  stood  the 
test  conducted  in  1921.  The  others 
were  the  Georgia  Baptist  and  Grady 
hospitals  in  Atlanta  and  the  hospital 
of  the  Medical  Department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia  at  Augusta. 

Harbin  Hospital  was  given  a  rating 
of  100%  at  the  first  inspection,  and  Dr. 
Franklin  D.  Martin,  director  general 
of  the  American  College  of  Surgeons, 
wrote  as  follows  from  Chicago  under 
date  of  Dec.  27,  1921: 

"You  are  aware  of  the  fact,  no  doubt, 
that  your  hospital  appears  on  the  1921 
list  of  hospitals  meeting  the  minimum 
standard  of  the  College.  This  recog- 
nition by  the  College  is,  we  feel,  a 
well  deserved  one.  Hospital  stand- 
ardization, in  essence,  is  the  desire  for 
welfare  of  the  i)atient  felt  by  the  com- 
bined medical  and  hospital  professions 
— a  desire  put  into  action  and  made 
practicable.  Your  splendid  work  and 
the  fruits  of  it,  which  are  apparent  in 
your  community,  must  afford  you  more 
gratification  than  the  stamp  of  our 
approval  ever  can.  However,  it  gives 
us  real  pleasure  to  recognize  and  to 
commemorate  the  stand  for  better  hos- 
pital service  which  you  have  made. 

"There  are  yet  further  advances  to 
be  made  in  the  hospital,  just  as  in  med- 
icine itself.  With  the  co-operation  of 
the  medical  and  hospital  professions, 
however,  these  advances  cannot  fail  to 
be  realized." 

On  the  attending  staff  are  Drs.  R. 
M.  and  W.  P.  Harbin  and  W.  H.  Lewis, 
and  on  the  associate  staff  Drs.  Wm.  J. 
Shaw  (President),  Ross  P.  Cox,  (Jeo. 
B.  Smith,  J.  Turner  McCall,  J.  C. 
Watts,  A.  C.  Shamblin  and  M.  M.  Mc- 
Cord.  Dr.  W.  P.  Harbin  is  also  physi- 
cian to  the  Berry  School. 


384 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


AN  INSTITUTION  WITH  A  FINE  RECORD. 

The  Harbin  Hospital,  erected  by  Drs.  Robt.  M.  and  Wm.  P.  Harbin  at  Third  Avenue  and 
East  First  Street,  is  not  only  one  of  the  handsomest  structures  in  the  city,  but  it  has  scored 
practically  perfect  in  the  rigid  test  conducted  by  the  American  College  of  Surgeons,  and 
is   one   of   four   Georgia   hospitals   with   the   highest   rating. 


Miss  Blanche  Rakestraw,  to  whom 
much  of  the  credit  for  the  success  of 
the  institution  is  due,  is  superin- 
tendent; Miss  Agnes  Gattis  is  super- 
intendent of  nurses;  Miss  Velma 
Owens  is  night  supervisor;  Miss  So- 
phie  Pintchuck  is  technician  of  the 
clinical  laboratory;  Miss  B.  L.  Rob- 
erts is  technician  of  the  X-ray  labor- 
atory; W.  C.  Bell  is  secretary  and 
treasurer;  Miss  Nell  Sloan  is  book- 
keeper; Miss  Christine  Smith  is  his- 
torian; Mrs.  C.  Bryan  is  dietician,  and 
Miss  Bessie  Carlson  is  reception  room 
clerk. 

J.  Paul  Cooper,  whose  numerous 
gifts  to  public  enterprises  have  placed 
Rome  under  lasting  obligations,  sev- 
eral years  ago  bought  100  mg.  of  ra- 
dium at  a  cost  of  about  $11,000,  which 
he  placed   at  the   disposal  of  the  hos- 


pital,  and  which  has  greatly  facilitat- 
ed the  treatment  of  numerous  com- 
plicated cases. 

HIGHLAND  RANGERS.  —  This 
Cave  Spring  company  of  66  cavalry- 
men left  for  the  Civil  War  front  from 
Broad  Street,  Rome,  on  Saturday,  Apr. 
5,  1862,  according  to  the  Tri-Weekly 
Courier  of  Apr.  8.  The  muster  roll 
follows : 

Officers:  M.  H.  Haynie,  captain;  B. 
C.  Montgomery,  first  lieutenant;  A.  Y, 
Harper,  second  lieutenant;  E.  S.  Grim- 
met,  second  lieutenant;  E.  Leslie,  first 
sergeant;  J.  Simmons,  second  sergeant; 
S.  Reynolds,  third  sergeant;  M.  Bobo, 
fourth  sergeant;  F.  Milligan,  fifth  ser- 
geant; J.  V.  Bobo,  first  corporal;  J. 
C.  Herrage,  second  corporal;  D.  M. 
Dempsey,  third  corporal;   S.  K.  Hogue, 


Encyclopedic  Section 


385 


fourth   corporal;    W.    H.    Herrage,    en- 
sign. 

Privates:  J.  W.  Abrams,  R.  W.  Ba- 
ker, R.  Barker,  J.  H.  Dean,  V.  H. 
Dean,  Y.  P.  Dean,  B.  W.  Dempsey,  A. 
Dollar,  H.  J.  Dollar,  W.  Dollar,  C.  C. 
Ellis,  D.  E.  Elmore,  J.  Elmore,  J.  Q. 
Ferguson,  G.  G.  Gill,  J.  A.  Graham, 
J.  T.  Greenwood,  M.  T.  Greenwood,  J. 
J.  Hamilton,  J.  Hayes,  H.  Herrage,  J. 
Higgenbottam,  W.  W.  Hunt,  G.  B. 
Johns,  M.  Knight,  J.  McKibbins,  J. 
McKelvy,  W.  H.  Montgomery,  J.  Oli- 
ver, Jno.  T.  Prior,  T.  M.  Putnam,  Wm. 
N.  Pricket,  B.  H.  Reynolds,  D.  Rey. 
nolds,  J.  M.  Reynolds,  H.  Richardson, 
M.  J.  Richardson,  B.  R.  Simmons,  W. 
J.  Simmons,  E.  W.  Sanders,  W.  B. 
Sanders,  M.  H.  Shoemake,  Geo.  T. 
Watts,  W.  C.  West,  J.  H.  Wharton,  L. 
W.  Wharton,  J.  B.  White,  J.  W.  Wil- 
kins,  N.  W.  Williams,  W.  A.  Williams, 
O.  R.  Witcher,  T.  Witcher. 

Another  company  of  Highland  Ran- 
gers, from  Rome  and  vicinity,  numer- 
ing  96  men,  was  listed  in  The  Courier 
of  Saturday,  Apr.  12,  1862.  It  is  likely 
they  had  been  sent  to  Camp  McDon- 
ald at  Big  Shanty  (Kennesaw)  a  few 
days  before,  for  they  joined  in  the 
cross-country  chase  the  same  day  after 
Andrews'  wild  raiders.  The  muster 
roll : 

Officers:  J.  L.  Kerr,  captain;  J.  M. 
Pepper,  first  lieutenant;  R.  S.  Zuber, 
second  lieutenant;  S.  M.  May,  ensign; 
L.  R.  Wragg,  first  sergeant;  J.  M. 
Webb,  second  sergeant;  Davis  Long, 
third  sergeant;  L.  Weathers,  fourth 
sergeant;  J.  R.  Penny,  first  corporal; 
L.  W.  Webb,  second  corporal;  J.  W. 
Witzell,  third  corporal ;  W.  G.  Ney. 
man,  fourth   corporal. 

Privates:  V.  S.  Allen,  Z.  Y.  Allen, 
C.  Anderson,  J.  F.  Ashworth,  Gilbert 
Atwood,  J.  H.  Aycock,  W.  L.  H.  Bar- 
nett,  J.  Y.  Briscoe,  Y.  R.  Brown,  J.  J. 
Buchanan,  T.  S.  Burney,  A.  L.  Capps, 
S.  B.  Carley,  W.  D.  Cheney,  J.  S.  Clem- 
ents, M.  L.  Clontz,  M.  Cooley,  Francis 
M.  Coulter,  C.  S.  Cox,  John  Cox,  R.  J. 
Cox,  C.  Cuzzart,  J.  P.  Davidson,  A.  H. 
Davis,  Jr.,  S.  L.  Davison,  E.  Denning- 
ton,  S.  Dennington,  S.  B.  Ellis,  A.  G. 
Felmont,  J.  A.  Franks,  J.  H.  Graves, 
A.  S.  Griswell,  M.  P.  Hall,  H.  C.  Har- 
dy, A.  B.  Henson,  A.  Holcombe,  W.  J. 
Holmes,  E.  Huckeby,  W.  H.  Johnson, 
W.  H.  King,  J.  W.  Lawrence,  Barnett 
Leak,  Moses  Lockelen,  R.  T.  Logan, 
W.  S.  Lumpkin,  W.  A.  Lyle,  R.  R. 
McGee,  Z.  McGuffee,  A.  W.  Metcalf, 
C.  S.  Montgomery,  B.  C.  Moore, 
Samuel  Moore,  L.  Morris,  Willis 
Morris       L.       Morrow,       P.       M.       Y, 


Mydlin,  M.  L.  Overby,  J.  W. 
Padgett,  Willis  Pannel,  Robt.  Phillips, 
W.  H.  Pruitt,  L.  Rabun,  W.  M.  Rabun, 
Ransom  Raunes,  Jno.  Reeves,  J.  M. 
Reynolds,  E.  M.  Robinson,  J.  J.  Rob- 
inson, H.  R.  Smith,  T.  Z.  Smith,  A. 
Sorrell,  N.  B.  Terry,  Jas.  Tomlinson, 
S.  Tomlinson,  G.  W.  Warren,  J.  K. 
Warren,  W.  H.  Watters,  Alex  West, 
J.  Y.  Wilson,  D.  H.  Wimpee.  G.  W. 
Wimpee,  M.  A.  Wimpee,  T.  N.  Wimpee, 
E.    K.    Winnett. 

HILLS  O'  ROME,  THE  SUBLIM- 
ATED SEVEN.— Sir  Walter  Scott 
must  have  been  standing  on  a  hill  ad- 
miring the  place  of  his  birth  when  he 
piped  in  the  sixth  canto  of  "The  Lay 
of  the  Last  Minstrel''  the  following: 

"Breathes  there  the  man  with  soul  so 

dead, 
Who    never    to    himself   hath    said, 
'This  is  my  own,  my  native  land!' 
Whose    heart    hath    ne'er    within    him 

burned 
As  home  his  footsteps  he  hath  turned 
From  wandering  on  a  foreign  strand?" 

For  to  properly  appreciate  a  place 
n^eans  not  alone  to  grind  faithfully 
through  the  years;  not,  in  the  case  of 
Romans,  to  ply  merely  between  home 
and  busy  Broad;  but  to  climb  the 
heights  and  there  obtain  a  perspective 
which  nature  offers  only  to  those  who 
are  willing  to  climb.  Nature's  master- 
piece is  well  calculated  to  beget  a 
spirit  of  progress,  pride  and  achieve- 
ment, yet  how  many  have  ever  viewed 
it?  Everybody  in  Rome  has  seen  Mt. 
Alto,  Lavender  and  New  Shorter  Hill 
from  Rome.  How  many  have  seen  the 
far  more  picturesque  sight  of  Rome 
from  Alto,  Lavender  or  Shorter  Hill? 
Poets,  bestir  yourselves!  Belated 
climbers,  forsake  the  low  ground  and 
mount  the  heights ! 

Here  are  the  seven  hills,  mostly 
within  the  city  limits,  concerning  which 
Rome  yields  nothing  of  beauty  to  her 
worthy  namesake  on  the  historic  Ti- 
ber: 

Tower  Hill,  supporting  the  majestic 
clock  tower  and  the  Neely  grammar 
school. 

Old  Shorter  Hill,  with  its  castle-like 
spires,  once  supporting  Shorter  Col- 
lege, whose  buildings  now  fly  the  flag 
of  the  Rome  High  School. 

Lumpkin  Hill  (I^ighth  Avenue), 
which  looks  down  on  the  old  Seventh 
Avenue  cemetery  and  Rome  from  close 
range. 

Blossom  Hill,  North  Rome  suburb, 
which    swirling   freshets    ne'er    disturb 


386 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


sonis  in  spring  time  furnish  a  sweet 
aroma  for  the  breezes  to  waft  over 
Rome. 

Fort  Jackson,  historic  in  its  battle 
trenches,  and  from  which  North  Rome 
resembles  a  pearl  in  a  setting:  of  plat- 
inum, and  the  Valley  of  the  Oostanaula 
stretches  away  to  the  north  like  the 
velvety  approach  to  the  palace  of  a 
king. 

Mt.  Aventine,  the  ridge  of  mysterious 
name  which  parallels  the  purling  Eto. 
wah  in  South  Rome. 

Myrtle  Hill,  where  sleep  the  patron 
saints  of  Rome,  who  beckon  in  tender 
tones  for  all  to  come  and  rest  when 
their   earthly  tasks   are   done. 

INDIAN  CLANS.— There  were  orig- 
inally seven  clans  in  the  Cherokee  In- 
dian'nation:  Wolf,  Deer,  Paint,  Long- 
hair, Bird,  Blind  (or  Long)  Savan- 
nah and  Hollv.  John  Ross  belonged 
to  the  Bird  clan.  Major  Ridge  to  the 
Deer,  Clement  Neelev  Vann  and  David 
Vann  probably  to  the  Wolf.  The  cus- 
toms relevant  to  the  clan  system  fell 
into  disuse  shortly  after  1800.* 

The  seal  of  the  Cherokee  Nation  was 
a  double  circle  with  a  seven-pointed 
star  (each  point  representing  a  clan) 
in  the  center;  between  star  points  and 
inner  circle  was  a  wreath;  in  the  space 
between  circles  were  some  Sequoyan 
characters,  in  the  center  of  which  were 
the  letters  "cwy."  Prosperous  members 
of  the  various  clans  today  use  this  seal 
on  their  stationery,  and  surmount  it 
with  a  wolf,  bird  or  other  object  re- 
ferring  to   their   particular   clans. 

:\i  ^  * 

INDIAN  DISTRICTS.— The  Com- 
mittee and  Council  of  the  Cherokee 
Nation  in  1S20  divided  the  remaining 
territory  into  eight  districts,  and  Chas. 
R.  Hicks,  principal  chief,  approved 
them,  according  to  The  Laws  of  the 
Cherokee  Nation,  published  by  the 
Cherokee  Advocate  Office,  Tahlequah, 
Indian  Territory,  1852.  The  districts 
were  Amoah,  Aquohee,  Challoogee, 
Chickamaugee,  Coosewatee,  Etowah, 
Hickory  Log  and  Tahquohee.  Chal- 
loogee, "Chickamaugee,  Coosewattee  and 
p:towah  included  Floyd  County,  and 
several  of  them  cornered  at  "Forks  of 
Coosa."     The  descriptions  are: 

1 — The  First  District  shall  be  called 
by  the  name  Chickamaugee,  and  be 
bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  at  the 
mouth  of  Armuchee  Creek,  on  Oosta- 
nallah  River,  thence  north  in  a  straight 
course  to  a  spring  branch  between  the 
island  and  Rackoon  Village;  thence  a 
straight  course  over  the  Lookout  Moun- 


tain, where  the  heads  of  Wills  and 
Lookout  Creeks  oppose  against  each 
other  on  the  Blue  Ridge ;  then  a 
straight  course  to  the  main  source  of 
Rackoon  Creek,  and  down  the  same 
into  the  Tennessee  River,  and  up  said 
river  to  the  mouth  of  Ooletiwah  Creek, 
and  up  said  creek  to  take  the  most 
southeastern  fork;  thence  a  southern 
course  to  the  mouths  of  Sugar  Creek, 
into  the  Connasauga  River,  and  down 
the  said  river  to  its  confluence  with 
Oostennallah  River,  and  down  the 
same  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

2 — The  Second  District  shall  be 
called  by  the  name  Challoogee,  and  be 
bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  on  the 
mouth  of  Rackoon  Creek,  in  the  Ten- 
nessee River,  and  down  the  said  river 
to  the  boundary  line,  commonly  called 
Coffee's  line,  and  along  said  line  where 
it  strikes  Wills  Creek,  and  down  the 
said  creek  to  its  confluence  with  the 
Coosa  River;  and  thence  embracing 
the  boundary  line  between  the  Chero- 
kees  and  Creeks,  run  by  Wm.  Mcin- 
tosh and  other  Cherokee  Commission- 
ers by  the  respective  nations,  running 
southeastwardly  to  its  intersection  with 
Chinibee's  Trace,  and  along  said  trace 
leading  eastvv^ardly  by  Avery  Vann's 
place,  including  his  plantation,  and 
thence  on  said  trace  to  where  it  crosses 
the  Etowah  River,  at  the  old  ford 
above  the  fork,  and  down  said  river  to 
its  confluence  with  Oostennallah  River, 
and  up  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  Ar- 
muchee Creek,  and  to  be  bounded  by 
the  First  District. 

3_The  Third  District  shall  be 
called  by  the  name  Coosewattee,  and 
bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  at  the 
Widow  Fool's  Ferry,  on  Oostannallah 
River  where  the  Alabama  Road  crosses 
it,  along  said  wagon  road  eastwardly, 
leading  toward  Etowah  Town  to  a 
large  creek  above  Thomas  Pettit's 
plantation,  near  to  the  Sixes,  and  said 
creek  northeastward  to  its  source; 
thence  a  straight  course  to  the  head  of 
Tnlloney  Creek,  up  which  the  Federal 
Road  leads;  thence  a  straight  course 
to  the  Red  Bank  Creek,  near  Cartikee 
Village;  thence  a  straight  course  to 
the  head  source  of  Potato  Mine  Creek; 
thence  a  straight  course  to  the  head 
of  Clapboard  Creek;  thence  a  straight 
course  to  the  most  southern  head 
source  of  Cannasawgee  River,  to  strike 
opposite  to  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Creek 
into  the  Cannasawgee  River,  and  to 
be  bounded  by  the  First  and  Second 
Districts. 


♦Authority :       Dr.     Emmet     Starr,     Oklahoma 
City,    Okla.,    a    member   of   the   Wolf    clan. 


XlNNjESSEIE 


Encyclopedic  Section 

.'''nCRTH     CAROLINA 
/ 


387 


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4— The  Fourth  District  shall  be 
called  by  the  name  of  Amoah,  and  be 
bounded  as  follows:  Beginninp:  at  the 
head  source  of  Cannasawp^t'e  River, 
where  the  Third  District  strikes  the 
said  source;  thence  eastwardly  a 
straight  course  to  Spring  Town,  above 
Hiwassee  Old  Town;  thence  to  the 
boundary  line  run  by  Col.  Houston, 
v/here  it  crosses  Sloan  Creek;  thence 
westwardly  along  said  line  to  the  Hi- 
wassee  River;    thence   down    said  river 


into  the  Tennessee  River,  and  down 
the  same  to  the  mouth  of  Oolotiwah 
Creek,  and  to  be  bounded  by  the  First 
and    Third    Districts. 

r,_The  Fifth  District  shall  be 
called  by  the  name  of  Hickory  Log. 
and  shall  be  bounded  as  follows:  Be- 
ginning at  the  head  of  Potato  Mine 
Creek,  on  the  Blue  Ridge,  thence 
southeastwardly  along  the  Blue  Ridge 
to  where  Cheewostoyeh  path  crosses 
said  ridge,  and  along  said  path  to  the 


388 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


head  branch  of  Frog:  Town  Creek,  and 
down  the  same  to  its  confluence  with 
Tahsantee;  thence  down  the  Chestotee 
River,  and  into  the  Chattahoochee  Riv- 
er, and  down  the  same  to  the  shallow 
wag:on  ford  on  said  river,  above  the 
standing:  Peach  Tree;  thence  westward 

along:  said  wagfon  road  leading  to  

Town,  to  where  it  crosses  Little  River, 
a  fork  of  the  Etowah  River,  and  down 
the  same  to  its  confluence  with  Etowah 
River,  and  down  the  same  in  a  direct 
course  to  a  larg:e  creek,  and  up  said 
creek  to  where  the  road  crosses  it  to 
the  opposite  side,  and  to  be  bounded 
by  the  Third  District. 

6— The  Sixth  District  shall  be  called 
by  the  name  Etowah,  and  be  bounded 
ar.  follows:  Begrinning:  on  the  Chat- 
tahoochee River,  at  the  shallow  wagon 
ford  on  said  river,  and  down  the  same 
to  the  Buzzard  Roost,  where  the  Creek 
and  Cherokee  boundary  line  intersects 
the  said  river;  thence  along  said  boun- 
dary line  westward  to  where  it  inter- 
sects Chinibee's  Trace,  and  to  be  bound- 
ed by  the  Fifth  and  Third  Districts, 
leaving  Thos.  Pettit's  family  in  Eto- 
wah  District. 

7— The  Seventh  District  shall  be 
known  by  the  name  of  Tahquohee,  and 
be    bounded     as     follows:       Beginning 


LEE  JEFFERSON  LANGLEY,  lawyer  and 
writer  whom  the  voters  of  Floyd  elected  to 
the    Legislature    Sept.    13,    1922. 


where  Col.  Houston's  boundary  line 
crosses  Slare's  Creek,  thence  along  said 
boundary  line  southeastwardly  to  the 
Unicoy  Turnpike  road,  and  along  said 
road  to  where  it  crosses  the  Hiwassee 
River,  in  the  Valley  Towns;  thence  a 
straight  course  to  the  head  source  of 
Coosa  Creek,  on  the  Blue  Ridge  above 
Cheewostoyeh,  and  along  said  ridge 
eastwardly,  where  the  Unicoy  Turn- 
pike road  crosses  it,  and  thence  a  di- 
rect course  to  the  head  source  of  Per- 
simmon Creek;  thence  down  the  same 
to  the  confluence  of  Tahsantee,  and 
with  the  Frog  Town  Creek;  and  to 
be  bound  by  the  Third,  Fourth  and 
Fifth    Districts. 

8— The  Eighth  District  shall  be 
known  by  the  name  of  Aquohee  and  be 
bounded  as  follows :  Beginning  where 
the  Seventh  District  intersects  the 
Blue  Ridge,  where  the  Unicoy  Turn- 
pike road  crosses  the  same,  thence 
along  said  line  to  the  confluence  of 
Nanteyalee  and  Little  Tennessee 
River;  thence  down  the  same  to  Tal- 
lassee  Village;  thence  along  said  boun- 
dary line  westwardly  to  where  it  in- 
tersects the  Unicoy  Turnpike  road, 
and  to  be  bounded  by  the  Seventh  Dis- 
trict. 

The  districts  were  to  hold  their 
councils    or    courts    as    follows: 

The  first  Mondays  in  May  and  Sep- 
tember for  Chickamaugee,  Coosewattee, 
Hickory  Log  and  Aquohee,  and  the  sec- 
ond Mondays  in  May  and  September 
for  Amoah,  Etowah  and  Tahuohee. 
(Challogee    was    omitted). 

It  would  appear  from  a  rough  trac- 
ing of  these  boundaries  that  the  fol- 
lowing places  would  be  included  as  set 
forth : 

First  District  (Chickamaugee)  :  Dal- 
ton,  Villanow,  Curryville,  Sugar  Val- 
ley, Floyd  Springs,  the  Pocket,  Chick- 
amauga,  LaFayette,  Rising  Fawn, 
Chattanooga,  Ooltewah,  Tenn.,  and  a 
few  towns  in  upper  DeKalb  and  east- 
ern Jackson  County,  Ala. 

Second  District  (Challoogee)  :  All  of 
Floyd  County  west  of  a  north-and- 
south  line  running  through  the  forks 
of  the  rivers  at  Rome:  South  Rome, 
East  Rome,  West  Rome,  Lindale,  Sil- 
ver Creek,  Cave  Spring,  Mt.  Berry, 
Armuchee,  Rice's  Spring,  Coosa,  Liv- 
ingston, etc.,  and  Cedartown;  all  of 
Chattooga  County  and  a  narrow  part 
of  lower  Walker  County;  all  of  Cher- 
okee, the  central  part  of  DeKalb  and 
the  upper  parts  of  Cleburne  and  Cal- 
houn   Counties,   Ala. 

Third    District     (Coosewattee)  :    The 


Encyclopedic  Section 


389 


main  part  of  Rome  between  the  rivers, 
and  all  the  towns  north  of  the  Etowah 
River  as  far  east  as  Cassville,  includ- 
\ng  Adairsville,  Barnsley  Gardens,  all 
of  Gordon  County  and  Murray  and 
such  of  Cohutta  Mountain  as  is  in  Gil- 
mer County. 

Fourth  District  (Amoah)  :  The 
smallest  section  of  the  eight,  lying 
north  of  the  First  District,  and  includ- 
ing practically  all  of  James  and  Brad- 
ley Counties,  Tenn.,  and  one-eighth  of 
Polk  in  the  western  part. 

Fifth  District  (Hickory  Log)  :  Car- 
tersville  and  the  eastern  third  of  Bar- 
tow County,  three-fourths  of  the  north- 
ern parts  of  Cherokee  and  Forsyth, 
and  one-fourth  of  the  northern  part 
of  Milton,  all  of  Pickens  and  Dawson 
Counties,  all  except  one-tenth,  the 
northwestern  corner  of  Gilmer;  the 
southern  part  of  Fannin,  the  southern 
tip  of  Union  and  the  western  half  of 
Lumpkin,  with  Dahlonega.  This  dis- 
trict follows  such  part  of  the  old  treaty 
boundary,  the  Chattahoochee  River,  as 
lies  north  of  the  shallow  ford  on  the 
river  in  the  lower  end  of  Forsyth  Coun- 
ty   northeastward    to    Dahlonega. 

Sixth  District  (Etowah)  :  All  that 
section  south  of  the  Etowah  and  north- 
west of  the  Chattahoochee,  including 
the  southeastern  section  of  Floyd  Coun- 
ty, Kingston  and  the  southwestern 
quarter  of  Bartow  County,  and  the 
eastern  half  of  Polk,  the  lower  tip  of 
Forsyth,  nearly  all  of  Milton,  the  lower 
fifth  of  Cherokee,  parts  of  Chambers, 
Cleburne  and  Randolph  Counties,  Ala., 
and  western  parts  of  Heard  and  Troup 
(to  West  Point),  and  all  of  the  coun- 
ties of  Cobb,  Paulding,  Haralson, 
Douglas,   and    Carroll   in    Georgia. 

Seventh  District  (Tahquohee)  :  Most 
of  Polk  County,  Tenn.,  the  lower  part 
of  Cherokee  and  the  southwestern  part 
of  Clay  in  North  Carolina,  the  north- 
ern half  of  Fannin  County,  the  east- 
ern half  of  Lumpkin,  northern  of  Hall, 
western  half  of  Towns  and  White,  and 
nearly  all  of  Union  in  Georgia. 

Eighth  District  (Aquohoe)  :  The 
northwestern  part  of  Habersham, 
eastern  half  of  Towns,  western  half  of 
Rabun,  Western  North  Carolina  west 
of  the  Little  Tennessee  River,  includ- 
ing most  of  Macon,  Clay  and  Chero- 
kee  Counties   in   North   (Carolina. 

In  general,  the  Cherokee  territory  at 
this  time  embraced  all  of  the  north- 
west portion  of  the  state,  known  as 
Cherokee  Georgia,  bounded  on  the 
southeast  by  the  Chattahoochee  River 
and  its  tributaries  in  Northeast  Geor- 
gia ;  the  southwestern  portion  of  North 


Carolina  as  far  east  as  the  Little  Ten- 
nessee River;  the  Southeastern  portion 
of  Tennessee  south  of  the  Hiawassee 
River  and  east  and  south  of  the  Ten- 
nessee, bordering  on  Fannin,  Murray, 
Whitfield,  Walker,  Catoosa  and  Dade 
Counties  in  Georgia;  and  westward  in 
Alabama  to  the  Tennessee  River  and 
Attalla  and  Gadsden  on  the  Coosa, 
and  thence  following  the  Cherokee- 
Creek  boundary  line  run  by  Wm.  Mc- 
intosh and  others,  and  then  Chinibee's 
Trace  and  the  Cherokee-Creek  line  to 
the  Chattahoochee  River  near  Colum- 
bus. 

INDIANS,  INDIVIDUAL.— Follow- 
ing is  a  list  of  Indians  who  composed 
part  of  the  mammoth  assemblage 
which  congregated  at  Running  Waters, 
near  Rome,  July  19,  20  and  21,  1835. 
By  consulting  the  list  of  Indian  dis- 
tricts and  the  towns  in  them,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  fix  approximately  the  local 
range  of  many  red. skins  and  identify 
the  "Rome  Indians,"  who  lived  in  Chal- 
loogee,  Chickamaugee,  Coosewattee  and 
Etowah  districts.  Little  Meat  is  known 
to  have  lived  at  Cave  Spring,  Wood- 
ward and  Ground  Mole  (or  Ground 
Hog)    at   Pinson    Station,   Tah-chan-sie 


ROBT  H  CLAGETT,  manaKing  editor  of  The 
Rome  News  and  a  constructive  force  in  the 
movement    for   a   bipKer   Rome. 


390 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


in  Floyd  near  Adairsville,  and  Wm. 
J.  Carter  ("Urekus"  or  "Wild  Cat") 
in    Sugar   Valley,   Gordon    County. 

District  of  Amoah. 


Wolf   Murphy 

Lame  Dave 

Sitting    Down 

T.   Foreman 

Thos.    Bigboy 

Dog 

Crowniocker 

N.    Sanders 

Going  Snake 

Mink  Watts 

Quart   Whisky 

Tesatesky 

Young   Duck 

Man-spoiler 

Sleeping  Deer 

Mouse 

In-the-water 

Four  Killer 

Pheasant 

Spade 

Outrunner 

Didapper 

Bark 

Chinubby 

Scraper 

Capt.  Watts 

Geo.  Fields 

Sign 

Rib 

Dew 

Dew-in-water 

Thief 

Wolf 

Young  Pup 

Woman   Killer 

Rambling 

Running  Wolf 

Shadow 

Turnover 

Elijah 

Mouse 

Deer-in-water 

Smoke 

Going-away 

Flint 

Sparrow  Hawl 


Knob 

Beaver   Toter 

Shadow 

Crowing  Chicken 

Turnabout 

Bullfrog 

Bridgemakcr 

Shoe 

Tail  Up 

Rock 

Thick  String 

War 

Bellows 

M.   Waters 

Squirrel 

Horsefly 

Crying  Wolf 

Tobacco 

Path-killer 

Housekeeper 

Beat-about 

Jos.    Foreman 

S.  Candy,  Sr. 

Jas.   Ross 

Cheater 

Geo.  Hicks 

Poor  Bear 

Musk  rat 

Waterbird 

Caesar 

Toad 

Hurricane 

Crazy 

Sapsucker 

Black  Fox 

Clamacre 

Hawk 

Treader 

July 

Pigeon 

Goose 

Soldier 

Chips 

Shell 

Jay  Hicks 
:         Jack   Bushyhead 
Bigmusle 


District   of  Aqnohee. 


Sweet  Water 
Jesse   Grass 
Young    Tui-key 
Spike  Buck 
Ned  Christy 
Lookout 
Nicoochi 

Bcar-Sitting-Down 
Going-back 
Lightning  Bug 
Daylight 
Bear  Drowned 
E.  Buffington 


Geo.  Blair 
Horse-fly 
Throw  It  Down 
Otterlifter 
Chunoaka 
Jno.    Christy 
Stooping  About 
Crawler 
Rising   Tower 
Ridge 
Bear   Meat 
Young    Chicken 
Mashabout 


Spring  Frog 

Axe 

Shoe 

Situaga 

Jno.    Rogers 

Catcher 

Dragging   Canal 

Waxie 

Old   Rabbit 

Bony 

Shot-bag 

Chulihaw 

Swinged 

Swimmer 

David    England 

Headout 

Lizard 

Grog 

District  of 
Chas.    H.    Vann 
Stephen  Harris 
Parch    Corn 
Uma-tois-ka 
Pigeon  Roost 
Oos-ca-wattie 
Arch   Campbell 
Eating-up 
G.    Baldridge 
F'ishtrap 
Twister 
Folly 

Manstanding 
Standing    Inside 
Hitinhead 
Leaking 
Razor 
Tallow 
Jno.   Rogers 
Big  Feather 
Money  Crier 
Robin  Brown 
Threadtoter 
Richard  Guess 
Going-to-sleep 
Jaybird 
Elijah    Moore 
Chewaga 
Geo.    Chambers 
Bear  Toat 
Stay-all-night 
Robbin 

Stephen  Foreman 
Wm.   Grimit 
Writer 
Natburntup 
Wagon 
Eataha 
Tran^ping 
Musk-melon 
Cornsilk 
Cabbage 
Spring  Frog 
Trunk 

James  Gunter 
Catcheni 
Thief 


Listening 

Crow 

Little   Dog 

Wm.   Foreman 

Jug 

Conazeen 

Snow  Bird 

Eagle 

Sofskie 

Overtaker 

Cloud 

Turnover 

Sent-for 

Duck 

Snakie 

Big  Head 

Fodder 

Cup 

Challoogee. 

Jim    Bear    Skin 

Raincrow 

Milk 

Robin  Baggs 

Snuga 

Jas.   Chambers 

Guess 

Log 

Four-killer 

Geo.  Sanders 

Laughatmush 

Torchtoter 

Garfish 

Kooiskooi 

Chickasaw 

Jumper 

Geo.    Campbell 

Runabout 

Ground  Hog 

Arch  Simpson 

Chas.  Justice 

Bat 

Turtle   Fields 

Dirtseller 

Raven 

D.   Raincrow 

Bread   Butter 

Owl 

Hair  Tied 

Beans    Pouch 

Thos.  Watts 

Screech-owl 

Six-Killer 

Wind 

Something 

Mushroom 

Sequata 

Mose   Lee 

Beavertail 

B.   B.   Wisner 

Lifter 

Bullbat 

Pat 

Fox   Frying 

Pay-up 

Jas.   Lusley 

Saml.    Gunter 


Encyclopedic  Section 


391 


Dew 

Beat-about 
J,  Spencer 
Jno.    Blackbird 


A.   Lowrv 
Bald  Head 
Bread 

Swallow 


Big  Dollar 
Dick    Benge 


Rich. 


Walegoolie 
Five   Killer 
Taylor,  Ja. 


Partridge 


District   of 
Thos.  Taylor 
Jno.   Vann 
Young  Glass 
Pathkiller 
Samuel   Buck 
Tarapin  Head 
T.  Rallinggourd 
Thos.    Manning 
Smoke 

James  Lowry 
Johnson  Murphy 
Doublehead 
Withcalooski 
Whirlwind 
Hawk 
Chinabi 
Manstriker 
Gander 
Shade 
Chuiska 
Scrapeskin 
Goodmoney 
Mole 

Red   Bird 
Peter 

Sitting   Bear 
Saquah 

Standing   Crane 
Big  Kittle 
Jas.   Taylor 

Sleeping  Rabbit 

Robt.    Benge 

Speaker 

Dick  Foreman 

Tanchichi 
Jas.   Taylor 

Tracker" 

Hunter   Langley 

Black    Fox 

Drowning   Bear 

Olisitunki 

Corntassle 

Arch  Lowry 

Rock 

Sparrowhawk 

Rustybelly 

Littlemeat 

Osulanah 

Alanitah 

Letusstop 

Horns 

Lion 

Blue  Bird 

Sooksarah 

Messenger 

Chichi 

Pelican 

Nath.    Hicks 

Dick   Taylor 

Levi   Timberlake 


Chickainangee. 
Tom    Fox 
Jas.  Sanders 
Otter 
Runabout 
Landseller 
Leaf 
Stump 

Crying   Wolf 
Spirit 

Chinaquayah 
Wash  Lowry 
Chilhowie 
Going  Snake 
Noonday 
Tyger 
Peacock 
Buzzard 
Otterlifter 
J.    Ratlinggourd 
Three    Killer 
Lewis   Bark 
Little  Barrow 
Turkeytoter 
Jas.    Brown 
Jno.    Baldridge 
Moses  Campbell 
Ned  Bark 
Singer 

Cold  weather 
Cloud 
Swan 

Sitting  Bear 
Robin 

Ta-chan-sie 
Canadawaski 
Watt 
Osage 

Chas.    Manning 
Chuit 
Ashhopper 
Fodder 
(Jrog 
Owl 
Key 

Scaffold 
Water   Lizai'd 
W.   Griffin 
Dreadfuhvater 
Big  Nose 
Wallace  Vann 
Eight  Killer 
N.    McDaniel 
Stud    Horse 
C.    Mcintosh 
Peach 
Zallowska 
Spring  Frog 
Jno.    Benge 
Sukatowie 
Bushyhead 


District  of 
Avery  Vann 
Collin  McDaniel 
Terrapin   Striker 
Daylight 
John    Wayne 
Mortar 
Baesling 
Ga-Ta-la-na 
Tailor 

Chu-no-lus-ka 
Fool 

Housekeeper 
Turkey 

Tom    Gillespie 
Walter  Ridge 
Isaac 

John   Ridge 
Matthew  Moore 
Harry    Scott 
Bear"  Meat 
Edward  Adair 


Coosewattee. 
Money  Sealer 
Hang   Foot 
Wm.    Lowry 
Chow-send 
Doing-so 
Ta-es-kee 
Stand  Watie 
Jim-Six-Killer 
Huckleberry 
Carnton    Hicks 
Standing 
John   Watie 
Wat  Liver 
Two    Heads 
By-him-self 
Ground   Hog 
In-the.field 
Oo-tata-ti 
Six-Killer 
Turn    Over 
Major  Ridge 


District    of    Etowah     (Hightower) 


Leach 

Take    After 

You-as-so-walta 

Armup 

Ice 


Goy-a-chesa 

Crawfish 

Shutter 

Moses 

Boiled-down 


GEO.  M.  BATTKY,  .)K..  a.ssociate  editor  of 
The  Rome  News  and  author  of  "A  History 
of    Rome    &    Floyd    County." 


392 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


Peach  Shooter 

Cow-e-chur-kah 

Pumpkinpie 

Pound-it-over 

Handshaker 

Let-it-fall 

Ground    Hog 

John    Wayne 

John    Eliot 

Flax    Bird 

Walte   Gutte 

Seed 

Talassee 

Chippie 

Grapes 

Big:  Tongue 

Buffalo-fish 

Pouch    Laugher 

Epaw-wessus 

Melter 

Catch-him 

Standing  Wolf 

Red   Bird 

Water  Hunter 

Push-off 

Jack  West 

Frozen  Foot 

Eagle   Setting 

Swinger 

Viper 

Thos.   Petit 


Lets-hunt-em 

Bundle 

Little   Deer 

White    Path 

Bran 

Humming  Bird 

Seen-them 

Walking  Stick 

Bird    Hunter 

Shell 

Big  Burn 

Catcher 

Nelson  West 

Fog 

Chu-no-ha-ha 

Bone-carrier 

Smallwood 

Guts 

Gusty 

Little  Terrapin 

Woman   Killer 

Knitts 

Kick-up 

Wah-hatchie 

Bushy 

Pipe 

Stee-kee 

Corn   Silk 

Hairy-Breast 

Rib 

Dirt-Thrower 


Samuel  Mayo 
District  of  Hickory  Log. 


Buffalo    Pouch 

Goodman 

C.    S.    Adair 

Takingout 

Teacher 

Take-out-beans 

Blanket 

Eye 

Chin 

B.   F.    Adair 

Walkingstick 

Dirtpot 

Sparrow  Hawk 

G.    M.    Walters 

Crying    Bear 

Swimmer 

Humming  Bird 

Mixture 

Flying  Fish 

John   Proctor 

Spaniard 

Spy 

Fallingpot 
Climbing 
Jim  Proctor 
Walter    Daniel 
Goodgals 
Rattling  Gourd 
Big  Boy 
Pushim 

Mose   Drowning 
Jas 


Blackhorse 

Cotton 

Jack  Winn 

Tobacco   Purse 

Wm.  Rogers 

Sampson 

Bird   Cutter 

Tassle 

Raining 

Falling 

Dirty-belly 

N of ire 

Hawk 

Guess 

Capsou 

Prince 

Takeitout 

Santaga 

Geo.   Still 

Eel 

Drawer 

Bean 

Luck 

E.   Towns 

Naked 

Stop 

Beginning 

Mink 

Doghead 

Pincheater 

Trash  Gatherer 

Daniel 


District 

Bunchlegs 

Hogfish 

Mistake 

Flaxbird 

Raincrow 

Hogshooter 

Biter 

Ear 

Little  Bone 


of  Tahquohee. 
Whip 
Spirit 
Cat 
Getup 

John  Rogers 
Kinkyhead 
Knockmi 
Buzzard 
Rising  Fawn 


Miscellaneous. 
D  J.  Hook,  Turkey  Town;  J.  Saun- 
ders, Tallonev;  A.  Ratley,  Teu  River; 
Jno.  Adair,  Oothcalouga;  Jos.  Rogers, 
Sawana;  Ezekiel  Fields,  Teu  River; 
A  Adair,  Oothcalouga;  R.  Rogers,  Sa- 
wana; Jas.  Vann,  Talloha;  Johnson 
Thompson,  Pine  Log;  B.  F.  Thompson, 
Sala  Coa;  J.  F.  Adair,  Two  Run; 
Wastuwaha,  Old  Town;  Jas.  McNair, 
Connasauga;  D.  Foreman  Candy 
Creek;  Stephen  Ray,  Candy  Creek; 
J  Rogers,  Chattahoochee;  Jack  bour- 
mush.  Two  Run;  J.  L.  McKay  Will  s 
Valley;  Elijah  Hicks,  New  Echota; 
Black  Fox,  Oothcalouga;  Henderson 
Harris,  Forks  of  Coosa;  D.  McCoy, 
Red  Clay;  Willy  Bigby,  Candy's  Creek; 
J  A.Thompson,  Pine  Log;  bird  Hai- 
ris,  Sawana;  Jno.  Fields,  Sr.,  Turnip 
Mountain;  John  Williams,  Rock 
Creek;  Geo.  Candy,  Mouse  Creek;  G. 
W  Adair,  Sala  Coa;  J.  C.  Towers, 
Oothcalouga;  Jas.  Vann,  Connasauga; 
Jno.  Blvthe,  Long  Savannah;  C.  Mc- 
Nair, Connasauga;  Yese-taes-a,  iur- 
nip  Mountain. 

;■:  *  * 

INDIAN  TRAILS,  ROADS  AND 
STAGES.— Most  of  the  Indian  ti-ails 
of  Cherokee  Georgia  have  been  oblit- 
erated or  swallowed  up  in  the  improved 
roadways  of  today.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  nineteenth  century  the  so-called 
Federal  Road  was  built  from  Tennes- 
see through  sections  of  Georgia.  This 
is  mentioned  as  part  of  the  route  of 
Gen.  Sherman's  army  on  its  march 
from  Resaca  to  Bartow  County  m  1864, 
and  now  and  then  there  are  other  ref- 
erences to  it,  notably  by  the  Indians. 
Quite  possibly  it  passed  near  Dalton 
and  generally  followed  the  route  of  the 
Western  and  Atlantic  Railroad. 

Mrs  J  L.  Walker,  of  Waycross, 
contributes  the  following  on  certain 
old  trails  and  roads: 

"There  is  rich  romance  linking  Geor- 
gia's old  roads  and  trails  with  the  dim 
past,  for  many  of  them  ran  by  the  cu- 
riously-gabled villages  that  dotted  the 
countryside,  and  the  huts  of  priests  and 
the  wigwams  of  the  Indians  were  seen 
along  the  way. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


393 


"The  possessions  of  most  of  the  early 
settlers  consisted  of  a  few  acres  of 
cleared  g'round,  a  log  hut  and  a  wife 
and  children.  The  lives  of  the  pioneers 
were  filled  with  thrilling  experiences, 
and  the  wives  were  quite  as  brave.  The 
existence  of  the  women  was  anything 
but  peaceful,  for  while  the  men  worked 
in  the  fields  they  guarded  every  inch  of 
the  gi'ound  close  around  the  home. 
Tragedies  were  common;  the  trusty 
rifles  were  often  taken  down  from 
above  the  door  to  bag  a  wild  cat,  an 
Indian  or  a  bear.  When  the  men  went 
to  town,  the  women  and  children  usual- 
ly had  to  go  too  because  of  fear  of  wild 
beasts  and  Indians,  and  together  they 
traveled  the  old  trails. 

"In  the  lives  of  stage  coach  trav- 
elers, stopping  places  were  quite  im- 
portant. Taverns  and  post  houses  were 
a  necessity,  because  horses  had  to  be 
changed  and  travelers  rested  and  fed. 

"The  Blue  Pond  road  in  Floyd  Coun- 
ty followed  the  Coosa  River  into  Ala- 
bama and  on  to  Sand  Mountain.  This 
was  named  after  Blue  Pond,  in  Ala- 
bama, and  probably  corresponds  to  the 
Alabama  road  of  today.  Earlier  it  was 
known  as  the  Creek  path,  after  the 
Creek  Indians  of  Alabama  and  Geor- 
gia. 

"Oostanaula  or  Hightower  Path  ran 
eastward  from  Alabama  along  the 
northern  boundary  line  between  the 
Creeks  and  the  Cherokees,  as  fixed  by 
Gen.  Coffee  in  1830.  It  crossed  Shallow 
Ford  on  a  tributary  of  the  Etowah  in 
the  upper  northwest  corner  of  Cobb 
County,  near  Acworth ;  passed  through 
Marietta,  the  northern  ends  of  Fulton 
and  DeKalb  Counties ;  through  Dun- 
woody,  Norcross,  Cross  Keys  and  into 
Gwinnett  County  and  Bay  Creek  in 
Walton ;  through  Logansville  and 
crossed  into  Oconee  County  via  High 
Shoals;  through  Watkinsville;  and 
thence  over  the  Oconee  River  into 
Clarke  County  and  Athens. 

"Etowah  Path  led  from  the  village 
of  Two  Runs,  in  the  southern  ))art  of 
Gordon  County,  to  Suwanee  Old  Town 
in   Lumpkin    County. 

"The  chief  north-south  stage  route 
was  from  Milledgevillc,  then  the  capi- 
tal of  Georgia,  to  Nickajack,  Tenn., 
near  the  Ga. -Ala. -Tenn.  "corner," 
and  a  branch  connected  with  Rome.  At 
Eatonton  there  was  another  branch 
to  Athens,  via  Madison.  If  the  traveler 
wished  to  go  by  Athens  on  the  way 
from  Milledgeville  to  Nickajuck  he 
must  travel  2.55  miles,  striking  Vann's 
F'erry  (on  the  Chattahoochee  River  in 
Hall  County),  Blackburn's   (on  Etowah 


River),  Etowah  and  Coosawattee 
Town.  Weekly  stages  were  run  from 
Milledgeville  to  Athens  and  reverse, 
and  the  fare  was   $6.25." 

Sherwood's  Gazetteer  (1829)  tabu- 
lates the  Milledgeville-Nickajack  route 
as  follows: 

Miles. 

Milledgeville  to   Eatonton  21  lA 

Eatonton  to   Madison   22 

Madison    to    Athens    2714 

Athens  to   Vann's  Ferry  47 

Vann's      Ferry      to      Blackburn's 

Ferry 20 

Blackburn's     to     Harnage     Ford 

on   Long  Swamp   Creek  15 

Harnage's  to  Coosawattee  Town     28 
Coosawattee       Town       to       Mrs. 

Scott's    34 

Mrs.  Scott's  to  Daniel  Ross'  18 

Daniel  Ross'  to  Willson's  at  Nick- 
ajack    22 

Total    255 

The  stage  started  from  Milledge- 
ville on  Tuesdays  for  Athens  and  re- 
turned on  Saturdays.  A  few  miles 
might  be  saved  on  the  way  to  Nicka- 
jack by  leaving  Athens  on  the  right 
and  passing  through  Clarkesborough, 
Jackson   County.   The   Gazetteer   states 


WM.  SINCLAIR  R0W?:LL.  referee  in  bank- 
ruptcy, editor  of  The  Tribune-Herald  and 
Kiwanis    Club    member. 


394 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


FEDERAL  AGENTS   AND   A   "MOONSHINE"    STILL,   1921. 


that  Vann's  Ferry,  11  miles  west  of 
Gainesville,  Hall  County,  was  on  the 
Federal  road. 

An  old  Rome  newspaper  stated  that 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  M.  Caldwell  put 
up  at  the  McEntee  House,  Broad 
street,  Rome,  in  February,  1845,  hav- 
ing arrived  by  the  Covington  stage. 

*  *  :!: 

INTERNATIONAL  ORDER  OF 
GOOD  TEMPLARS.— Shortly  after 
the  Civil  War  a  number  of  lodges  of 
this  organization,  founded  by  James 
G.  Thrower,  of  Atlanta,  were  estab- 
lished at  Rome,  and  included  many  of 
the  Hill  City's  leading  men  who  were 
opposed  to  liquor.  Among  the  local 
units  were  Sacred  Promise  Lodge  No. 
125,  headed  by  C.  G.  Samuel;  Forrest- 
ville  Lodge  No.  106,  and  Mothers'  Hope 
Temple  No.  14.  Among  the  leaders 
were  Judge  Waller  T.  Turnbull,  Rev. 
L.  R.  Gwaltney,  Major  Z.  B.  Hargrove, 
Judge  J.  W.  H.  Underwood,  Judge  Joel 
Branham,  Dunlap  Scott,  Col.  Thos.  W. 
Alexander  and  Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill 
Arp").  The  Cold  Water  Temple  w 
composed  of  young  men,  with  W.  R. 
Fenner  as  secretary.  "Water  only!" 
was  its  motto.  The  Grand  Lodge*  of 
Georgia  convention  was  held  at  Rome 
Oct.  9,  1872,  and  more  than  200  lodges 
wei-e  represented. 

On  June  6,  18G0,  a  local  organiza- 
tion known  as  the  Sons  of  Temperance 
held  a  meeting  at  Rome.  Chas.  H 
Smith  was  president,  and  the  other  of- 
ficers were  J.  H.  McClung,  G.  B.  T. 
Moore,  R.  Ferdinand  Hutchings,  R.  W. 
Echols,  W.  Ai.  Barron  and  T.  W. 
Swank. 

In  spite  of  the  refusal  of  this  noble 
handful  to  drink,  Rome's  barrooms  con- 


tinued to  multiply,  until  in  1900  there 
were  thirteen  on  Broad  Street,  or  an 
average  of  one  for  each  block.  Soon 
thereafter  for  a  few  years,  due  to  the 
efforts  of  Seaborn  Wright  and  others, 
the  barrooms  were  voted  out  and  a 
dispensary  put  in.  "Package  goods" 
were  passed  out  from  the  east  side  of 
Broad  Street  midway  between  Third 
and  Fourth   Avenues. 

The  following  additional  general  in- 
formation is  furnished  by  one  of  the 
prohibitionists: 

The  prohibition  bill  was  passed  by 
the  Georgia  Senate  July  14,  1907,  by  a 
vote  of  34  to  7;  in  the  House  it  pas' 
July  31  by  a  vote  of  139  to  39.  Gov- 
Hoke  Smith  signed  the  bill  on  the  31st, 
declaring  "This  is  the  happiest  day  of 
my  life!" 

LAKES  AND  PONDS.  —  While 
there  are  no  lakes  of  size  in  Floyd 
County,  there  are  a  number  of  bodies 
of  water  that  furnish  sport  in  sum- 
mer for  boaters,  bathers  and  fisher- 
men, among  which  may  be  mentioned : 

DeSoto  (Mobley  Park)  lake,  which 
is  to  be  enlarged  for  the  boys  of  the 
Darlington  school. 

Updegrove  lake,  Armuchee  Creek, 
near   the    Dalton   road. 

Wright  &  Powers'  lake,  Calhoun 
road,  one  mile  north  of  the  city  limits 
of    North    Rome. 

Young's  mill  pond,  Kingston  road, 
eight  miles  northeast  of  Rome. 

Hackney's  pond,  half  a  mile  north  of 
Big  Dry  Creek,  on  the  Summerville 
Road. 

"Woodstock"    lake,  two   miles    south- 


Encyclopedic  Sectiop 


395 


t 


-JS^ 


4 


GEORGIA'S  FIRST  GOVERNOR  AND  A  "POET  LAUREATE.  " 

At   left,    James   Edward    Oglethorpe,    leader   who    established    the    colony,    and    Sidney 
Lanier,    whose    verse    won    him    world-wide    fame. 


west  of  Cave  Spring,  on  a  place  once 
owned  by  the  parents  of  Col.  Francis 
S.  Bartow. 

"Talalah"  lake,  between  "Wood- 
stock" and  Cave  Spring,  the  property 
of  Robt.  Swain  Perry,  of  Philadelphia. 

Rotary  lake,  Horseleg  Creek,  Shor- 
ter College,  the  dam  of  which  was  do- 
nated by  the  Rotary  Club  of  Rome. 

Berry  School  lake,  on  the  Berry  cam- 
pus. 

The  Mountain  Farm  School  lake, 
also  on  the  Berry  grounds  at  the  foot 
of  Lavender  Mountain. 

Sullivan  pond,  on  the  John  M.  Gra- 
ham place,  "Hillcrest,"  East  Rome, 
near  Silver  Creek. 

Crystal  Springs  Mill  pond,  Armu- 
chee  Creek. 

The  Tarvin  pond,  at  Carlier  Springs, 
two   miles   east  of   Rome. 

Jas.  P.  Jones'  lake,  below  Black's 
Bluff. 

There  is  a  natural  fish  pond  three 
miles  north  of  the  court  house  on  the 
Kingston  road,  owned  by  Mitchell  Mo- 
ran  (col.),  6.5  years  of  age  and  a 
great-grandfather,  and  a  resident  of 
Floyd  County  for  37  years.  The  pond 
is  fringed  with  trees  and  is  an  acre 
and  a  half  large.  It  is  fed  by  two 
springs  at  the  north  end;  there  is  no 
visible  outlet,  and  it  is  supposed  the 
water  goes  underground  to  the  p]towah 
River.  The  pond  is  stocked  with  small 
fish — mainly  bass  —  and  Mitchell 
charges  folks  a  quarter  to  catch  all 
they  can. 


W.  A.  Smith  has  a  pond  at  1920  N. 
Broad   Street. 

A  number  of  others  might  be  men- 
tioned which  are  not  much  more  than 
puddles.  A  few  which  are  well  re- 
membered to  skaters  in  winter  and 
fishermen  in  summer  have  dried  up, 
notably  a  large  pond  in  East  Rome 
near  Silver  Creek,  between  the  Anchor 
Duck  Mill  and  the  Etowah  River,  and 
a  pond  in  North  Rome  drained  in  1864 
by   the    Northern    army. 

Dr.  Jno.  F.  Lawrence  is  planning  a 
pond  at  "Glen  Alto,"  his  country  de- 
velopment at  Radio  Springs,  Coosa 
River  road,  and  several  others  expect 
to  dam  up  their  streams  so  as  to  make 
places  for  year-round  pleasure  on  an 
adequate  scale. 

LANIER  CIRCLE.— This  literary 
and  musical  organization,  like  the 
Round  Table  Club  of  before  the  Civil 
War,  was  established  on  old  Shorter 
College  Hill.  A  newspaper  clipping 
from  The  Rome  Tribune  of  May  1, 
1895,  gives  the  officers  as  follows:  Dr. 
A.  J.  Battle,  president  of  Shorter  Col- 
lege, president;  Miss  Mabel  Hillyer, 
vice-president;  Miss  Martha  Berry, 
treasurer,  and  Mrs.  Christopher  Row- 
ell,  secretary. 

The  Circle  was  named  after  Sidney 
Lanier,  poetical  song  bird  of  the  South, 
and  Montgomery  M.  FoLsom,  the  Rome 
poet,  wrote  a  clever  poem  to  Lanier 
and  presented  it  to  the  club.  Since 
Lanier  had  once  said  he  considered 
music    and    warm    fire,    next    to    wife, 


396 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


children,  a  house  and  friends,  essen- 
tial to  home  life,  music  was  introduced 
under  the  drection  of  Mrs.  W.  S.  Mc- 
Henry,  and  the  rest  of  each  evening's 
program  was  devoted  to  literary  pa- 
pers and  discussions.  Mrs.  Jno.  H. 
Reynolds  and  other  leading  Rome  wom- 
en used  to  belong  to  the  Circle,  and 
many  pleasant  and  profitable  sessions 
were  held,  until  interest  that  had  been 
devoted  to  it  gradually  diffused  and 
flowed — alas! — into  various  enterprises 
less  devoted  to  aestheticism. 
*     *     * 

LeHARDY  springs.— Some  con- 
fusion arises  between  this  term  and 
the  term  "Carlier  Springs."  The  place 
three  miles  east  of  Rome  commonly 
known  as  "Carlier  Springs,"  was  own- 
ed by  Gen.  L.  J.  B.  LeHardy  and  his 
son  Camille  LeHardy,  but  Louis  Henry 
Carlier  kept  it  during  the  Civil  War. 
J.  Paul  Cooper  offers  the  following 
explanation: 

"Eugene  LeHardy  bought  the  planta- 
tion afterward  owned  by  Dr.  G.  W. 
Holmes,  consisting  of  three  land  lots, 
on  part  of  which  I  now  live.  The  spring 
itself  was  on  another  land  lot,  original, 
ly  belonging  to  the  plantation  which 
the  East  Rome  Town  Company  bought 
and  developed.     Before  that  purchase. 


EUGENE  LeHARDY  de  BEAULIEU,  of 
Rome's  BelKian  colony,  who  went  to  Europe 
to    buy    supplies    for    the    Confederate    Army. 


however,  the  owner  of  that  plantation 
had  exchanged  a  corner  lot,  amounting 
to  five  acres,  containing  the  spring, 
giving  it  to  LeHardy  in  return  for 
about  the  same  area  lying  in  one  of 
LeHardy's  lots  up  toward  Tubbs' 
Mountain.  There  is  the  small  spring 
now  owned  by  Dick  Cothran.  All  this 
appears   from  the   county  records. 

"Colonel  LeHardy  had  at  that  time, 
so  far  as  I  know,  only  a  log  cabin,  built 
on  the  hill  almost  exactly  where  my 
house  is  located,  and  not  where  Martin 
Grahame  afterward  built.  There  was 
a  tenant  house  between  LeHardy's  set- 
tlement and  the  spring,  in  my  boy- 
hood days,  though  whether  it  existed 
there  in  LeHardy's  time  I  do  not  know. 
It  was  occupied  by  Pete  Cato,  and  near 
that  spot  Martin  Grahame  built  his 
house.  The  old  cabin  had  burned  and 
the  place  grown  up  in  young  timber 
before  I  bought  the  land  on  which  I 
live.  The  scars  of  the  burning,  how- 
ever, were  on  the  trees  which  stood 
near  my  first  residence,  one  of  them 
having  closed  over  and  been  occupied 
by  a  swarm  of  wild  bees.  I  found  near 
the  place  where  the  old  cabin  stood  a 
sweet  briar  rose,  evidently  planted 
there  by  LeHardy.  A  small  root  of  it 
is  still  growing  on  the  place." 

Dr.  Henry  LeHardy,  of  Chattanoo- 
ga, writes: 

"As  well  as  I  remember,  my  father. 
Gen.  L.  J.  B.  LeHardy,  owned  two  lots 
of  land,  on  the  Spring  Creek  road, 
about  three  miles  east  of  Rome.  The 
spring  was  a  large  one,  "lowing  be- 
tween some  big  rocks,  and  was  sit- 
uated in  a  fine  grove  of  tiees — oaks, 
hickories,  sweet  gums  and  cedars.  Eu- 
gene LeHardy  owned  a  farm  some- 
where between  Rome  and  my  father's 
plantation.  I  never  saw  his  farm  and 
could  not  say  what  kind  of  a  spring 
was  there.  My  father's  spring  was 
known  to  us  as  LeHardy's  and  is  the 
one  that  is  often  called  the  'Carlier 
Spring.'"    (See    Carlier    Springs). 

LOCAL    NEIGHBORHOODS.— Col- 

loquial  terms  have  been  applied  to  a 
number  of  sections  of  Floyd  County. 
Before  the  war  there  were  regularly 
organized  voting  districts  known  as 
Wolf  Skin  and  Dirt  Town,  which  later 
bore  more  dignified  titles. 

Booger  Hollow  is  about  two  miles 
south   of   Lindale. 

Lick  Skillet  is  a  part  of  South  Rome. 

Pop  Skull  is  on  the  Alabama  road, 
west  of  Oak  Park  and  Faii'banks. 

Possum  Trot  is  between  the  Berry 
School  buildings   and   the  foot  of   Lav- 


Encyclopedic  SEcrior 


397 


ender  Mountain,  on  the  Berry  farm. 

Tim-buck-too  is  on  the  Calhoun  road 
adjoining  the  city  limits  in  North 
Rome. 

Blue  Gizzard  and  Beef  Tongue  are 
neighborhoods   in   Texas   Valley. 

Chubbtown  is  a  settlement  of  pros- 
perous and  respectable  negroes  four 
miles  southeast  of  Cave  Spring,  at  the 
Polk  County  line. 

Hell's  Hollow  (now  sometimes  called 
Reservoir  Hollow)  is  a  colored  section 
200  yards  north  of  Ninth  Avenue, 
three  blocks  above  the  old  Seventh  Ave- 
nue cemetery. 

Beaver  Slide  is  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Oostanaula  River  in  the  Fourth 
Ward,  above  the  Fifth  Avenue  bridge; 
bounded  on  the  west  by  Avenue  A. 

Goat  Hill  got  its  name  from  a  herd 
of  goats  and  is  situated  in  East  Rome, 
near    Carlier    Springs. 

Blossom  Hill  is  one  of  the  principal 
colored  residence  sections  of  Rome.  It 
is  an  eminence  that  affords  a  fine  view 
of  the  surrounding  country,  and  is  in 
the  path  of  real  estate  development  to 
the  north.  It  is  several  blocks  north 
of  Eighth  Avenue. 

MAYORS  OF  ROME. 
Explanatory  Note. — Rome  was  in- 
corporated Dec.  21,  1847,  by  act  of  the 
Georgia  Legislature  at  Milledgeville, 
and  it  is  certain  that  the  city  govern- 
ment was  not  set  up  much  before  1849. 
Prior  to  this  time — from  and  after 
1835,  when  the  town  was  established — 
the  "intendant"  (superintendent)  and 
the  town  marshal  held  undisputed 
sway.  There  is  some  question  as  to 
who  certain  of  the  mayors  were  before 
the  Civil  War,  since  various  records 
were  destroyed  by  fire  and  the  names 
were  never  replaced.  However,  the  fol- 
lowing roster,  perfected  by  various 
"old  settlers,"  is  believed  to  be  the 
nearest  approach  to  a  complete  list  in 
existence.  According  to  Virgil  A. 
Stewart,  one  of  Rome's  oldest  citizens, 
the  first  mayor  was  Dr.  J.  D.  Dicker- 
son,  a  druggist,  who  came  from  New 
Orleans,  La.,  and  who  returned  thei'e 
later.  Others  have  made  the  same 
statement,  and  their  version  is  accept- 
ed in  preference  to  that  of  an  individ- 
ual who  claims  the  distinction  for  Wm. 
Cook  Gautier  Johnstone  (better  known 
as  Wm.  Johnstone),  a  merchant  and 
banker.  Henry  A.  Gartrell  was  mayor 
in  1860.  He  ran  against  Geo.  P.  Bur- 
nett in  1859  and  it  is  believed  was 
elected.  At  33  years  of  age  Thos.  W. 
Lipscomb      became      Rome's      youngest 


mayor,  in  1908.  Ben  C.  Yancey  was 
second  youngest  at  35  in  1912,  and  he 
is  said  to  have  been  the  only  native- 
born  mayor  Rome  has  ever  had.  Sam 
and  Jack  King,  however,  were  natives 
of  Floyd  County.  The  commission 
form  of  government  was  instituted  in 
1915  and  the  late  W.  M.  Gammon  be- 
came the  first  head  of  the  City  Com- 
mission. During  part  of  1863  Capt. 
Jacob  H.  Hoss  served  as  military  "gov- 
ernor"   for    the    Confederacy. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Dickerson,  1849-50;  Jas.  P. 
Perkins,  1851 ;  Nathan  Yarbrough, 
1852;  1853 (?);  Wm.  C.  G.  Johnstone, 
1854(7);  1855(?);  1856(?);  Robt.  D. 
Harvey,  1857;  J.  M.  Sumter,  1858(?); 
Henry  A.  Gartrell,  1859(7);  Henrv  A. 
Gartrell,  1860;  Dr.  Thos.  Jefferson 
Word,  1861-2;  Dr.  Jno.  M.  Gregory 
and  Capt.  Jacob  H.  Hoss,  C.  S.  A., 
1863;  Geo.  P.  Burnett,  1864;  Jas.  No- 
ble, Jr.,  1865;  Daniel  S.  Printup,  1866; 
Chas.  H.  Smith,  1867-8;  Zachariah  B. 
Hargrove,  1869;  Henry  A.  Smith, 
1870-1;  Hugh  Dickson  Cothran,  Sr., 
1872;  W.  F.  Ayer,  1873-4;  Judge  Jas. 
M.  Spullock,  1875;  Thos.  W.  Alexan. 
der,  1876-7;  Mitchell  A.  Nevin,  1878- 
79-80;  Samuel  Morgan,  1881;  Jas.  G. 
Dailev,  1882;  Daniel  S.  Printup,  1883; 
Jack  King,  1884-5;  Samuel  M.  Knox, 
1886-7;  W.  F.  Ayer,  1888-89;  Almeron 
W.  Walton,  1890-1;  Samuel  S.  King. 
1892-3;  Jno.  D.  Moore,  1894-5;  Samuel 
S.  King,  1896-7;  Jno.  J.  Seay,  1898-9; 
Thompson  Hiles,  1900-1;  J.  Dave 
Hanks,  1902-3;  Chas.  H.  Lavender, 
1904-5;  Judge  Jno.  W.  Maddox,  1906- 
7;  Thos.  W.  Lipscomb,  1908-10;  J.  W. 
Hancock,  1911-12;  Benj.  C.  Yancey, 
1912-13;  J.   Dave  Hanks,  1914. 

The  "First  Commissoners."  —  W. 
M.  Gammon,  1915;  Chas.  S.  Pru- 
den,    1916;    D.    W.    Simmons,    1917-18. 

Chairmen  of  Commissions — Jno.  M. 
Vandiver,  1919;  Isaac  May,  1920;  Er- 
nest   E.    Lindsey,    1921-2    (incumbent). 

Mayoi-ft  and  Cou.ncilmoi,  1866-1894. 
(From  Tribune  clipping  of  1894.)  — 
The  first  mayor  after  the  war  was 
James  Noble,  Jr.,  who  served  in  that 
capacity  in  18(55. 

In  1866,  Daniel  S.  Printup  was 
mayor,  and  the  following  were  his 
councilmen:  Jesse  Lamberth,  T.  J. 
Perry,  Samuel  Gibbons,  J.  H.  Cooper, 
Sam  Noble  and  John  M.  Quinii;  H.  \. 
Smith   was   clerk. 

In  1867-68.  Chas.  H.  Smith  (Hill 
Arp)  was  mayor  and  Messrs.  Lam- 
berth, Perry,  Jas.  Noble,  Sr.,  D.  M. 
Hood,  J.  W.  Hooper,  Jr.,  and  J.  C. 
Pemberton  were  councilmen. 


398 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


Major  Z.  B.  Hargri-ove  was  mayor  in 
1869.  In  that  year  T.  J.  Perry/C.  H. 
Smith,  J.  C.  Rawlins,  Jas.  Noble,  J. 
M.  Grep:ory  and  J.  J.  Cohen  were  the 
councilmen. 

Henry  A.  Smith  was  mayor  in  1870- 
1871.  and  Hup:h  Dickson  Cothran,  Sr., 
in  1872. 

In  1873,  Major  W.  F.  Ayer  was 
mayor  and  G.  W.  Holmes,  T.  McGuire, 
R.  V.  Mitchell,  W.  L.  Whitely  and  A. 
T.  Hardin  were  councilmen;  Henry 
Norton  was  clerk. 

Major  Ayer  was  also  mayor  in  1874 
and  had  with  him  the  following  coun- 
cilmen: T.  McGuire,  R.  V.  Mitchell 
C.  H.  Smith,  C.  G.  Samuel,  J.  E.  Veal 
and  R.  J.  Gwaltney;  J.  F.  Shanklin 
was  clerk. 

J.  M.  Spullock  was  mayor  in  1875. 
Jesse  Lamberth,  J.  G.  Dailey,  W.  M. 
Shropshire,  Geo.  Bowen,  J.  *L.  Camp 
and  Wm.  West  were  councilmen.  J. 
W.  Meakin  was  elected  councilman 
during  this  year  to  fill  an  unexpired 
term. 

In  1876  the  council  was  composed  of 
T.  W.  Alexander,  mayor;  R.  S.  Norton, 
J.  G.  Dailey,  Wm.  West,  J.  C.  Raw- 
lins, J.  W.  Bones  and  J.  W.  Meakin. 
J.  F.  Shanklin  was  clerk.  This  was 
the  council  that  issued  the  bonds  which 
are  soon  to  be  redeemed. 

In  1877,  T.  W.  Alexander  remained 
as  mayor,  with  the  same  council  except 
that  Messrs.  Frank  Woodruff  and  W. 
F.  Ayer  succeeded  Messrs.  Dailey  and 
Meakin. 

City  Clerk  M.  A.  Nevin  was  elected 
mayor  in  1878  with  the  following 
strong  council:  J.  G.  Dailev,  C.  T. 
Clements,  Jas.  Noble,  Halstead  Smith, 
John  J.  Seay  and  T.  J.  Williamson. 
W.  W.   Seay  was  the  clerk. 

This  council  served  until  1880,  when 
Mayor  Nevin  was  again  re-elected  with 
the  following  council:  T.  J.  William- 
son, Jas.  Noble,  P.  H.  Hardin.  E.  H. 
West,  Jack  King  and  W.  L.  Whitely. 

In  1881  Major  Sam  Morgan  was 
elected  mayor  and  Messrs.  Jas.  Noble, 
E.  H.  West,  T.  J.  Williamson,  M.  M. 
Pepper,  W.  M.  Towers  and  J.  W.  Wil- 
liams were  elected  councilmen.  This 
council  elected  Col.  Nevin  clerk,  and  he 
has  served  in  that  capacity  down  to  the 
present  day. 

J.  G.  Dailey  was  the  mayor  in  1882, 
and  with  Judge  Dailey  were  James 
Wyatt,  R.  A.  Denny,  R.  T.  Hargrove, 
Joe  Printup,  R.  H.  West  and  F.  Wood- 
rrff  as  councilmen. 

Col.  D.  S.  Printup  was  mayor  in 
1883,   and  J.    F.    Shanklin,   Jack   King, 


R.  A.  Denny,  R.  T.  Hargrove,  Sam 
Knox  and  A.  W.  Walton  were  the 
councilmen. 

Jack  King  was  mayor  in  1884.  Mr. 
King  had  as  his  council  W.  H.  Ward- 
law,  W.  H.  Adkins,  M.  C.  Mathis,  S. 
M.  Knox,  C.  T.  Clements  and  R.  T. 
Hargrove.  Mr.  Hargrove  resigned  and 
W.  T.  McWilliams  was  elected  to  fill 
his   unexpired   term. 

In  1884  the  charter  was  so  changed 
that  councilmen  and  mayors  were  to 
serve  two  years  and  could  not  succeed 
themselves.  The  following  year  Mayor 
King  and  Councilmen  Adkins,  Knox 
and  McWilliams  retained  their  posi- 
tions and  Messrs.  T.  J.  Williamson,  W. 
M.  Towers  and  H.  S.  Lansdell  were 
elected  to  succeed  Messrs.  Wardlaw, 
Mathis    and    Clements. 

Sam.  Knox  was  elected  mayor  in 
1886.  J.  C.  Printup,  S.  S.  King  and 
J.  T.  Vandiver  were  elected  council- 
men.  Shortly  before  this  election,  the 
Fourth  Ward  was  admitted  into  the 
city  and  at  this  time  J.  W.  Mitchell 
and  W.  A.  Wright  were  elected  to  rep- 
resent  her. 

The  charter  was  again  changed  so 
councilmen  were  to  be  elected  every 
year,  one  from  each  ward  to  serve 
two  years,  and  in  1887  W.  H.  Adkins, 
A.  W.  Walton,  W.  T.  Smith  and  J.  I. 
Wright  were  elected  to  succeed  Messrs. 
Williamson,  Towers,  Lansdell  and 
Mitchell. 

The  council  of  1888  was  composed 
of  W.  F.  Ayer,  mayor,  and  W.  H.  Ad- 
kins, W.  W.  Seay,  A.  W.  Walton,  H.  S. 
Lansdell,  W.  T.  Smith,  Jack  King,  J. 
I.  Wright  and  H.  D.  Hill. 

In  1889,  Messrs.  J.  C.  Printup,  M.  C. 
Mathis,  John  J.  Seay  and  John  D. 
Moore  were  elected  to  succeed  Messrs. 
Adkins,  Walton,  Smith  and  Wright. 
This  was  Mayor-elect  Moore's  first 
service  and  his  election  was  somewhat 
of  a  surprise,  as  he  defeated  J.  W. 
Mitchell,  who  was  at  that  time  con- 
sidered one  of  the  strongest  men  in  the 
Fourth  Ward.  While  serving  in  this 
council,  Mr.  Moore  demonstrated  his 
"backbone,"  if  we  may  so  express  it, 
by  standing  single  handed  by  the 
mayor  in  fining  the  violators  of  the 
prohibition  law,  where  the  entire  coun- 
cil was  against  him.  H.  D.  Hill  had 
previous  to  this  time  resigned  from 
the  council  and  J.  K.  Williamson  was 
elected  to  succeed  him. 

The  election  of  1890  was  very  excit- 
ing, the  candidates  for  mayor  being 
Messrs.  A.  W.  Walton  and  W."  W.  Seay. 
The  Fifth  Ward  had  just  been  admit- 
ted and  added  enthusiasm  to  the  race. 


Encyclopedic  SECTior 


399 


AT   SAM  GRAHAM'S   BARBECUE,    20   YEARS   AGO. 

Among  the  "merrymakers"  can  be  seen  Oscar  McWilliams,  John  Graham,  Rob  Rounsa- 
ville,  Reuben  Towers,  Laurie  Cothran,  Mortimer  Griffin,  Ed.  Maddox,  Rob  Yancey,  Boiling 
Sullivan,  Mel  Gammon,  Rob  Graves,  Walter  Cothran,  John  C.  Reese,  Wm.  A.  Wright,  Capt. 
Jno.  J.  Seay,  Moses  Wright,  Dr.  T.  R.  Garlington,  Foster  Graham,  Wilson  Hardy  and 
Horace   Johnson. 


Walton   was    elected     with     the    entire 
ticket  and  the  council  this  year  stood : 

Mayor,  A.  W.  Walton;  councilmen, 
J.  C.  Printup,  J.  R.  Cantrell,  M.  C. 
Mathis,  S.  M.  Knox,  John  J.  Seay,  S. 
S.  King,  John  D.  Moore,  J.  W.  Mitchell. 
Messrs.  M.  M.  Pepper  and  D.  Turner 
were  elected  to  represent  the  Fifth 
Ward.  In  1891  C.  W.  Underwood,  W. 
H.  Steele,  J.  L.  Camp,  C.  W.  Morris 
and  T.  J.  McCaffrey  were  the  council- 
men  elected. 

In  1893,  Mayor  King  and  his  ticket 
were  elected,  defeating  Mayor-elect 
Moore,  but  in  1894,  it  is  Moore's  in- 
ning. 

The   councilmen    since   1894   follow: 

1894— First  Ward,  A.  B.  McArver; 
Second,  W.  J.  Neel;  Third,  H.  G.  Stof- 
fregen,  Sr. ;  Fourth,  Walter  Harris; 
Fifth,  T.  J.   McCaffrey. 

1895— First  Ward,  Geo.  F.  Chidsey, 
Jr.;  Second,  Sam  M.  Lowry;  Third, 
Joel  Branham;  Fourth,  J.  A.  Glover; 
Fifth,    Tom    L.    Cornelius. 

1896— First  Ward,  Dr.  Lindsay 
Johnson;  Second,  Thompson  Hilcs; 
Third,  J.  A.  Gammon;  Fourth,  Wm. 
J.   Gordon;    Fifth,  J.    D.  Hanks. 

1897— First  Ward,  Frank  J.  Kane, 
Sr.;  Second,  W.  T.  Jones;  Third,  Rich- 
ard A.  Denny;  Fourth,  Chas.  W.  Mor- 
ris; Fifth,  J.  Dallis  Turner. 

1898— First  Ward,  A.  B.  McArver; 
Second,  D.  B.  Hamilton,  Jr.;  Third, 
B.  T.  Haynes;  Fourth,  Walter  Harris; 
Fifth,   Tom  J.    Reese. 


1899— First  Ward,  C.  E.  McLin; 
Second,  Albert  G.  Ewing,  Jr.;  Third. 
Hunter  H.  McClure;  Fourth,  Hiram 
D.    Hill;    Fifth,    J.    Robert    Cantrell. 

1900— First  Ward,  Frank  J.  Kane; 
Second,  Chas.  S.  Pruden  and  D.  E. 
Lowry,  Sr.;  Third,  Chas.  B.  Wilburn; 
Fourth,  Asbury  Randle;  Fifth,  J.  Dave 
Hanks. 

1901— First  Ward,  Wm.  M.  Towers, 
Sr.;  Second,  Harper  Hamilton;  Third, 
Chas.  H.  Lavender;  Fourth,  Harry  W. 
Williamson;    Fifth,    P.   H.   Vandiver. 

1902— First  Ward,  John  M.  Graham; 
Second,  Chas.  S.  Pruden;  Third,  Jos. 
B.  Owens;  Fourth,  Hugh  McCrary; 
Fifth,  J.  G.  Pollock. 

1903— First  Ward,  John  C.  Printup; 
Second,  A.  B.  Arrington;  Third,  J.  W. 
Hancock;  Fourth,  Chas.  W.  Morris; 
Fifth,   Jas.   B.    King. 

1904— First  Ward.  Robt.  W.  Graves; 
Second,  John  M.  Graham;  Third.  Har- 
ry C.  Harrington;  Fourth,  Asbury 
Randle;   Fifth,  P.  H.  Vandiver. 

190,5— First  Ward,  F.  H.  Moore;  Sec- 
ond, A.  B.  Arrington;  Third.  J.  W. 
Hancock;  Fourth,  Harry  W.  William- 
son;  Fifth.  J.   G.  Pollock. 

lOOC- First  Ward,  Frank  J.  Kane; 
Second.  Jas.  M.  Lay;  Third.  Chas.  H. 
Lavender,  Fourth,  Geo.  A.  H.  Harris; 
Fifth,  J.    Dave    Hairks. 

1907— Fir.st  Ward,  J.  W.  Russell; 
Second,  Chas.  B.  Goetcbius;  Third.  J. 
W.  Hancock;  Fourth.  Harry  W.  Wil- 
liamson;   Fifth.    J.    C;.    Pollock;    Sixth, 


400 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County. 


;    Seventh,    Peter   D.    Burks 

and  W.  M.  Gammon. 

1908— First  Ward,  E.  W.  Best;  Sec- 
ond, D.  B.  Hamilton,  Jr.;  Tliird.  Isaac 
Mav;  Fourth,  Luke  C.  Mitchell,  Jr.; 
Fifth.  P.  H.  Vandiver;  Sixth,  Frank 
W.  Copeland;   Seventh,  Thos.  L.  Lloyd. 

1909— First  Ward,  Wm.  DeLay;  Sec- 
ond, Wm.  P.  Harbin;  Third,  Frank 
M.  Irwin;  Fourth,  Walter  Harris; 
Fifth,  Gary  J.  King;  Sixth,  Frank  W. 
Gopeland;  Seventh,  Frank  B.  Freeman. 

1910— First  Ward,  Sam  J.  Powers; 
Second,  Richard  M.  Johnston;  Third, 
Isaac  May;   Fourth,  J.  K.  Williamson. 

1911— First  Ward,  T.  Berry  Broach; 
Second,  Luke  G.  McDonald;  Third, 
Frank  M.  Irwin;  Fourth,  Dan  O.  By- 
ars;  Fifth,  P.  H.  Vandiver;  Sixth, 
Frank  W.  Copeland;  Seventh,  Wm.  L. 
Daniel. 

1912 — Aldermen:  Frank  S.  Barron, 
E.  W.  Best  and  Rufus  W.   McClain. 

1913— First  Ward,  T.  Berry  Broach; 
Second,  Philip  J.  Mullen;  Third,  L.  F. 
McKoy;  Fourth,  J.  W.  Keown;  Fifth, 
P.  H.  Vandiver;  Sixth,  Frank  W. 
Copeland;    Seventh,  Wm.    L.    Daniel. 

1914 — Aldermen:  Cornelius  Terhune, 
Chas.   T.   Jervis   and    C.   O.   Walden. 

1915 — Commission  government  insti- 
tuted. W.  M.  Gammon,  first  commis- 
sioner; Ernest  E.  Lindsey,  second  com- 
missioner; A.  B.  Arrington,  Frank  B. 
Holbrook,  J.  P.  Jones,  commissioners. 

1916 — Chas.  S.  Pruden,  chairman; 
1917-18,  D.  W.  Simmons,  chairman; 
1919,  John  M.  Vandiver,  Second 
Ward,  chairman;  L.  F.  McKoy,  First 
Ward;  Isaac  May,  Third  Ward;  C.  F. 
Gaines,  Fourth  Ward;  R.  Earl  Young, 
Fifth  Ward;  W.  C.  Atkinson,  Sixth 
Ward;  H.  B.  Cruise,  Seventh  Ward, 
commissioners;  1920,  Isaac  May,  chair- 
man; L.  F.  McKoy,  First  Ward;  Har- 
per Hamilton,  Second  Ward;  Hugh 
Burnes,  Fourth  Ward;  Ben  Gann, 
Fifth  Ward;  W.  C.  Atkinson,  Sixth 
Ward;  Henry  B.  Cruise,  Seventh  Ward, 
commissioners.  1921-22,  Ernest  E. 
Lindsey,  chairman;  L.  F.  McKoy,  First 
Ward;  Isaac  May,  Third  Ward;  Hugh 
Burnes,  Fourth  Ward;  Ben  Gann, 
Fifth  Ward;  W.  C.  Atkinson,  Sixth 
Ward;  H.  B.  Cruise,  Seventh  Ward, 
commissioners. 

Soon  after  the  death  in  1922  of  Com- 
missioner Burnes,  W.  H.  Burnes,  his 
father,  was  elected;  and  Geo.  Berry 
Hawkins  was  elected  to  succeed  Isaac 
May,  resigned. 

MILLER  RIFLES.— The  following 
sketch      and      roster      were      obtained 


through  courtesy  of  Jno.  W.  Quarles, 
whose  father,  Frank  W.  Quarles,  was 
an  original  member.  This  record  was 
filed  with  the  Floyd  County  ordinary 
in  August,  1898,  in  compliance  with  a 
state  law  passed  just  prior  to  that 
time: 

The  Miller  Rifles  left  Rome  about 
May  15,  1861.  It  was  one  of  the  ten 
companies  forming  the  Eighth  Georgia 
Volunteer  regiment  as  organized  in 
May  at  Richmond,  Va.  The  company 
was  named  in  honor  of  Dr.  H.  V.  M. 
Miller,  of  Rome,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished   physicians    in    the    south. 

Col.  Francis  S.  Bartow  was  in  com- 
mand and  Lieut.  Col.  W.  M.  Gardner, 
of  Rome;  Maj.  T.  L.  Cooper  and  Adj. 
J.  L.  Branch  regimental  officers. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  to  Har- 
per's Ferry,  Va.,  and  joined  the  forces 
commanded  by  Gen.  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston. It  was  one  of  the  few  regiments 
which  bore  the  brunt  of  the  fighting 
in  the  first  battle  of  Manassas,  July 
21,  1861,  in  which  the  loss  in  killed 
and  wounded  was  fearful. 

The  regiment  served  thi'ough  the 
war  in  a  brigade  commanded  first  by 
Gen.  Jones  and  later  by  Gen.  George 
T.  Anderson,  better  known  as  "Tige" 
Anderson.  They  formed  a  part  of 
Longstreet's  corps  in  the  army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  and  participated  in 
nearly  every  battle  in  which  Gen.  Lee's 
army  was  engaged,  and  surrendered 
with  him  and  the  army  on  April  9, 
1865,  at  Appomattox,  Va.  Of  the  six- 
teen officers  when  the  company  was 
organized,  only  three  were  living  at 
the  time  the  above  record  was  filed: 
Col.  John  R.  Towers,  A.  C.  Morrison, 
first  corporal,  and  F.  L.  Miller,  mu- 
sician. 

The  Miller  Rifles  was  afterwards 
known  as  Company  E,  Eighth  Georgia 
Regiment   Volunteers. 

Original   organization  officers : 

Captain — John  R.  Towers,  promoted 
to  lieutenant  colonel  and  then   colonel. 

First  Lieut.— Edward  W.  Hull  (re- 
signed   December,    1861). 

Second  Lieut. — Dunlap  Scott,  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  and  then  cap- 
tain. 

Third  Lieut. — A.  R.  Harper,  pro- 
moted to  major.  First  Georgia  Cavalry, 
and  then  lieutenant  colonel. 

First  Sergt. — Oswell  B.  Eve,  died  of 
wounds  received  at  First  Battle  of 
Manassas. 

Second  Sergt. — J.  M.  Berry,  dis- 
charged for  wounds  received  at  First 
Battle    of    Manassas. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


401 


Third  Sergt.— Curtis  C.  Campbell, 
died  of  disease,  September,  1861. 

Fourth  Sergt. — J.  L.  Skinner,  by 
reason  of  substitution. 

First  Corporal — Augustus  C.  Morri- 
son, now  living. 

Second  Corporal — Thos.  J.  Hills, 
died  of  wounds  received  at  First  Bat- 
tle  of   Manassas. 

Third  Corporal— B.  F.  Price,  died  of 
disease  in   September,  1861. 

Fourth  Corporal — Frank  Lathrop, 
killed  at  First  Battle  of  Manassas. 

Musician — J.  H.  Miller,  died  of  dis- 
ease. 

Musician — F.  L.  Miller,  living  at 
time  of  filing  this  record. 

Surgeon — Dr.   A.   M.   Boyd. 

Chaplain— Rev.  V.  A.  Bell. 

Sec.-Treas. — Dr.  J.  F.  Duane,  killed 
at  First  Battle  of  Manassas. 

Privates — 
S.  H.  Adams 
W.   J.  Andrews 
Jas.  W.  Arp 
S.  B.  Asbury 
T.  W.   Asbury 
John  Bailey 
Von  A.  Bell 
Edw.  Bishop 
A.  G.   Bobo 
R.  N.  Bowden 
A.    M.   Boyd 
Win.  J.  Cannon 
S.   A.    Chambers 
John  H.  Cooper 
W.  T.  Cornelius 
Jas.  I.  Davis 
John  Davis 
E.  R.  Diamond 
W.  B.   Diamond 
E.  Donnough 
E.    M.    Eason 
T.    T.    Eason 
W.  T.  Evans 
John  C.  Eve 
N.  J.  Fain 
L.  L.  Floyd 
W.  L.  Foster 
M.   L.   Funderburk 
H.  T.  Garrett 
Thos.  J.   Glenn 
E.   P.    Griffeth 
W.  A.  Hardin 
Chas.   M.   Harper 
D.   C.   Harper 
H.  C.  Harper 


R.  J.  F.  Hill 
C.  W.  Hooper 
Gabriel   Jones 
Wm.  A.    King 
W.  H.  May 
Joe    McKenzie 
W.  S.  McNatt 
John  Minton 
Jas.  L.  Mitchell 
Thos.   Mobley 
J.   M.   Montgomery 
J.  E.  Moore 
Tyler  Motes 
J.    T.    Oswalt 
Wm.  Parks 
Geo.  W.  Payne 
R.  D.   Price 
J.   L.   Pyle 
F.    W.    Quarles 
F.   M.  Reynolds 
J.   W.   Robertson 
John    H.    Silvey 
W.   H.  Skinner 
T.    C.    Sparks 
J.    M.   Taylor 
W.   J.   Taylor 
S.    C.    Trout 
Wm.  P.  Trout 
W.  W.  Ware 
A.   J.   Wilkins 
R.    F.    Wimpee 
S.    B.  Wimpee 
W.  S.  Wimpee 
M.  M.  Wright 
L.  G.  Yarbrough 


Recruits   Received  in  1861 — 


B.    P.    Barker 
H.  A.   Brice 
R.  P.  Brice 
W.   B.  Dawson 
J.  T.  Ellis 


T.   C.   Estes 
E.   P.   Freeman 
Wm.   M.   Greer 
John    Hill 
A.   C.  Huntington 


i.         x%. 


WILLIAM  JOSEPH  ATTAWAY,  Floyd  County 
boy  killed  in  the  World  War  in  France  as  a 
volunteer    member    of   the   U.   S.    Marines. 


B.    A.   Johnston 
M.   J.   Johnston 
Wm.    M.   Mobley 
Alex    Moore 
John  Osley 
Hamp  H.   Penny 
J.  M.  Pledger 

Recruits   Received   in    1862 — 
Seaborn    Bolt  J.    A.    Estes 

E.   W.   Clyett  J.  A.  Frix 

J.    R.    Eason  W.   W.   Garrett 


Jordan    Reece 
W.  F.  Rice 
J.    M.   Sparks 
W.   M.   Sparks 
Robert  Wade 
B.   F.  Whitehead 
T.   S.   Williamson 


402 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


R.  A.  Graham  J.  E.  Lee 

E.  P.  Hankins  J.  M.  Martin 

J.   A.   Hardin  B.  F.  May 

R,    F.    Harvey  W.  H.  McCroskey 

W.   H.   Harvey  F.  F.  Norton 

J.  V.  Henry  Daniel  Parks 

W.    R.    Henry  James   Perry 

David  Hill  A.  J.  Read 

J.   M.  Hill  T.   K.   Reeves 

S.    R.   Jones  B.  F.  Reynolds 

Wm.  H.  Jones  Samuel  Roberts 
Wm.  Harris  Jones  Thos.  J.   Self 

M.  S.  Judkins  D.  R.  Towers 

B.    P.    Lanham  H.   I.    Ware 

S.  J.  Lanham  L.   W.  White 
C.  P.  Whitehead 

The     follow^ing'     sixteen     laid     down 
their  arms  at  Appomattox: 
W.  T.  Cornelius       W.  H.  McCroskey 
E.  M.  Eason  Joe  McKenzie 

J.  T.  Eason  A.   C.   Morrison 

Thos.  J.  Glenn  Geo.  W.   Payne 

Lt.  C.  M.  Harper  Hamph  H.  Penny 
H.  C.  Harper  Col.   J.    R.    Towers 

B.  F.  Johnson  Wm.  P.  Trout 

M.  S.  Judkins  A.  J.  Wilkins 

The  record  shows  that  of  the  145 
men  enlisted  in  the  company  from  first 
to  last,  only  37  were  living:  at  the  time 
the  record  was  filed.  Fourteen  were 
killed  in  battle,  seven  died  of  wounds 
and  29  died  from  disease  during  the 
war.  Only  sixteen  were  present  at  the 
surrender;  42  had  died  since  the  war. 
In  tabulated  form  the  record  shows  up 
as  follows: 

Killed   in   battle  14 

Died  of  wounds   7 

Died   of   disease  29 

Surrendered    at    Appomattox 16 

Died    since   the   war   42 

Surviving    members    37 

Total    number   enlisted 145 

*  :!=  * 

MILLS. — Following  is  a  partial  list 
of  grist  mills  in  Floyd  County,  as  fur- 
nished by   R.  V.   Mitchell: 

Barrett's,  at  North  Rome  bridge, 
near  Southern  railway. 

Culpepper's,  on  John's  creek,  "The 
Pocket,"  northern  end  of  the  county. 

Rounsaville's,  Chambers  Station, 
east  of   Lindale. 

Shores',  Summerville  Road,  Armu- 
chee  Creek,  on   old   Armuchee  route. 

Dick  Zuber's,  Horton  place,  Floyd 
Springs    road,    Armuchee    creek. 

Richardson's,  Alabama  road  at  junc- 
tion of  the  Central  railway  and  Rome 
and   Attalla   branch  of  the   Southern. 

John  C.  Foster's  (formerly  Thomas') 
Foster's    Mill    road,    four    miles    north 


of   Cave   Spring,  on   Big  Cedar   Creek. 

Bryant's,  Chulio  Road  at  Smiley  S. 
Johnson's  place,  six  miles  east  of 
Rome,    on    Spring   Creek. 

Tom  C.  Ayer's,  Spring  Creek,  Chu- 
lio district. 

Nichols',  Fifth  Avenue  bridge, 
Fourth  Ward,  once  owned  by  Daniel 
R.   Mitchell. 

Echols',  at  Crystal  Springs,  Sum- 
merville Road,  Armuchee  Creek. 

Young's,  on  the   Kingston   Road. 

One  of  the  most  picturesque  in  the 
county  is  on  Silver  Creek  at  Lindale. 
It  was  known  in  the  old  days  as  Hoss' 
mill ;  it  has  a  large  metal  wheel  which 
turns  no  more;  water  was  carried  to 
it  in  a  race  from  the  high  ground. 
It  was  destroyed  by  the  Northern 
troops  during  the  war,  and  rebuilt  by 
the  owner,  Capt.  Jacob  H.  Hoss.  For 
a  time  it  was  known  as  Barnett's  mill. 

Cohen's  Mill  (later  Loeb's)  stood  on 
a  high  spot  in  South  Rome  near  the 
mouth  of  Silver  Creek.  It  burned 
down  about  20  years  ago  and  nothing 
remains   but   a   pile   of   ruins. 

Jones'  mill,  Armuchee  Creek,  Dal- 
ton  road,  near  Pope's  Ferry,  was  torn 
away  by  the  owner,    Seaborn   Wright. 

*  *     * 

MISSIONS.— In  various  parts  of 
Cherokee  Georgia  missions  for  teach- 
ing the  Indians  were  established  in 
1816  under  a  Congressional  appropria- 
tion of  $10,000  yearly,  which  was  prob- 
ably increased.  The  nearest  mission  to 
the  site  of  Rome  was  established  in 
1821  on  the  Quin  place  at  Coosa,  and 
was  known  as  Missionary  Station.  Mis- 
sionary Ridge,  near  Chattanooga, 
Tenn.,  is  said  to  have  taken  its  name 
from  the  Indian  school  there,  known  as 
Brainerd  Mission.  Another  important 
mission  was  maintained  at  New 
Echota,  Gordon  County,  capital  of  the 
Cherokee  Nation,  and  still  another  at 
Spring  Place,  Murray  County,  both  of 
which  were  taught  by  Rev.  Samuel  A. 
Worcester,  of  Vermont.  Missionary 
Station  was  in  charge  of  Rev.  Elijah 
Butler  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Esther  But- 
ler, who  were  sent  out  by  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Committee  on  Foreign 
Missions,  at  S.  Canaan,  Conn. 

Still  another  mission  has  been  locat- 
ed at  Turkeytown,  Etowah  County, 
Alabama. 

*  *     * 

MITCHELL  GUARDS.— This  Civil 
War  company  was  named  after  Daniel 
R.  Mitchell,  lawyer  and  one  of  the 
four    founders    of    Rome.      The    Rome 


Encyclopedic  SECTior 


403 


Courier  of  Tuesday  morning,   Feb.   18, 
J  862,  commented  as  follows : 

"On  Monday,  the  10th  inst.,  Capt. 
Z.  B.  Hargrove's  company,  the  'Mitch- 
ell Guards,'  assembled  in  the  City  Hall 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  a  beauti- 
ful flag  from  the  hands  of  Miss 
Florence  T.  Mitchell,  before  departing 
from  their  homes  for  the  tended  field, 
and  perhaps  the  field  of  blood.  This 
is  a  fine,  full  company  of  vigorous- 
looking  men,  that  will  make  their  mark 
some  day.  This  makes  the  twelfth 
company  that  are  now  in  the  field  from 
this  county.  Capt.  Kerr's  company 
will  leave  in  a  few  days;  also  Capt. 
Haney's.  These  two  companies  will 
make  fourteen  companies  from  Floyd, 
and  about  150  recruits.  The  war  spirit 
is  up,  and  old  Floyd  is  'spreading  her- 
self.' " 

The  following  was  the  address  of 
Miss  Mitchell  on  presenting  the  flag: 
"Capt.  Hargrove  and  Gentlemen  of 
the  Mitchell  Guards:  My  father,  in 
honor  of  whom  your  company  of  citi- 
zen soldiers  has  been  named,  has  del- 
egated me  to  present  you  this  flag. 
He  instructs  me  to  tender  to  you  his 
thanks,  and  assure  you  of  his  high  re- 
gard for  your  partiality  in  the  selec- 
tion of  a  name  for  your  company. 

"My  friends,  your  country  is  in- 
vaded by  the  foulest  and  most  ruth- 
less enemy  known  in  the  history  of  the 
civilized  world;  their  impudent  preten- 
sions, their  unspeakable  barbarity, 
their  vandal  and  revengeful  spirit,  in 
the  accomplishment  of  their  thieving 
and  plundering  objects  have  called  you 
to  the  battlefield  in  defense  of  your 
country,  your  honor,  your  fathers, 
mothers,  brothers  and  sisters,  wives 
and  children,  your  altars,  and  even 
your   lives. 

"Upon  that  battlefield  you  will  doubt- 
less carry  this  flag.  When  I  look  upon 
your  bright  volunteer  faces,  your  stout 
hearts  and  strong  arms,  I  feel  that  it 
is  unnecessary  to  say  that  this  flag 
will  never  be  trailed  in  the  dust  before 
such  a  wicked,  vandal  foe  while  one 
of  you  is  living.  I  read  from  every 
bright  countenance  now  before  me  the 
united  shout  upon  the  bloody  field,  that 
may  be  just  before  you,  'Give  me  lib- 
erty or  give  me  death!'  Go,  my  friends, 
at  the  call  of  your  country  with  hearts 
and  arms  nerved  at  the  justice  of  our 
cause,  and  may  the  God  of  Battles  go 
with   you." 

On  the  receipt  of  the  flag.  Captain 
Hargrove  replied: 

"Miss  Florence  Mitchell:  In  the 
name  and  behalf  of  the  company  which 


I  have  the  honor  to  command,  I  ac- 
cept at  your  fair  hands  this  beauti- 
ful banner;  I  accept  it,  not  only  as  a 
token  of  your  regard  for  our  com- 
pany, but  also  the  love  and  devotion 
which  you  have  for  the  holy  cause 
which  we  have  espoused.  In  a'ccepting 
this  banner,  permit  me  to  say  that 
not  only  I,  but  each  and  every  member 
cf  our  company,  will  ever  love  and 
cherish  it,  and  with  our  lives  will  ever 
defend  it?  sacred  folds.  In  the  course 
of  events  this  flag  may  be  borne  on 
a  field  of  blood  and  carnage.  If  this 
should  be  the  case,  and  troubles  throwTi 
about  us  from  which  there  is  no  escape, 
we  will  remember  this  scene  and  this 
day,  and  ere  its  sacred  folds  are  pol- 
luted by  the  foul  touch  of  our  enemy 
it  shall  be  bathed  in  the  bravest  and 
best  blood  of  our  company.  I  love  this 
banner  because  you  have  presented  it 
to  us.  I  love  it  for  its  beauty — I  love 
it  in  remembrance  of  the  glorious  deeds 
ar;d  victories  won  under  it  at  Oak  Hill, 
Belmont,  Leesburg,  Bethel  and  Manas- 
sas Plains. 

"But,  more  than  all,  I  love  it  be- 
cause it  is  the  ensign  of  a  nation  strug- 
gling to  perpetuate  the  liberties  be- 
queathed to  us  by  our  fathers.  Pei- 
mit  me  again  to  thank  you  and  to  say 


ALMERON  WALTON  SHANKLIN.  suporin- 
tendent  of  the  First  McthcKlist  Sunday  School, 
who    was    killed    in    France    in    191S. 


404 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


that  so  long  as  there  is  one  of  us  able 
to  wield  a  sword  or  spring  a  trigger 
it  shall  never  'trail  in  the  dust.' 

"Permit  me  to  say  to  you,  my  brave 
companions  in  arms,  notwithstanding 
the  dark  clouds  of  gloom  which  seem 
to  hang  around  us,  though  we  may  in 
the  providence  of  God  have  to  pass 
through  dark  and  bitter  waters,  ere  we 
achieve  our  liberty,  we  are  as  sure 
of  ultimate  success  as  the  justice  of 
our  cause,  and  with  God  as  arbiter  of 
nations — if  we  but  do  our  duty.  A 
cause  like  ours  can  never  be  surrend- 
ered! No,  never!  We  are  fighting 
for  all  that  is  worth  living  for — our 
country,  our  liberty,  our  altars,  and 
our  honor.  We  will  all  stand  or  fall 
together.  A  people  united  and  deter- 
mined to  be  free,  as  we  are,  can  never 
be    conquered. 

"Our  reverses  at  Roanoke  and  Don- 
elson  have  kindled  the  fires  of  liberty 
afresh  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  which  is  burning  with  a  blaze 
of  glory  from  center  to  circumference. 
The  tocsin  of  war  is  now  sounding 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
our  land,  and  thousands  of  the  chival- 
rous sons  of  the  Sunny  South  are 
flocking  to  their  country's  standard 
and  swearing  eternal  allegiance  to  the 
Stars  and  Bars.  In  this  terrible  strug- 
gle many  of  the  bravest  and  best  of 
us  may  die,  but  this  is  necessary  that 
liberty  may  live.  In  this  we  say,  the 
will  of  God  be  done.  To  you,  my  brave 
companions  in  arms,  let  me  say  when 
the  hour  of  trial  comes  (as  come  it 
will)  remember  Leonidas  and  his  300 
Spartans. 

"And  now  to  you,  Lieut.  Hanson,  I 
commit  this  flag.  It  is  unnecessary  for 
me  to  say  to  you,  guard  and  defend 
it  as  you  would  your  honor.  Resolve 
to  fall  a  freeman  rather  than  live  a 
slave." 

On  receiving  the  flag,  Lieut.  Han- 
son replied:  "I  receive  it  to  defend 
it,  and  the  cause  it  represents;  rather 
will  I  die  than  either  shall  be  dishonor- 
ed in  my  hands." 

Muster-  Roll  of  the  Mitchell  GKctrds. 

Officers — 

Z.    B.   Hargrove,   captain. 

L.  T.  Mitchell.  First  Lieut. 

A.  C.   Camp,  Second  Lieut. 

W.   B.   Hanson,  Third   Lieut. 

A.  M.   Carter,  Orderly  Sergt. 
W.  J.   Shockley,   Second   Sergt. 
T.  J.  Hanson,  Third   Sergt. 

L.    M.    Cobb,   Fourth    Sergt. 

B.  J.  McGinnis,  Fifth  Sergt. 
J.  Tropp,  First  Corporal. 

R.  M.  White,  Second  Corporal. 


C.  B.  Adkins,  Third  Corporal. 
W.   T.    Burns,   Fourth    Corporal. 
J.  Haley,  Fifth  Corporal. 
Privates — 


W.   S.  Alcorn 
J.   F.   Allen 
T.  T.  Arnold 
L.   Ashealds 
T.  P.  Ayres 
J.   W.  Bagwell 
P.  H.  Baker 
I.  T.  Bell 
J.    Boswell 
W.  J.  Bradshaw 
W.  J.   Camp 
W.  M.  Campbell 
W.   C.  Carr 
J.  N.   Coker 
R.  A.  Cowan 

A.  Cordle 

J.  H.   Crocker 

B.  Davis 

S.   H.   Devore 
T.   J.    Dodd 
A.  J.   Doig 
W.  P.  Doig 
W.  W.  Duke 
E.  Estes 
M.  Farmer 
J.  H.  Fuller 
J.  P.   Fuller 
G.  W.   Green 
E.  J.  Hanson 
J.  D.  House 
W.   Howe 
J.   Hubert 
J.  T.  Hughes 
J.  P.  Isbell 
W.  B.  Johnston 
W.    C.   Kerce 


S.  H.  Kyle 

E.  H.  Lumpkin 

J.   W.   Miller 

C.  C.   Morrison 
J.  B.  Morrison 
W.  S.  Morrison 
J.  H.   McArver 
J.  M.  McKane 
T.   J.   McLain 

D.  N.  Nichols 
N.  T.  Nichols 
W.   Nichols 

R.   W.  Nix 
T.  H.  Norman 
T.  Norman 
H.  B.  Oswalt 
J.   T.  Oswalt 
S.    C.    Oswalt 
R.   Patlow 
R.  Peppers 
T.  P.    Plumer 
T.   M.  Pruit 

E.  P.    Scott 
H.    F.    Sharpe 
J.  N.  Smith 

J.    F.    Spragins 
W.  T.  Spragins 
W.   S.    Thomas 
R.    Wadle 
C.  N.  Waters 
Daniel  Waters 
J.  E.  Weathers 
J.  C.  Willis 
J.  W.  Woods 
L.  D.  Wooten 
W.   P.   Young 


MOUNTAINS  OF  FLOYD  COUN- 
TY.— According  to  the  "Rome  Quad- 
rangle" map  of  the  United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey,  the  highest  point  in 
Floyd  County  is  the  triangulation  sta- 
tion on  Lavender  Mountain,  a  mile 
and  a  half  southwest  of  Redmond  Gap 
— 1,695  feet  above  sea  level.  The  sec- 
ond highest  is  the  southern  tip  of 
John's  Mountain,  in  the  extreme  north- 
ern part  of  the  county,  between  Crys- 
tal Springs  and  Floyd  Springs — 1,549 
feet.  The  third  is  Mt.  Alto  (Horse- 
leg  Mountain),  four  miles  southwest 
of    Rome— 1,529    feet.      Others   follow: 

Rock  Mountain,  separating  Little 
Texas  and  Big  Texas  valleys,  and 
northwest  of  Lavender;   1,000  feet. 

Armstrong  Mountain,  Ridge  Valley, 
between  Pinson  and  Hermitage;  1,000 
feet. 

Simms  Mountain,  bordering  Big 
Texas  Valley  on  the  northwest  and 
constituting  the  main  part  of  the  boun- 


Encyclopedic  Section 


405 


dary  line  between  Floyd  and  Chat- 
tooga   Counties;    1,000   feet. 

Turnip  Mountain,  an  offshoot  of  the 
Lavender  range,  southwest  of  it  and 
north  of  and  overlooking  the  Coosa 
River   at   Camp's   Bend;    1,000  feet. 

Tubbs  Mountain,  East  Rome,  which 
is  owned  by  Mrs.  Waller  T.  Turnbull 
and  contains  her  home;  937  feet. 

Judy  Mountain,  two  miles  west  of 
Turnip,  and  Turkey  Mountain,  two 
miles  southeast  of  Floyd  Springs,  a 
mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  Gordon 
County  line,  and  belted  on  its  eastern 
and  southern  sides  by  the  Oostanaula 
River,  are  not  labeled  as  to  height. 

The  ridges  inclosing  Vann's  and 
Ridge  Valleys  are  from  600  to  1,000 
feet  in  altitude,  and  a  spur  midway 
between  Silver  Creek  and  Chulio  is 
1,138  feet.  The  shaggy  manes  of  sev- 
eral brown  promontories  shake  be- 
nignly over  Everett  Springs  from  a 
height  of   1,000  feet. 

:|;  :i;  :|: 

MUNICIPAL  BUILDING  (CITY 
HALL). — Location:  West  side  of 
Broad  Street,  on  northwest  corner  of 
Broad  and  Sixth  Avenue,  next  to  Car- 
negie Library.  Work  was  begun  Apr. 
3,  1915,  under  the  administration  of 
Mayor  J.  D.  Hanks,  was  continued  un- 
der the  administration  of  W.  M.  Gam- 
mon (first  commissioner)  and  was  fin- 
ished under  the  administration  of  First 
Commissioner  Chas.  S.  Pruden  in  1916. 

The  Councilmen  in  office  when  the 
ground  was  broken  were  T.  B.  Broach, 
P.  J.  Mullen,  L.  F.  McKoy,  J.  W. 
Keown,  P.  H.  Vandiver,  W.  L.  Daniel 
and  F.  W.  Copeland.  T.  Edward  Graf- 
ton  was  superintendent  of  public 
works,  Sam  S.  King  assistant,  and 
Hugh  McCrary  secretary  of  the  com- 
mission. Max  Meyerhardt  was  city 
attorney.  The  aldermen  were  Corne- 
lius Terhune,  Chas.  T.  Jervis  and  C.  0. 
Walden. 

The  architect  was  A.  Ten  Eyck 
Brown,  of  Atlanta.  The  J.  F.  DuPree 
Sons  Co.  were  the  general  contrac- 
tors. The  Walker  Electric  &  Plumb- 
ing Co.  furnished  the  heating  and 
plunibing  apparatus,  and  the  Rome 
Supply  Co.  did  the  electrical  work. 

The  election  for  $100,000  of  bonds 
was  carried  Dec.  28,  1914.  The  bonds 
were  sold  and  the  contract  signed  Mar. 
31,  1915.  An  issue  of  $40,000  addi- 
tional was  authorized  in  1916. 

An  unusual  circumstance  spurred 
far-seeing  Romans  to  action  in  the 
purchase  of  the  block  of  real  estate  on 
which  the  structure  stands.  Upper 
Broad     Sti-eet     and     the     surrounding 


neighborhood  had  always  been  used 
more  or  less  by  the  negi-oes  for  their 
shops  and  to  some  extent  for  their 
homps  and  houses  of  worship.  This 
section  lay  in  the  path  of  Rome's  nat- 
ural commercial  expansion.  Word  was 
passed  in  1907  that  the  colored  people 
had  raised  a  fund  to  buy  the  lot,  and 
were  planning  to  erect  a  Masonic  lodge 
building.  A  Roman,  who  didn't  have 
an  umbrella,  pulled  on  his  galoshes 
and  paddled  ai'ound  in  the  rain  long 
enough  to  buy  an  option.  Had  he 
waiLtd  a  day  longer,  the  other  trade 
would  have  been  completed,  and  the 
Municipal  Building  and  Carnegie  Li- 
brary wordd  today  be  occupying  dif- 
ferent and  probably  less  desirable  sites. 
*     *     * 

NEVIN'S  OPERA  HOUSE.— Open- 
ed Oct.  1,  1880;  destroyed  by  fire  Dec. 
31,  19J9.  Was  located  between  Wool- 
worth  store  and  Rome  Supply  Co.  on 
Broad  Street.  Erected  by  Mitchell  A. 
Nevin  and  Thos.  H.  Jonas  at  a  cost 
of  $21,000  and  was  managed  by  Mr. 
Nevin  and  Israel  S.  Jonas  in  the  early 
days,  and  by  Jas.  B.  Nevin  later.  Early 
booking  was  done  by  Frank  P.  O'Brien, 
of  Birmingham  and  New  York.  Had 
seating  capacity  of  1,000.  Most  of  the 
theatrical  performances  now  showing 
in  Rome  use  the  City  Auditorium. 

RHODEF  SHOLEM  CONGREGA- 
TION ("Followers  of  Peace").— 
Founded  in  1871  by  David  Jacob  Mey- 
erhardt, father  of  Judge  Max  Meyer- 
hardt, who  officiated  until  his  death  in 
1890.  Jacob  Kuttner  then  officiated 
until  his  death  in  1905,  at  which  time 
Isaac  May  assumed  charge,  and  is  the 
incumbent.  The  vice-president  is  Judge 
Max  Meyerhardt  and  the  secretary  and 
treasurer  Joe  Esserman.  M.  Miller  is 
the  rabbi,  and  the  trustees  are  Harry 
Lesser,  Pressley  Esserman  and  Jake 
Mendelson.  Rabbi  David  Esserman 
served  from  1898  until  1916.  when  ill 
health  forced  him  to  resign.  He  died 
in  1917. 

The  congregation  still  worships  in  a 
rented  hall  in  the  Masonic  Temple,  but 
a  building  has  been  created  which  will 
be  used  later  to  erect  a  handsome  house 
of  v/orship.  The  Sunday  School, 
taught  by  Judge  Max  Meyerhardt,  ha.s 
a  membership  of  nearly  60. 

RIVERS  OF  FLOYD  COUNTY.— 
The  rivers  which  (hain  Floyd  County 
flow  in  a  generally  southwestward  di- 
rection; the  Oostanaula  and  the  Eto~ 
wah  unite  at  Rome  to  form  the  Coosa, 
which  threads  its  way  in  a  serpentine 


406 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


course  throuprVi  eastern  Alabama  until 
it  joins  the  Tallapoosa  near  Wetunip- 
ka  and  Montg:omery  and  then  glides 
into  the  Alabama  River  and  finally 
loses  itself  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The 
Etowah  is  not  navigable.  The  Oosta- 
naula  admits  small  steamers  as  far 
up  as  Carter's  Quarters,  Murray  Coun- 
ty, 105  miles,  while  the  Coosa  can  be 
plied  250  miles,  nearly  to  the  junc- 
tion with  ihe  Tallapoosa.  Greensport 
is  the  extremity  and  Gadsden  a  popu- 
lar ink  nd  port.  The  navigable  ex- 
tent of  the  two  rivers  is  therefore  355 
miles. 

A  keg  placed  in  the  Etowah  at  its 
source,  if  unobstructed,  would  reach 
Rome  in  about  three  days,  as  it  would 
if  set  free  in  the  Oostanaula,  the  flow 
being  a  rapid  at  the  start,  and  rush- 
ing on  at  the  rate  of  about  seven  miles 
an  hour  100  miles  up  and  calming 
down  to  two  or  three  miles  at  Rome. 
Should  a  giant  stand  at  the  head  wa- 
ters of  the  Oostanaula,  break  a  stone 
and  drop  half  into  the  water,  particles 
of  it  would  be  washed  eventually  into 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  via  Rome  and  Mo- 
bile Bay;  if  he  should  place  the  other 
ha:f  of  the  rock  in  his  sling  and  hurl 
it  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  another  rush- 
ing stream,  particles  would  be  carried 
into  the  Toccoa  River,  then  the  Ocoee, 
then  Hiwassee,  then  the  Tennessee 
(past  Chattanooga  and  Muscle  Shoals) 
and  finally  into  the  Gulf  at  New  Or- 
leans by  the  majestic  Mississippi.  The 
sandy  particles  would  find  their  way 
to  Mobile  Bay  via  Rome  if  cast  into 
the  Etowah,  but  if  they  should  be  slung 
into  the  gurgling  Tesnatee,  a  tributary 
of  the  Chattahoochee,  they  would  pass 
Atlanta  and  Columbus  and  ble  dis- 
charged into  the  Gulf  via  the  Appa- 
lachicola  River  and  Appalachicola  Bay. 

Should  a  mischievous  and  adventur- 
ous hob-goblin  mount  the  keg  as  it 
skimmed  along  the  Etowah,  he  would 
not  only  see  the  muskrats,  the  fish,  the 
eels  and  mussels  at  play,  and  the  squir- 
rels cracking  nuts  on  the  banks,  but 
he  would  hear  the  farmers  singing 
through  the  bottom  land  cornfields  and 
the  moonshiners  droning  over  their 
mash.  If  he  could  stretch  his  neck  a 
bit — so  it  would  put  his  head  above 
the  tallest  sycamore  trees  fringing  the 
bank — he  could  gaze  on  Dahlonega, 
Lumpkin  County;  Dawsonville,  Daw- 
son County;  High  tower,  Forsyth  Coun- 
ty; Canton,  Cherokee  County;  Car- 
tersville  and  Kingston,  Bartow  Coun- 
ty; and  finally  the  arching  spires  of 
Rome. 

Should  the  hob-goblin  forsake  the 
muddy  river  for  the  clear   Oostanaula 


he  would  take  his  start  in  the  classic 
Cohutta  Mountains  in  Fannin  County, 
pass  through  a  part  of  Polk  and  Brad- 
ley Counties,  Tenn.,  then  come  back 
to  Georgia,  go  within  hailing  distance 
of  Dalton,  Whitfield  County,  straddle 
the  county  line  between  Whitfield  and 
Murray,  pass  Resaca  and  Calhoun  in 
Gordon  County,  and  amble  on  down  to 
Rome;  or  if  he  took  the  Coosawattee 
branch  of  the  Oostanaula  he  would 
start  his  impish  journey  on  Cherrylog 
Creek,  near  Blue  Ridge,  Fannin  Coun- 
ty, bow  his  way  into  the  Ellijay  River, 
doff  his  purple  velvet  cap  at  Ellijay, 
Gilmer  County,  yell  at  Sam  Carter  at 
Carter's  Quarters,  Murray  County,  and 
enter  the  purling  Oostanaula  at  Re- 
saca,   in    Gordon. 

After  sailing  along  more  slowly  to 
Rome  and  the  Mayo  Bar  Lock,  eight 
miles  below,  the  little  gamin  would 
shoot  the  rapids  beyond  the  lock  and 
dam,  and  by  the  time  he  reached  the 
mouth  of  Big  Cedar  Creek,  near  the 
Alabama  line,  he  would  be  apt  to  hop 
off  the  keg,  skip  along  the  creek  until 
he  reached  Cave  Spring,  and  there  ex- 
plore the  wonderful  cave  and  play  with 
the  school  children  to  his  heart's  con- 
tent. 


ROMANS  IN  CONGRESS.— The 
nresent  senior  Senator  from  Georgia, 
Wm.  J.  Harris,  of  Cedartown,  was 
once  a  resident  of  Rome,  and  Milford 
W.  Howard,  who  went  to  Congress  in 
the  nineties  from  Ft.  Payne,  Ala.,  was 
born  in  the  DeSoto  district,  now  the 
Fourth  Ward.  Mr.  Howard  wrote  a 
book  entitled  "If  Christ  Came  to 
Congress."  This  was  such  a  scath- 
ing arraignment  that  when  Mr.  How- 
ard arrived  to  resume  his  duties,  his 
.scat  was  contested  by  Speaker  Thos. 
B.  Reed  and  others. 

In  1868  Dr.  H.  V.  M.  Miller  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate 
from  Atlanta,  defeating  Jos.  E.  Brown. 
He  had  removed  from  Rome  the  year 
before.  He  was  not  seated  until  a  few 
days   before   his   term   expired. 

The  following  Romans  have  been 
elected  to  Congress  from  Rome: 

Before  the  War. 

JNO.  H.  LUMPKIN;  28th  Congress, 
1843-5;  Georgia  contemporaries:  Ed- 
ward J.  Black,  Absalom  H.  Chappell, 
Duncan  L.  Clinch,  Howell  Cobb,  Hugh 
A.  Haralson,  John  Millen,  Alexander 
H.  Stephens,  Wm.  H.  Stiles.  Twenty- 
ninth  Congress,  1845-7;  contempora- 
ries: Howell  Cobb,  Hugh  A.  Haralson, 
Seaborn     Jones,     Thos.     Butler     King, 


Encyclopedic  Section 


407 


BEFORE  "KING  WEEVIL"   HAD  USURPED   THE  THRONE. 

The  picture  shows  a  "cotton  patch"  transplanted  in  Broad  Street;  year,  1916.  Miss 
Frances  Wright  (Mrs.  Julius  Clyde  Price)  telling  a  crowd  of  Dixie  and  Forrest  Highway 
tourists  the  advantages  of  good  roads  and  diversified  agriculture.  James  M.  Cox,  of  Ohio, 
candidate    for    President    in    1920,    is    in    the    automobile    in    the    left    foreground. 


Washington  Poe,  Alexander  H.  Steph- 
ens, Robt.  Toombs,  Geo.  W.  Towns. 
Thirtieth  Congi-ess,  1847-9 ;  contempo- 
raries: Howell  Cobb,  Hugh  A.  Haral- 
son, Alfred  Iverson,  John  W.  Jones, 
Thos.  Butler  King,  Alexiander  H. 
Stephens,  Robt.  Toombs.  Thirty-fourth 
Congress,  185.5-7;  contemporaries: 
Howell  Cobb,  Martin  J.  Crawford,  Na- 
thaniel G.  Foster,  Jas.  L.  Seward,  Al- 
exander H.  Stephens,  Robt.  P.  Trippe, 
Hiram  Warner. 

THOS.  C.  HACKETT;*  Thirty- 
first  Congress,  1849-51;  contempora- 
ries: Howell  Cobb  (elected  speaker 
Dec.  21,  1849),  Hugh  A.  Haralson, 
Jos.  W.  Jackson,  Thos.  Butler  King, 
Allen  F.  Owen,  Alexander  H.  Steph- 
ens, Robt.  Toombs,  Marshall  J.  Well- 
born. 

AUGUSTUS  R.  WRIGHT;  35th 
Congress,  1857-9;  contemporaries: 
Martin  J.  Crawford,  Lucius  J.  Gartrell, 
Joshua  Hill,  James  Jackson,  James  L. 
Seward,  Alexander  H.  Stephens,  Robt. 
P.   Trippe,    Hii'am   Warner. 

JOHN  W.  H.  UNDERWOOD;  36th 
Congress,  1859-()1;  contemporaries: 
Martin  J.  Crawford,  Lucius  J.  Gartrell, 
Thos.  Hardeman,  Jr.,  Joshua  Hill,  Jas. 
Jackson,  John  J.  Jones,  Peter  E.  Love. 
(On  Jan.  23,  18(51,  the  Georgia  dele- 
gation    retired     from     Congress,     and 

*Died   Oct.    8,    18.51,   at   Marietta,    Ga. 


Joshua  Hill  was  the  only  one  who  went 
through  the  formality  of  a  resigna- 
tion). 

After  the  War. 

JUDSON  C.  CLEMENTS;  51st 
Congress,  1889-91;  contemporaries: 
Geo.  T.  Barnes,  Jas.  H.  Blount,  Allen 
D.  Candler,  Henry  H.  Carlton,  Chas. 
F.  Crisp,  Thos.  W.  Grimes,  Rufus  E. 
Lester,  Jno.  D.  Stewart,  Henry  G. 
Turner.  (Judge  Clements  removed  to 
Rome  in  1887  from  LaFayette,  Walker 
County,  having  heen  just  returned  to 
Congress  from  that  point.  At  the  next 
election  he  was  living  at  Rome,  but 
after  his  service  in  the  51st  he  declined 
re-election.  While  living  in  Walker  he- 
had  served  in  the  47th  through  the 
49th,  1881-7.  In  the  50th,  1887-9, 
he  served  with  the  same  colleagues  as 
in  the  51st,  except  that  Thos.  M.  Nor- 
wood was  serving  in  the  50th,  and  was 
succeeded  bv  Rufus  E.  Lester  in  the 
51st). 

JOHN  W.  MADDOX;  53rd  Con- 
gress, 1893-5;  contemporaries:  J.  C. 
C.  Black,  Thos.  B.  Cabaniss,  Chas.  F. 
Crisp,  Thos.  G.  Lawson.  Rufus  E.  Les- 
ter, Leonidas  F.  Livingston.  Chas.  L. 
Moses,  Benj.  E.  Russell,  F.  Garter 
Tate,  Henry  G.  Turner.  Fifty-fourth 
Congress,  1895-7;  contemporaries:  C. 
L.  Bartlett,  Chas.  F.  Crisp,  the  father; 
Chas.  R.  Crisp,  the  son;  Thos.  G.  Law- 
son,  Rufus  E.  Lester,  Leonidas  F.  Liv- 


408 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ingston,  Chas.  L.  Moses,  F.  Carter 
Tate,  Henry  G.  Turner.  Fifty-fifth 
Congress,  1897-9 ;  contemporaries : 
Wm.  C.  Adamson,  Chas.  L.  Bartlett, 
Wm.  G.  Brantley,  Wm.  H.  Fleming, 
Jas.  M.  Griggs,  Wm.  M.  Howard,  Rufus 

E.  Lester,    Elijah    B.    Lewis,   Leonidas 

F.  Livingston,  F.  Carter  Tate.  Fifty- 
sixth  Congress,  1899-1901;  contempo- 
raries: Same  as  in  55th.  Fifty-sev- 
enth Congress,  1901-3;  contemporaries: 
Same  as  in  55th  and  56th.  Fifty- 
eighth  Congress,  1903-5 ;  contempora- 
ries: Same  as  in  55th,  56th  and  57th 
except  that  Thos.  W.  Hardwick  took 
the  place  of  Wm.  H.   Fleming. 

*     *     * 

ROME  FEMALE  COLLEGE.— 
Founded  about  1853  by  Col.  Simpson 
Fouche,  as  the  Cherokee  Female  Insti- 
tute. Col.  Fouche  conducted  it  until 
Jan.  1,  1857,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jno.  M.  M.  Caldwell, 
who  had  previously  operated  a  school 
for  day  students  in  their  home,  the 
old  John  Ross  house,  in  the  Fourth 
Ward.  It  was  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  Eighth  Avenue  where  the  Bur- 
ney  and  Willingham  homes  are  now 
located.  After  Mrs.  Caldwell's  death 
June  8,  1886,  at  the  school.  Dr.  Cald- 
well continued  the  institution,  but  it 
finally  passed  into  the  hands  of  Dr. 
J.  B.  S.  Holmes,  who  converted  it  into 
a  private  sanitarium,  which  burned 
down  in  the  early  nineties. 

As  claimed  by  the  Caldwells  and  ac- 
cording to  fact,  the  college  was  an 
outgrowth  of  the  Institute,  for  in  the 
larger  institution  boarding  pupils  were 
accepted,  and  they  came  from  many 
states.  It  began  its  career  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Presbyterian  Synod  of 
Georgia,  but  in  1860,  along  with  simi- 
lar institutions,  passed  into  the  owner- 
ship of  Dr.  Caldwell.  A  new  charter 
was  granted  in  July,  1877.  The  Synod 
again   tried  to   obtain   control   in    1885. 

The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  was 
celebrated  in  1882.  On  Sunday,  June 
4,  the  Rev.  John  Jones,  president  of 
the  first  board  of  trustees,  delivered 
the  baccalaureate  address,  and  on 
commencement  day,  June  8,  Dr.  Cald- 
well spoke,  and  the  Alumnae  Society 
held  a  reunion  at  the  college. 

On  Feb.  15,  1886,  the  art  and  music 
departments,  dining  room  and  kitchen 
wei-e  destroyed  by  fire,  with  a  loss  of 
a  valuable  collection  of  art  treasures, 
the  accumulation  of  25  years.  The 
building  loss   was   soon   restored. 

The  booklet  of  1886  lists  the  follow- 
ing faculty:  Dr.  Caldwell,  president 
and    professor   of   Evidences   of    Chris- 


tianity; Samuel  Craighead  Caldwell* 
vice-president  and  professor  of  meta- 
physics, natural  science  and  higher 
mathematics;  Mrs.  S.  C.  Caldwell,  lady 
principal  and  in  charge  of  dormitories; 
Miss  Ella  Young,  Latin  and  Belles- 
Letters;  Miss  S.  P.  Bai'ker,  elocution, 
reading  and  English  Composition; 
Prof.  A.  Buttel,  principal  of  music  de- 
partment; Madame  A.  Buttel,  French 
and  German;  Miss  Ella  Bailey,  art; 
S.  C.  Caldwell,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. Among  other  teachers  of  va- 
rious periods  might  be  mentioned  Mrs. 
Arthur  W.  Tedcastle,  of  Boston.  The 
school  maintained  a  primary  depart- 
ment as  well  as  the  advanced  gi'ades. 

ROME      LIGHT      GUARDS.— This 

Civil  War  company  was  formed  as 
.soon  as  the  war  clouds  began  to  gather 
definitely — in  1858 — by  Edward  Jones 
Magruder,  a  graduate  of  the  Virginia 
Miltary  Institute  at  Lexington,  Va., 
and  who  in  later  years  taught  a  mil- 
itary school  at  Rome.  The  following 
muster  roll  was  taken  from  The  Rome 
Tri-Weekly  Courier  of  Tuesday  morn- 
ing. May  28,  1861.  A  few  recruits 
have  been  added  to  The   Courier  list: 

Officers — 

Captain — Edward  J.   Magruder. 

First  Lieut.— Sidney  H.  Hall. 

Second    Lieut. — Melville    Dwinell. 

Third   Lieut. — Geo.    R.    Lumpkin. 

First  Sergt.— Jas.  T.  Moore. 

Second  Sergt. — Rufus  F.  Hutchings. 

Third    Sergt.— W.    S.    Hutchings. 

Fourth    Sergt. — Isaac   Donkle. 

First    Corp. — Wm.    S.    Skidmore. 

Second    Corp.— M.   B.   Holland 

Third    Corp.— Leonidas    T.    Mitchell. 

Fourth  Corp.- — Jno.  J.  Black. 

Bugler.— Geo.  G.   Merck. 

Surgeon. — Dr.  Jno.  M.  Gregory. 

Drummers — 

Jimmy  A.  Smith,  Johnson  Willbanks, 
C.  M.  Fouche,  Henry  S.  Lansdell. 

Privates — 
Jas.    H.    Anderson    S.  S.  Clayton 
Geo.  S.  Aycock         Philip  Cohen 
Wm.   Aycock  Hugh  D.  Cothran 

Geo.   Barnsley  R.   D.   DeJournett 

L.  Barnsley  Geo.  G.  Demming 

W.   J.   Barrett  F.  M.  Ezzell 

Wm.  A.  Barron        Geo.  W.  Fleetwood 
A.  J.  Bearden  Robt.  T.  Fouche 

Jno.  N.   Bearden       B.   J.    Franks 
Jno.  F.  Beasley        John  S.  Gibbons 
R.  W.   Boggs  Wm.   F.    Glenn 

Wm.  S.  Booten  Lewis  Graves 

Will   Burnett  Larkin   Green 

Jas.  B.  Clark  Lindsey    Hall 

*A  graduate  in    1868  of  Princeton   University, 
Princeton,    N.    J.  ;    a.    m.    in    1871. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


409 


Scott  Hardin 
Z.  B.  Hargrove 
D.  C.  Hargrove 
T.  C.  Howard 
G.   W.   Hutchings 
J.  M.  Jack 
A.  R.  Johnson 

C.  L.  Johnson 
Josiah  Johnston 
Silas   R.  Jones 
M.   Kauffman 
Geo.  W.  King 
W.   S.   Lansdell 
Wm.  F.  Leigh 
Wm.  Lother 

W.  H.  H.  Martin 
Hugh   McCullough 
Thos  McGrath 
Wm.   McKay 
M.   D.   McOsker 

D.  H.    Miller 

Wm.   L. 


Chas.   B.   Norton 
Geo.   C.  Norton 
W.  F.  Omberg 
W.  M.  Payne 
J.   R.   Penny 
A.  F.  Pemberton 
M.    A.    Ross 
C.  W.  Rush 
M.  L.   Sanders 
Geo.   K.    Sanford 
J.  T.  Shackelford 
J.  F.   Shelton 
Chas.    H.    Smith 
Henry    A.    Smith 
Virgil  A.  Stewart 
F.   M.   Stovall 
Geo.  T.  Stovall 
J.  A.  Stevenson,  Jr. 
J.  J.  Stinson 
T.  W.   Swank 
R.   P.   Watters 
Morefield 


H.    S.   Lansdell  furnished   The   Trib- 
une   of    Rome    of    May    26,    1895,   with 
the   following   list    of   39    Light   Guard 
members  then  living: 
J.  H.  Anderson         W.  S.  Lansdell 


Geo.  Barnsley 
W.  J.   Barrett 
A.  J.  Bearden 
J.  J.   Black 
R.  W.   Boggs 


M.  D.  McOsker 
Geo.  G.  Merck 
Geo.    Milam 
D.   H.  Miller 
L.   T.   Mitchell 


R.    D.    DeJournett    J.  T.  Moore 
F.  M.  Ezzell  Geo.   C.  Norton 

R.  T.  Fouche  W.  F.  Omberg 

J.    A.    Franks  W.  M.  Payne 

W.  F.  Glenn  Jno.   Pinson 

A.  F.  Gregory  C.    A.    Rush 

Z.  B.  Hargi-ove        J.  F.   Shelton 
A.   R.  Johnson  W.  J.  Shockley 

C.  L.  Johnson  J.    A.    Smith 

Joe  Johnson  H.   A.   Smith 

J.  D.  Jones  J.  A.  Stephenson 

S.    R.    Jones  V.  A.  Stewart 

M.   Kauffman  T.  W.   Swank 

H.  S.  Lansdell 
Of   the    survivors    in    1865,    the    fol- 
lowing stacked  arms  with  Lee  at  Ap- 
pomattox,   having    remained    with    the 
Guards   to   the  end: 


W,  A.  Barron 
R.  W.  Boggs 
W.  A.  Choice 
J.  A.  Franks 
G.  W.   Hutchings 
R.  F.  Hutchings 


C.  L.  Johnson 
H.  S.  Lansdell 
W.   S.   Lansdell 

D.  H.  Miller 
J.  F.  Shelton 
H.  A.   Smith 


A.  R.  Johnson 

The  Reserve  Recruiting  Corps  was 
composed  of  A.  E.  Ross,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  W.  H.  Collier,  Jno.  R.  Paye, 
H.  C.  Miner  and  J.  L.  Pinson. 

ROME'S  MILITARY  RULERS.— 
Four  principal  chieftains  of  the  Union 
Army    presided   over    Rome's    destinies 


at  various  periods  during  1864.  Brig. 
Gen.  Jefferson  Columbus  Davis  was 
commanding  the  right  wing  of  Sher- 
man's army  when  it  entered  Rome  for 
the  first  time  May  18.  He  personally 
supervised  battery  work  from  the  new 
Shorter  College  hill  in  West  Rome,  and 
drove  the  Confederates  off  Ft.  Stovall 
(Myrtle  Hill  cemetery),  for  which 
"gallant  and  meritorious  conduct"  he 
was  cited  in  general  orders.  A  story 
is  told  that  he  tried  the  ruse  of  taking 
a  woman — Mrs.  Lizzie  Roach  Hughes — 
to  the  top  of  Shorter  hill,  saying  to 
her  that  they  would  go  up  and  see 
whether  any  Confederates  were  left  in 
Rome,  but  in  reality,  it  was  claimed, 
thinking  the  "Rebs"  wouldn't  fire  with 
a  woman  present.  As  soon  as  the  Con- 
federates made  out  the  general  and 
Mrs.  Roach  through  their  glasses,  they 
sent  a  shell  screeching  overhead. 

Gen.  Davis  was  a  native  of  Indiana, 
born  in  1828,  and  came  out  of  the  Mex- 
ican War  as  a  lieutenant,  having  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  Buena  Vista.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  garrison  which 
burned  Ft.  Moultrie  before  the  fall  of 


■•'#►' 


JUDGE   M.    B.    GERRY,   once   of   Macon,   and 
seven    years   a    resident   of    Rome,    a    leading 

lawyer    and    jurist. 


410 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Ft.  Sumter  in  1861,  and  his  record 
throughout  the  war  was  one  of  con- 
spicuous gallantry.  He  was  mustered 
out  as  a  major  general.  On  Sept.  29, 
1862,  he  had  the  misfortune  to  engage 
in  an  altercation  over  military  matters 
with  Gen.  Wm.  Nelson  at  the  Gait 
House,  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  shot  Gen. 
Nelson  dead  with  a  pistol.  He  was  ar- 
rested, but  restored  to  duty  and  was 
never  tried.  He  died  at  Chicago  in 
1879. 

After  five  days  in  Rome,  Gen.  Davis 
hurried  on  in  the  pursuit  of  Gen.  Jos. 
E.  Johnston's  army,  and  fought  May 
26  at  New  Hope  church,  near  Dallas. 
He  left  Brig.  Gen.  Wm.  Vandever  in 
command.  Gen.  Vandever  set  up  head- 
quarters in  the  James  M.  Spullock 
home,  911  Broad  Street.  Gen.  Van- 
dever was  a  native  of  Baltimore,  and 
was  47  years  old  when  he  was  at  Rome. 
He  had  lived  a  while  in  Illinois,  and 
when  the  war  broke  out  was  serving 
in  Congress  from  the  Dubuque  dis- 
trict of  Iowa.  He  resigned  his  seat  in 
Congress  and  entered  the  war.  His 
men  traveled  45  miles  March  5,  1862, 
and  turned  the  tide  at  Pea  Ridge,  Ark., 
the  next  day,  and  on  a  number  of  oc- 
casions later  he  was  cited,  and  was 
discharged  with  the  rank  of  brevet 
major  general.  After  the  war  he  re- 
moved to  California,  where  he  was 
again  elected  to  Congress,  and  he  died 
in  1893  at  Buena  Ventura  at  77  years 
of  age. 


WARREN  G.  HARDING,  president  of  the 
United  States,  as  he  addressed  a  crowd  from 
rear  of  train   in  East   Rome,   Jan.  21,  1921. 


Gen.  Vandever  also  soon  hurried  on 
with  his  command  and  left  Rome  to 
Brig.  Gen.  Jno.  Murry  Corse,  who 
moved  headquarters  to  the  Hood-Cum- 
ming-Feathersto'ii-Rixie  place  at  709 
Broad,  and  soon  thereafter  to  the  home 
of  Maj.  Chas.  H.  Smith  at  312  Fourth 
Avenue,  where  the  home  of  Mrs.  Chas. 
A.  Hight  is  now  located.  For  four  and 
a  half  months  Gen.  Corse  ruled  over 
Rome;  he  was  not  as  popular  with  the 
citizens  as  Gen.  Davis  or  Gen.  Van- 
dever, due,  perhaps,  to  the  fact  that 
the  heavy  work  of  the  occupation  fell 
to  his  lot.  Atlanta  had  been  taken 
Sept.  2,  1864,  and  Sherman  was  chas- 
ing Hood  northward  along  the  W.  &  A. 
raih'oad.  Gen.  Corse  had  been  ordered 
to  withdraw  his  garrison  of  1,054  men 
from  Rome  and  to  reinforce  Col.  Tour- 
telotte  at  Allatoona  Pass,  Bartow 
County.  Corse  arrived  Oct.  5  and  he 
and  Tourtelotte  were  beset  by  a  su- 
perior force  under  Maj.  Gen.  S.  G. 
French.  Before  the  onslaught  Gen. 
French  demanded  surrender,  but  Corse 
returned  a  defiant  answer.  While  lying 
seriously  wounded,  Corse  directed  his 
part  of  the  fight,  and  finally  received 
a  signal  message  over  the  heads  of 
the  Confederates  from  Gen.  Vandever, 
"Sherman  says  'Hold  on;  I  am  com- 
ing.' "  Corse  continued  the  fight,  and 
was  saved  when  Sherman  came  up 
from  Kennesaw  Mountain;  and  the 
Confederates,  now  outnumbered,  with- 
drew. 

Gen.  Corse  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania but  went  into  the  Federal  army 
from  Iowa.  He  was  born  about  1832, 
and  started  his  military  career  at  West 
Point.  He  was  cited  for  his  conduct 
at  Allatoona  Pass  and  was  breveted 
major  general  before  he  was  mustered 
out.  He  died  Apr.  27,  1893.  It  was 
Gen.  Corse  and  his  men,  acting  under 
direct  orders  of  Gen.  Sherman,  who 
destroyed  Kingston  by  fire  as  the  Un- 
ion columns  swung  into  line  on  the 
March  to  the  Sea. 

Gen.  Wm.  T.  Sherman  came  into  the 
picture  after  the  other  three.  He  had 
his  headquarters  at  the  Smith  home  on 
two  occasions.  His  diary  mentions 
that  he  went  from  Kingston  to  Rome 
Nov.  12,  1864,  and  on  the  14th  was 
before  Resaca,  30  miles  away,  so  he 
may  have  spent  the  night  in  Rome  and 
left  the  next  morning,  the  13th.  The 
diary  of  R.  S.  Norton,  father  of  Mrs. 
Wm.  M.  Towers,  states  that  Sherman 
and  his  staff  entered  Rome  the  night 
of  Oct.  29,  1864;  on  this  occasion  he 
is  supposed  to  have  remained  two  and 
a  half  days.  He  went  back  to  King- 
ston. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


411 


412 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Sherman  left  Rome  in  charge  of  Gen. 
Davis.  This  marked  the  beg-inning  of 
the  evacuation  of  Rome,  and  it  started 
at  5  a.  m.  Nov.  10,  according  to  the 
Norton  diary,  with  a  bonfire  made  out 
of  Rome  business  and  manufacturing 
establishments.  It  was  Gen.  Davis' 
duty  to  carry  out  Sherman's  orders 
to  burn  certain  valuable  structui-es; 
however,  it  is  understood  that  Gen. 
Jno.  M.  Corse,  serving  under  Gen.  Da- 
vis, actually  applied  the  torch. 

A  fifth  Federal  commander  ap- 
peared on  the  scene  after  the  war.  He 
was  Capt.  Chas.  A.  de  la  Mesa,  of  Co. 
I,  39th  New  York  Infantry  during  the 
hostilities.  On  June  20,  18G5,  Capt. 
de  la  Mesa  opened  the  Freedmen's  Bu- 
reau on  Broad  Street  and  took  charge 
as  reconstruction  commander,  with 
several  companies  of  troops.*  His  po- 
sition was  difficult  with  so  many  post- 
war antagonisms,  and  he  participated 
in  a  number  of  narrow  escapes  from 
the  infuriated  citizenry.  He  served 
two  or  three  years.  After  his  death, 
thought  to  have  taken  place  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  his  widow,  Francis  A.  M. 
de  la  Mesa,  married  Chas.  H.  Terry, 
late  assistant  surgeon  of  the  13th  New 
York  cavalry.  She  died  Mar.  9,  1920. 
The   de  la   Mesas  lived  at  the  bureau. 


MISS  MARTHA  BERRY  (left)  and  MISS 
E:LIZABETH  I.ANIER  (Mrs.  Robt.  Boiling, 
of  Philadelphia),  at  the  Berry  home,  "Oak 
Hill." 


next  door  to  the  old  Buena  Vista   Ho- 
tel. 

When  Gen.  Davis  came  back  to  Rome 
after  the  fall  of  Atlanta,**  he  called 
on  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  on  First  Avenue, 
dismissing  his  orderly  at  the  front 
door.  Also  paying  a  call  were  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Addison  Maupin,  Virginia  peo- 
ple and  neighbors.  Mr.  Maupin  kept 
a  drug  store  at  Rome  with  J.  H.  Now- 
lin,  under  the  firm  name  of  Nowlin  & 
Maupin.  He  had  a  herd  of  cows  and 
had  been  selling  milk  to  the  soldiers, 
and  had  had  trouble  protecting  the 
herd  from  thieves. 

The   following   conversation   ensued; 
Gen.   Davis:      "Mrs.   Battey,   I  want 
to  ask  if  you  can  tell  me  how  far  it  is 
to    Atlanta." 

Mrs.  Battey:  "You  ought  to  know. 
General;  you  have  just  come  from 
there." 

"How  far  is  it  to  Jacksonville,  Ala.?" 
"About  as  far  as  it  is  to  Atlanta,  I 
suppose." 

"Where  is  your  husband?" 
"I    don't    know,    exactly,    maybe    in 
Mississippi.     Why  do  you  ask  me  these 
questions?" 

"Because  I  thought  I  could  send  your 
husband  back  to   you." 

Mr.  Maupin  requested  Gen.  Davis 
to  help  him  protect  his  cows. 

"General,"  he  said,  "Are  you  aware 
that  boys  over  in  DeSoto  are  shooting 
rifles  into  Rome?" 

Mrs.  Battey  replied  sharply,  "Mr. 
Maupin,  you  know  that  is  not  true. 
The  boys  of  Rome  have  nothing  to 
shoot  with." 

Gen.  Davis  said:  "Our  soldiers  will 
take  care  of  themselves."  Then  he 
politely  bowed  his  way  out. 

Present  also  and  a  witness  to  this 
conversation  was  Wm.  H.  Smith,  a 
cousin  of  Wm.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Battey, 
who  from  July,  1868,  until  November, 
1870,  served  as  reconstruction  governor 
of  Alabama.  Wm.  H.  Smith  was  a 
Union  man  and  came  to  Rome  in  the 
wake  of  Sherman's  army.  He  spent 
three  months  in  the  Battey  home. 

Mrs.  Battey  was  an  invalid  at  this 
time,  with  several  small  children  to 
care  for,  and  Gen.  Davis  gave  her  a 
guard  of  two  soldiers  to  keep  marau- 
ders from  tearing  away  her  fences  and 
stealing  her  things.  She  soon  repaid 
him   for  his  kindness.      Overhearing  a 

*Thi3   is    evidently   an   error,   since  The   Rome 
Weekly    Courier    reported   Capt.   Kyes    in    charge 
Aug.    31,    1865. 
♦"The   morning   of  Sept.   2,    1864. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


413 


plot  among  some  of  his  own  soldiers 
to  kill  him  (whether  as  an  echo  from 
the  Nelson  affair  is  not  known),  she 
sent  for  him  and  warned  him.  It  seems 
that  Gen.  Davis  was  expected  to  pass 
a  certain  spot  near  the  Burwell  Creek 
bridge  on  the  Oostanaula  River  road, 
and  here  the  assassins  were  due  to 
have  been   waiting. 

Gen.  Davis  sent  a  patrol  squad  and 
they  brought  back  a  number  of  suits  of 
Confederate  clothing,  found  hidden  in 
a  hollow  log.  From  the  evidence  it 
appeared  that  the  plotters  had  ex- 
pected  to  kill  Gen.  Davis  and  throw 
his  body  into  the  river,  then  to  don 
the  gray  uniforms  and  take  to  the 
woods.  In  some  manner  word  got  to 
them  that  Gen.  Davis  was  aware  of 
their  game,  and  they  failed  to  gather 
at  the  meeting  place,  and  probably  fin- 
ished the  war  under  his  command.  Gen. 
Davis  told  his  riends  his  escape  was 
exceedingly  narrow. 

It  may  be  appropriate  to  append  here 
a  short  sketch  of  Col.  Abel  D.  Streight, 
who,  though  not  a  "military  ruler  of 
Rome,"  knew  the  place  through  his 
visit  May  3,  1863  as  the  "guest"  of 
Gen.    Forrest:* 

Abel  D.  Streight  was  born  June  17, 
1828,  in  Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y.  He  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade,  and  at  the  age  of 
19  took  a  contract  for  a  large  mill, 
which  he  successfully  completed.  He 
purchased  a  sawmill  and  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  at  Wheeler,  N.  Y., 
until  1858,  when  he  moved  to  Cincin- 
nati. The  following  year  he  removed 
to  Indianapolis  and  engaged  in  pub- 
lishing. He  published  a  pamphlet, 
urging  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
at  all  hazards.  In  Sept.,  1861,  he  joined 
the  army  as  Colonel  of  the  51st  In- 
diana Volunteer  Infantry.  In  April, 
1863,  Streight  was  sent  by  Rosecrans 
with  a  force  of  men  to  cut  the  rail- 
roads in  western  Georgia,  over  which 
supplies  were  being  sent  to  Bragg's 
army.  The  force  divided  and  Streight 
was  overtaken  and  forced  to  surren- 
der to  a  force  under  General  Forrest. 
He  was  imprisoned  in  Libby  prison  for 
eight  months,  when  he  escaped.  He 
was  recaptured  and  put  in  irons  in  a 
dungeon.  On  Feb.  8,  1864,  he  escaped 
with  108  others  through  a  tunnel  under 
the  prison  wall.  After  a  few  weeks 
in  Indianapolis  he  went  to  the  front 
again. 

Gen.  Streight  died  May  27,  1892,  and 
his  widow,  Mrs.  Lovina  Streight,  died 
June  5,  1910. 

♦Summarized  from  .T.  P.  Dunn's  "Indiana 
and   Indianans,"    v.    2,    ps.    571-2. 


ROUND  TABLE  CLUB.— A  litera- 
ry organization  founded  Dec.  21  I860 
o'^/'The  Hill"  (probably  the  home  of 
Col.  Nicholas  J.  Bayard),  with  Henry 
A.  Gartrell  president  and  George 
Trippe  Stovall  secretary,  and  the  fol- 
lowing other  members:  Misses  Flor- 
ida Bayard,  Mary  Billups,  Ellen  and 
Martha  Cooley,  Mary  Cothran,  Eddie 
Magruder,  Sallie  Park,  Laura  and 
Mary  Smith,  Annie  Jeffers  and  Ellen 
Stovall,  and  Messrs.  I.  H.  Branham 
Melville  Dwinell,  Geo.  C.  and  Chas.  B. 
Norton,  Wm.  L.  Skidmore,  Henry  A 
Smith  and  W.  H.  Jeffers. 
*     *     * 

SARDIS  VOLUNTEERS.  —  This 
Civil  War  company  was  formed  at  Sar- 
dis  Presbyterian  church,  Coosa,  May 
9,  1861,  and  was  mustered  into  the 
service  at  Lynchburg,  Va.,  June  11 
1861,  by  Major  Clag.  The  following 
muster  roll  was  completed  Dec.  25, 
1894,  by  Curtis  Green,  of  Oglesby, 
Tex.,  a  member  who  still  survives;  and 
was  authenticated  by  a  survivor: 

Officers — 

Captain — John   R.   Hart. 

First    Lieut.— Alfred    F.    Bate. 

Second  Lieut.— Wm.  W.  Tutt. 

Third    Lieut.— J.   D.    Bouchillon. 

First  Sergt. — John   R.   Lay. 


IVY  LEDBETTER  LEE,  former  Roman,  now 
New  Yorker,  publicity  director  of  the  Stand- 
ard Oil  Co.  and  the  GcorRia  Ry.  &  Power  Co. 


414 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Second   Sergt.— G.  W.  Mathis. 
Third    Ser^.— C.    C.   Williamson. 
Fourth    Sergt. — Wm.   D.    Moore. 
First  Corp. — Jno.  P.  Fleming. 
Second  Corp. — Isaac  P.  Smith. 
Third   Corp. — J.   H.  Williamson. 
Fourth  Corp. — Robt.  N.  Hays. 
Musicians — David    W.    Guthrie,   Jno. 
L.    Guthrie. 

Privates — 
Leonard  N.  Austin 
Jasper  Barkley 
John  W.   Berryhill 
Martin   Bolt 
James   E.    Buford 
John   W.    Buford 
Robert   Burnes 
Henry  H.  Burns 
Richard   Carey 
Frank  Carder 
William  A.   Carder 
Louis  Carpenter 
Asbury   Chapman 
James  A.  Coffer 
James   M.   Collins 
Martin  V.  Collins 
Wm.  G.  Collins 
Jos.  A.  D.  Comer 
A.   S.   Cone 
Geo.  B.  Crawford 
Hugh   S.   Davidson 
John  Davis 


William  Davis 
William    D'Boice 
John  H.  Doogan 
Joseph   A.   Duke 
William  C.  Duke 
Henry  Dutton 
Henry  W.  Fisher 
Thomas  Ford 
James  A.   Frazier 
Robert  N.  Frazier 
Trustman  Frazier 
William  N.  Frazier 
Curtis   Green 
Lee  Green 
William  H.  Griffin 
Johnson   S.  Griswel 
G.   A.    Hall 
Tom  M.  Hall 
Waddv  J.  Hall 
William  J.   Hall 
Harrison  Hamilton 
William  Hardin 


William  H.  H.  HayWilliam  B.  Nelms 
James  D.  Holcomb  David  C.  Neyman 
William  Holder         Joseph  K.  Neyman 
P.  J.  Huckabv  Samuel    North 

William  M.  Husky  G.    W.    Pilgrim 
Wm.  L  M.  James    Isaac    Pilgrim 
Wm.  H.  Johnson     Wm.   M.   Pilgrim 
Wm.   R.  Johnson     William  Pledger 
George  King  J.  A.  Powell 

Jo  Lay  Draton    L.    Rains 

German   M.   Lester  Garrett  Robinson 
Thomas  F.  Love       Thos.   S.  Robinson 
John  T.  Lowry         Andrew  J.  Rose 
William  Lumpkin     David  A.  Self 
Jo   Mathis  Archa  Shirey 

J.    S.    McCollaugh    Enoch   P.    Shirey 
Abe   McGee  Henry   B.    Smith 

Robert  McKenzie  John  F.  Smith 
James  C.  Millican  John  A.  Smith 
Thomas  Millican  James  Studard 
George    Minix  Henry  Walker 

Nathan  S.  Moore     Joseph  W.   West 
James   R.   MurdockWm.  H.  Williams 
David  Neely  John  R.  Wood 

Wm.    H.    H.    Wright 

Recruits — 
Richard  Bailey 
James  Barkley 
G.  R.  A.  Brison 
Eenj.  F.  Bryan 
A.  J.   Collins 
J.  J.  Comer 
James    Davis 
N.  B.  Ford 
Adolphus   Furr 
Walter  Furr 
Barnev  Hall 
John    Hall 
Quince  Harbour 
Henry  Huffman 
Vestal  Johnson 
iv.  W.  Kincade 
Z.  T.  Lawrence 
Frank    Luster 

Tho 


THOS.  W.  LIPSCOMB,  leading  member  of  the 
Rome  bar,  who  was  probably  the  youngest 
mayor    Rome    ever    had. 


Sam  Martin 
John    Medlock 
Newton   Murdock 
Jake    Neyman 
William  Owens 
Newton  Pelt 
Garrison  Perry 
John   Robinson 
James  Sheridan 
Green  Smith 
A.    M.   Vann 
Dave  Vann 
D.  D.  Vann 
W.  K.  Vann 
D.  A.  Williamson 
Isaac  Williamson 
John  L.  Williamson 
Robert   Wood 
mas  Wood 
Dr.  J.  W.   Farell,  assistant  surgeon. 

Transferred  from  Infantry  to  Cav- 
alry Battalion,  Smith's  Legion,  Parti- 
zan  Rangers,  1862,  under  command  of 
Col.  J.  I.  Smith  and  Adjutant  Edward 
R.  Hardin:  Jno.  R.  Hart,  Lieut.-Col.; 
B.  F.  Brown,  Major;  B,  F.  Chastain, 
Adjutant;  A.  F.  Bale,  Capt.  Co.  C. 

Sixth  Ga.  Cavalry,  organized  in  1863; 
John  R.  Hart,  Col.;  Cicero  Fain,  Lieut.- 
Col.;  Alfred  F.  Bale,  Major;  J.  W. 
Farell,  assistant  surgeon;  John  R.  Lay, 
Capt.  Co.  G;  First  Lieut.,  W.  I.  M. 
James,  Second  Lieut.  G.  W.  Mathis, 
Third  Lieut.  Wm.  J.  Hall.,  when  war 
closed. 

SINGERS  AND  MUSICIANS  OF 
ROME. — The  following  incomplete  list 
is  furnished  by  one  of  them: 


Encyclopedic  Section 


415 


First  Baptist  CJuirch:  Miss  Beulah 
Cunyus,  Miss  Elizabeth  Betts  (Mrs. 
Robt.  Wyatt),  Henry  Arnold,  Mrs. 
Taul  B.  White,  Miss  Helen  Knox  Spain, 
J.  Glover  McGhee,  Miss  Frances 
Brown,  Miss  Sarah  Glover,  Wm.  Mc- 
Williams. 

First  Presbyterian:  Mrs.  Frederic 
E.  Vaissiere  and  Edward  R.  Leyburn, 
Jr.  (organist)  ;  Miss  Inez  Ebling,  Thos. 
E.  Clemmons,  Tom  Rawls,  Miss  Mir- 
iam Reynolds   (organist  and  soloist). 

First  Methodist:  Chas.  J.  Warner, 
Mrs.  Paul  Nixon  (Edith  Allen),  Mrs. 
Leon  Covington,  Pierce  McGhee,  Mrs. 
Wm.  0.  Tarpley  (organist),  Walter 
and  Battey  Coker,  Miss  Helen  Rhodes, 
Miss  Mary  Julia  Woodruff. 

St.  Peter's  Episcopal:  Mrs.  Geo.  P. 
Weathers,  Mrs.  Jno.  M.  Proctor,  Mrs. 
Geo.  T.  Watts,  Miss  Mary  Veal,  Mrs. 
Howard  Hull  (organist) ,  Mrs.  Felton 
Jones. 

First  Christian:  T.  L.  Bagley,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Barton,  Mrs.  Thos.  E. 
Edwards,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Archer,  Chas. 
Schnedl,  Mrs.  Jno.  H.  Wood,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Thedford,  Mrs.  Jno.  Howell,  Mrs.  Roy 
Burkhalter  and  G.  F.  Winfrey. 

Christian  Science:  Mrs.  Henry 
Stewart  (soloist),  D.  W.  Milliken  (or- 
ganist). 

Among  the  "informals"  who  sing  a 
good  deal,  but  usually  outside  of  the 
churches,  might  be  mentioned  Joe  Pat- 
ton,  Fred  and  Cyril  Hull,  Felton  Mitch- 
ell and  Arthur  West.  Mr.  West  is 
also   an  accomplished   'cellist. 

Rome  is  essentially  a  musical  town, 
and  talent  is  being  developed  that  will 
no  doubt  some  day  be  heard  wherever 
music  is  in  demand.  The  Music  Lovers' 
Clubs,  under  the  capable  direction  of 
Mrs.  Frederic  E.  Vaissiere,  Mrs.  Wm. 
P.  Harbin,  Miss  Lula  Warner  and  oth- 
ers, have  greatly  stimulated  the  in- 
terest in  things  musical;  and  Mrs. 
Vaissiere's  capabilities  have  been  twice 
recognized  through  her  elevation  to 
the  presidency  of  the  State  Federated 
Musical  Clubs,  a  position  she  now 
holds. 

In  the  spring  of  1922  the  First  Meth- 
odist church,  Rev.  Wallace  Rogers, 
pastor,  started  Sunday  evening  orches- 
tral concerts  under  the  direction  of 
Miss    Helen   Rhodes. 

Community  singing  in  the  parks, 
led  by  Miss  Helen  Knox  Spain,  has 
caused  Romans  to  lift  up  their  voices 
in   soulful  rhapsodies. 

An  interesting  group  of  players  is 
the  "Nixon  Trio."  Paul  Nixon,  the 
'cellist,  is  the  composer  of  a  beautiful 


and  popular  song  entitled  "Your  Pic- 
ture," dedicated  to  Miss  Edith  Allen, 
now  his  wife.  His  mother,  Mrs.  E.  S. 
Nixon,  is  the  pianist  of  the  three,  and 
his  sister,  Mrs.  Lucia  Nixon  McKay, 
plays  the  violin,  and  also  teaches  it 
capably.  Mrs.  Paul  Nixon  teaches 
piano.  The  Nixons  came  fi-om  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  Paul  belongs  in  a  musical 
center  like  New  York  and  will  no  doubt 
be  called  there,  so  his  friends  declare. 

A  younger  group  are  "The  Three 
Musical  Harbins,"  William  and  Lester, 
sons  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  P.  Harbin, 
who  play  the  violin  and  the  'cello, 
respectively,  and  Rosa  Harbin,  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Robt.  M.  Harbin, 
who  is  quite  an  accomplished  young 
pianist. 

Other  players,  most  of  whom  have 
been  teaching  some  time,  include  Misses 
Debby  Moses  and  Clara  Shahan,  piano; 
Margaret  Wilkerson  (pupil  of  Geo. 
Friar  Lindner),  violin  and  piano;  Mrs. 
H.  B.  Goff,  violin,  and  Miss  Amelia 
Berry,   piano. 

*     *     * 

SPRINGS  IN  FLOYD  COUNTY.— 
(Partial  list) — There  are  four  things 
that  are  primarily  necessary  to  life 
and  comfort.  The  first  is  air,  the  sec- 
ond water,  the  third  food  and  the 
fourth  clothing.  It  is  easy  to  under- 
stand, therefore,  that  the  Indian  tribes 
laid    great    store   by  bubbling   springs 


E.  PIERCE  M'GHEE. 


416 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


of  water  when  they  settled  in  North- 
west Georgia.  When  the  Ridges  drove 
their  stakes  in  the  fertile  soil  of  Ridge 
Valley,  where  the  Rush  place  is  sit- 
uated", a  spring  boiled  forth  its  refresh- 
ing product  nearby;  and  when  Major 
Ridge  removed  to  the  Oostanaula  Riv. 
er,  nearer  Rome,  he  still  had  the  use 
of  Reece's  Spring,  near  the  city  pump- 
ing station,  and  his  son.  John,  re- 
moved to  three  miles  north  of  Rome, 
where  the  spring  was  called  "Tantata- 
nara"  (Running  Waters).  Likewise, 
the  Belgian  Colony,  more  than  50  years 
later,  chose  some  of  the  best  oases  in 
the  countryside.  Today  picnic  parties 
claim  them,  and  as  long  as  they  flow 
clear,  cold  and  pure  they  will  attract 
man,  bird  and  beast.  Here  are  some 
of  the  better  known   springs: 

Booz's,  at  Boozville. 

Barnett's,    at    Lindale. 

Howel  Spring,  one  mile  from  north- 
ern city  limits  on  Kingston  Road. 

Morrison's  Camp  Ground  Spring, 
eight  miles  north,  on  Kingston  Road,  is 
the  chief  headwater  of  Dykes'  Creek. 
It  flows  10,000,000  gallons  daily,  the 
largest  in  the  county,  and  is  said  to 
be  as  high  as  the  top  of  the  old  water 
tower  at  Rome. 

Carlier    Springs    (perhaps   ten,   close 


DR.  LOUIS  MATHIEU  EDOUARD  BERCK- 
MANS,  native  Belgian  and  accomplished  vio- 
linist,   who    lived    on    Mt.   Alto. 


together),  on  the  Carlier  Springs  Road, 
two  miles  east  of  Rome. 

LeHardy  Spring,  on  the  J.  Paul 
Cooper  place  in  East  Rome. 

Lovers'  Leap  Spring,  on  the  N.,  C. 
&  St.  L.  railroad  and  Etowah  River 
near  the  Southern  railway  bridge  and 
a  rocky  bluff,  one  mile  east  of  Rome. 

Silver  Creek  Springs,  part  of  head 
water  of  Silver  Creek,  seven  miles 
southeast  of  Rome  on  the  Atlanta  Di- 
vision of  the  Southern  railway.  (Wood- 
row  Wilson  once  took  his  first  wife  to 
this   spot  on  a  picnic). 

Shorter  Spring,  Alabama  Road,  op- 
posite the  Shorter  place  and  on  land 
owned  by   Shorter   College. 

Lytle  Spring  (formerly  the  Jonas 
King  Spring) ,  near  the  Anchor  Duck 
Mill  on  East  Main  Street,  South  Rome, 
opposite  the  W^.  W.  Woodruff  home. 
(This  spring,  once  in  Lytle  Park,  was 
covered  over  and  piped  down  to  Silver 
Creek  to  make  way  for  the  mill's  resi- 
dence  development) . 

Floyd  Springs,  some  twelve  miles 
north  of  Rome  and  west  of  Turkey 
Mountain. 

Crystal  Springs,  twelve  miles  north- 
west of  Rome  on  the  Summerville 
Road. 

Sand  Springs,  midway  between  Rome 
and  the  northeastern  end  of  Lavender 
Mountain. 

Rice's  Spring,  on  the  Alabama  Road 
about  five  miles  west  of  Rome. 

DeSoto  Park  Spring  (formerly  Mob- 
ley),  Cave  Spring  Road  two  miles  south 
of   Rome. 

Harbour's  Spring  (radio  active), 
six  miles  north  of  Rome  near  the  Oosta- 
naula  River. 

Burwell  Spring,  which  rises  in  North 
Rome  and  forms  Burwell  Creek,  which 
empties  into  the  Oostanaula  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  above  the  court  house. 

"Glen  Alto,"  Dr.  Jno.  F.  Lawrence's 
radio-active  mineral  spring,  on  a  gen- 
tle slope  near  the  southwestern  ex- 
tremity of  Mt.  Alto,  a  mile  west  of  the 
Coosa  River  Road.  This  site  lends 
itself  naturally  to  an  extensive  devel- 
opment, a  start  toward  which  has  been 
made  in  the  erection  of  a  number  of 
cottages  for  the  use  of  summer  so- 
journers. 

Cave  Spring,  located  at  the  town  of 
that  name  sixteen  miles  southwest  of 
Rome,  and  which  flows  into  Little  Ce- 
dar Creek  and  then  into  Big  Cedar 
Creek  and  then  into  the  Coosa  River 
near  the  Alabama  line.  This  spring 
is    the    second    largest    in    the    county 


Encyclopedic  Section 


417 


CLYDE  MOORE  SHROPSHIRE,  native  Ro- 
man, once  Speaker  of  the  Tennessee  House, 
candidate   for   governor   of   Tennessee. 


WILLIAM  SMITH,  pioneer  who  led  the  Jack- 
son County  delegation  in  their  pilgrimage 
to   the   Cherokee   Nation. 


and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  any- 
where. It  is  smaller  than  the  City 
Park  Spring  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  but 
in  its  natural  effects  surpasses  it.  The 
flow  from  this  spring  is  3,444,846  gal- 
lons every  24  hours,  or  143,535  gal- 
lons per  hour.  The  fall  is  considera- 
ble and  a  ram  lifts  enough  water  100 
feet  to  a  concrete  reservoir  on  the 
overhanging  cliff  to  supply  Cave 
Spring  with  water  at  practically  no 
cost. 

Vann's  Valley  is  also  well  supplied 
with  springs.  One  is  Cress  Spring, 
on  Wm.  S.  Gibbons'  place  on  the  Cave 
Spring  Road.  This  takes  its  name 
from  the  water  cress  that  carpets  the 
marsh  where  the  spring  has  its  source. 
The  flow  has  been  confined  in  a  race 
and  a  wheel  installed  by  an  enterpris- 
ing farmer  who  has  developed  about 
one  horsepower,  enough  to  furnish 
electric  power  for  all  the  needs  of  his 
nearby  dwelling.  Yancey's  and  Jones' 
Springs  are  also  in  the  valley. 

Spout  Spring,  located  between  Fos- 
ter's Mill  and  Cave  Spring,  was  once 
owned  by  Prof.  Wesley  O.  Connor. 
This  is  a  stream  as  big  as  a  man's 
arm  which  leaps  out  of  a  rock  and 
falls   several  feet  and  disappears   into 


the  ground.  It  is  about  a  mile  from 
Foster's  Mill. 

At  Black's  Bluff,  three  miles  down 
the  Coosa  River  south  of  Rome,  is  a 
spring  that  issues  from  rock,  snakes 
its  way  under  the  road  and  appears 
again  as  a  spring  within  40  feet  of 
the  river.  A  spring  at  the  southern 
end  of  the  bluff  is  a  favorite  site  for 
bai'becues. 

The  headwater  spring  of  Spring 
Creek  is  eight  miles  east  of  Rome  on 
the   Chulio    Road. 

The  headwater  spring  of  Little  Dry 
Creek  is  located  at  the  foot  of  Laven- 
der Mountain  on  its  southwestern  side. 

Everett  Spring  is  in  the  extreme 
northern  end  of  Floyd  County,  in  a 
highly  artistic  setting  of  gray  moun- 
tains'and  little  valleys. 

Wet  weather  springs  can  be  found 
on  both  sides  of  Mt.  Alto,  half  way  to 

the  valleys. 

*     *     * 

TOWER  CLOCK.— Located  on  Tow- 
er Hill,  southeast  corner  of  Filth  Ave- 
nue and  East  Second  Street,  on  city 
property  which  also  includes  the  Neely 
Grammar  School.  Mrs.  Naomi  P.  Bale 
("Grandma    Georgy")     was    authority 


418 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


for  the  following  statements,  made  in 
1921: 

"The  water  tower  was  built  by  John 
W.  Noble  for  the  city  at  a  cost  of 
$107,000.  The  clock  was  made  by  the 
Howard  Clock  Co.,  of  Boston,  Mass., 
and  with  the  bell  cost  $1,200.  J.  E. 
Veal  placed  the  clock  on  the  tower  in 
1871  and  was  timekeeper  for  five 
years;  T.  S.  Wood  kept  time  five  years; 
M.  D.  McOsker,  ten  years;  Clip  Wil- 
liamson, twelve  years;  R.  V.  Allen  is 
now  responsible  for  correct  time." 

For  many  years  the  tow-er  served  the 
city  with  water  pumped  from  the  sta- 
tion on  the  Etowah  River  at  Fourth 
Avenue,  but  the  water  now  comes  from 
the  Ft.  Jackson  station,  and  the  tower 
is  no  longer  used.  The  tower  is  nearly 
100  feet  high  and  affords  a  command- 
ing view  of  the  surrounding  country. 
It  is  the  first  thing  people  see  from 
all  directions  on  approaching  Rome. 
Several  couples,  seeking  romance,  have 
been  married  near  its  top. 

In  April,  1922,  E.  R.  Fishburne,  the 
jeweler  and  watch  repairer,  was  named 
timekeeper  to  succeed  R.  V.  Allen. 

VALLEYS  OF  FLOYD  COUNTY. 
— Kieffer  Lindsey,  County  Engineer, 
furnishes  the  following  information: 


Big  Texas,  runs  northeast  and  south- 
west ten  miles,  from  Fouche  to  Crys- 
tal Springs,  with  Simms'  Mountain 
marking  its  upper  border  and  Rock 
Mountain  its  lower,  separating  it  from 
Little  Texas  Valley.  It  is  bisected  by 
Heath  Creek. 

Little  Texas,  runs  generally  par- 
allel to  Big  Texas,  but  at  its  south- 
western end  bends  northward  around 
Rock  Mountain  to  Fouche,  and  etends 
to  Armuchee,  twelve  miles.  It  is  bi- 
sected by  Lavender  Creek.  Lavender 
Mountain  to  the  southeast  separates  it 
from  the  Flat  Woods. 

Ridge,  named  after  Major  Ridge,  the 
Indian  chief,  extends  twelve  miles, 
from  Rome  northeast  to  Plainville, 
Gordon  County.  Armstrong  Mountain 
forms  one  of  its  outer  edges.  It  is 
bisected  by  the   Southern  railway. 

Vann's.  named  after  David  Vann, 
the  Indian  sub-chief,  extends  south- 
westward  from  Six  Mile  Station  to 
Cave  Spring,  ten  miles.  It  is  bisect- 
ed by  the  Southern  railway  and  at 
its  Cave  Spring  end  is  broken  by  Lit- 
tle  Cedar  Creek. 

The  valleys  of  the  Coosa,  Etowah 
and  Oostanaula  follow  the  courses  of 
those  streams,  but  are  usually  not 
shown  on  the  maps. 


WILSON  MOORE  HARDY,  former  newspaper 
man,  now  banker,  who  has  contributed  much 
to  the  upbuildinB   of   the   Hill  City. 


JOHN  TEMPLE  GRAVES,  editor  and  orator. 

who    established    The    Tribune    of    Rome    in 
1887  and  was   head   of  it  three  years. 


Encyclopedic  Section 


419 


YOUNG  MEN'S  LIBRARY  ASSO- 
CIATION.—The  Carnegie  Library  of 
Rome  is  an  outgrowth  of  an  associa- 
tion formed  Feb.  10,  1879,  in  the  law 
office  of  Wright  &  Featherston,  with  the 
following  Romans  present:  Rev.  Clem- 
ent A.  Evans,  Rev.  G.  A.  Nunnally, 
Jno.  J.  Black,  Robt.  T.  Hargi-ove,  t. 
L.  Robinson,  Dr.  J.  B.  S.  Holmes,  E. 
A.  Williams,  Max  Meyerhardt,  R.  A. 
Denny,  R.  T.  Baker,  Dr.  E.  P.  Love- 
lace, J.  G.  Yeiser,  Hugh  B.  Parks, 
Junius  F.  Hillyer,  Jno.  R.  Towers,  Jr., 
Park  Harper,  Walker  W.  Brookes, 
Freeman  Shropshire,  C.  L.  Omberg, 
Sam  C.  Caldwell,  H.  S.  Garlington,  C. 
N.  Featherston,  C.  A.  Thornwell  and 
Dr.  R.  I.  Hampton.  More  than  $100 
was  subscribed  by  those  present  to 
start  the  movement. 

Mr.  Caldwell  was  elected  president, 
Mr.  Hillyer  vice-president,  Mr.  Meyer- 
hardt secretary,  and  Mr.  Denny  treas- 
urer. R.  T.  Baker  was  elected  libra- 
rian. Mr.  Caldwell  served  two  years; 
E.  A.  Williams  was  president  from 
May  to  October,  1880,  when  he  died; 
Mr.  Hillyer  filled  the  unexpired  term 
and  was  re-elected;  Mr.  Black,  A.  R. 
Sullivan  and  J.  A.  Rounsaville  held 
the  position  one  year;  and  J.  F.  Shank- 
lin  was  serving  his  second  year  in 
1888. 

The  original  directors  were  Rev.  G. 
A.  Nunnally,  M.  A.  Nevin,  E.  A.  Wil- 
liams, J.  R.  Towers,  Jr.,  J.  G.  Yeiser, 
Jno.  J.  Black  and  Dr.  J.  B.  S.  Holmes; 
and  the  directors  in  1888  were  J.  F. 
Hillyer,  R.  A.  Denny,  Max  Meyerhardt, 


R.  H.  West,  Mulford  M.  Pepper,  M.  A. 
Nevin,  Morton  R.  Emmons,  W  H 
Adkins,  C.  A.  Thornwell,  J.  A.  Roun- 
saville and  Jno.  J.  Black. 

An  account  of  1888  says:  "The 
courage  of  the  projectors  who  dared 
to  inaugurate  this  movement  is  already 
vindicated,  and  is  a  strong  evidence 
that  the  interests  of  the  young  men  of 
thi.s  community  are  not  altogether  ma- 
terial. The  organization  grew  until 
there  were  350  members  and  14,000 
books  and  pamphlets." 

Here  is  mentioned  the  first  "wom- 
an's   auxiliary:" 

"The  most  powez'ful  auxiliary  that 
has  contributed  to  the  success  of  the 
association  has  been  the  everl-ready 
hand  of  woman.  Up  to  1886  it  has 
been  the  policy  of  the  board  to  employ 
only  male  librarians,  but  that  policy 
was  then  changed,  and  Miss  Hallie  Al- 
exander was  elected  librarian.  The 
change  was  a  happy  one.  She  soon 
increased  the  circulation  of  books  and 
the  usefulness  of  the  library  by  dem- 
onstrating that  a  librarian*  is  not  a 
mere  'keeper  of  books,'  but  is  largely 
instrumental  in  stimulating  and  direct- 
ing the  mental  activities  of  a  commu- 
nity. Miss  Alexander  resigned  Sept. 
1,  1887,  and  was  succeeded  by  Miss 
Nellie  Ayer,  whose  administration  was 
rewarded  by  the  same  success.  Miss 
Ayer  died  in  August,  1888;  she  left 
upon  the  community  the  impress  of  a 
life  devoted  to  duty.  Miss  Lilla  Mor- 
rel,  a  young  lady  of  splendid  attain- 
ments, succeeded  her." 


420  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"DUCKS"    MAKE   MERRY    IN   WATER    CARNIVAL. 

The  photographs  show  groups  of  Boy  Scouts  in  their  contests  on  Labor  Day,  September  5, 
1921.  These  sports  are  held  annually  at  the  junction  of  the  rivers,  and  are  witnessed  by  thous- 
ands of  people,  principally  from  Myrtle  Park,  at  the  northern  foot  of  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery. 
Near  the  top  is  the  Boy  Scout  barge  "Sequoyah"  and  elsewhere  groups  of  the  Eagle  and  Haw- 
thorne troops  of  Girl  Scouts. 


Miscellaneous 


SCOUTS  EXPLORE  DEEP  CAVE— 

Excitement  a-plenty  attended  the  all- 
day  hike  of  Boy  Scouts  yesterday  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Black's  Bluff  and  "the 
place  whore  the  Jaybird  Jarred  the 
Mountain."  "The  White  Team"  fought 
the  "Red  Team"  for  possession  of  the 
hilltop,  conquered  them  and  put  them  on 
the  ladder's  lower  rung  for  the  day.  Cy- 
ril Hull,  ambitious  and  daring  young 
son  of  Howard  Hull,  of  Shorter  College, 
explored  a  wild  and  wooly  cave,  and 
James  Glover,  an  incorrigible  Gcout,  col- 
lapsed after  taking  a  strenuous  part  in 
the  battle,  the  tug-of-war  and  two  foot 
races. 

W.  M.  Barnett,  H.  F.  Joyner,  and  G. 
E.  Bennett,  the  three  flying  parsons, 
were  pretty  well  fagged  out  from  the 
heart-breaking  dose  of  hiking  given 
them  by  the  boys. 

Eighty-two  scouts  lined  up  behind 
the  colors  at  9  o'clock  at  Broad  and 
Third  avenue.  As  soon  as  one  of  the 
scouts  had  run  around  the  corner  with 
a  kodak  they  stepped  off  in  column  of 
fours  across  the  South  Rome  bridge, 
leaving  a  lot  of  office  boys  and  messen- 
ger boys  with  heavy  hearts  behind. 

One  little  lad  with  a  leg  shorter  than 
the  other  carried  a  cocoanut  to  feast 
upon.  Others  were  laden  with  all  kinds 
of  grub  and  plastered  with  all  varieties 
of  cooking  utensils  as  well  as  scout  par- 
aphernalia. First  hike  that  all  the 
scouts  of  Rome  had  been  invited  to  take 
together,  and  everybody  was  proud. 

Two  miles  from  the  Bluff  sealed  or- 
ders were  opened  and  the  troopsmen 
told  where  lay  the  objective  point.  The 
bunch  were  divided,  pathfinders  and 
signalmen  were  sent  ahead  to  recon- 
noiter,  and  the  scouts  followed  trails 
that  existed  and  made  trails  that  did 
not.  By  their  more  favorable  detour 
the  Whites  beat  the  Reds  to  the  hill 
peak  and  thus  became  the  defenders 
when  their  wild  Indian  rivals  hove  into 
sight.  The  game  was  to  hold  a  sham- 
battle  and  score  on  points.  Arm  bands 
snatched  off  counted  so  many  dead 
scouts.  A  scout  taken  along  with  his 
arm  band  and  brought  into  camp  was 
a  prisoner.  The  Whites  won  with  a 
margin  of  seven  scout  prisoners  and 
deceased,  when — 

"Object  ahead,  sir!"  (from  a  look- 
out), 

"Can  you  make  it  out?"  (from  Scout 
Executive  Bennett.) 


"Object  is  a  cave,  sir." 

Discipline  suffered  as  the  82  scouts 
and  three  officials  gathered  around  a 
depression  in  the  earth  pi-etty  well  cov- 
ered with  brush.  Below  the  face  of  the 
bluff  the  Coosa  wound  in  a  silver  thread 
toward  the  Alabama  line. 

"Who'll  volunteer  to  explore?" 

"DeSoto.'s  my  name!"  exclaimed 
Scout  Cyril  Hull  in  true  cavalier  style. 

The  rope  had  been  bought  of  the 
Nixon  Hardware  Co.  at  the  outset  and 
it  looked  to  be  100  feet  long;  a  conser- 
vative estimate  put  it  at  75.  In  a  jiffy 
the  rope  had  been  secured  about  Cyril's 
waist  just  below  his  palpitating  heart, 
and  after  the  opposite  end  had  been 
tied  to  a  tree  and  a  dozen  scouts,  re-in- 
forced  by  70  more,  had  seized  the  rope, 
Cyril  was  shoved  into  the  aperture. 
They  fed  him  rope  until  none  was  left. 
"Gimme  more  rope,"  signaled  the  scout 
in  the  scouts'  own  peculiar  way. 

"You're  at  the  end  of  it,"  signaled 
back  the  boys  out  in  the  day-light.  Cy- 
ril cut  into  the  side  of  the  cave  with  his 
hatchet,  shot  a  flood  of  light  down- 
ward with  his  flash-light,  and  kicked 
against  the  sides  as  he  dangled,  when 
suddenly,  without  warning,  somebody 
shouted  from  quarter  of  a  mile  below, 

"Get  out  of  that  cave!" 

The  boys  had  begun  to  pull  Cyril  out 
already  and  just  as  his  posteriority  ap- 
peared at  the  opening,  followed  by  his 
hair  and  hatchet,  a  farmer  rushed  up 
waving  his  arms. 

"Snakes  down  thar,  and  blind  fish," 
he  said. 

The  boys  threw  the  brush  back  and 
beat  it  to  the  camp,  since  it  was  time 
for  chow.  They  prepared  a  fine  dinner, 
stayed  until  after  dark  and  lit  up  the 
campfires,  on  which  they  cooked  sup- 
per, consisting  of  hot  dogs  and  toasted 
marshmallows.  The  boy  with  one  leg 
shorter  than  it  really  ought  to  be  did 
not  eat  anything  hot;  he  was  too  busy 
gnawing  away  at  his  cold  cocoanut. 

About  0:30  o'clock  the  scouts  stum- 
bled down  the  mountain  side  and  came 
home,  voting  the  day  the  best  ever 
spent,  and  wanting  very  much  to  go 
again  without  waiting  a  life-time. 
James  Glover  had  entirely  recovered 
from  his  collapse  and  finished  strong. — 
Dec.  12,  1920. 


422 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ACTIVITIES  AMONG  THE  BOY  AND   GIRL  SCOUTS  OF  ROME. 

A  well-kept  Boy  Scout  tent;  Frank  Holbrook's  Steamer  "Annie  H.";  Scout  leaders  and 
Rome  troops  ready  for  a  hike;  Scouts  competing  at  Hamilton  Field;  Eagle  Troop  of  Girt 
Scouts  on  steps  of  Carnegie  Library.  The  same  natural  beauties  and  advantages  that  at- 
tracted  the  Indians   of  "Cherokee  Georgia"   now   make    scouting   a   fruitful   pastime. 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


423 


SCOUT  WORK  BOOMING— In  mak- 
ing my  1920  and  first  report  to  the 
Cherokee  Council  I  beg  to  submit  the 
following:  Upon  our  arrival  Sept.  15, 
to  take  charge  of  the  work  of  the  Boy 
Scouts  in  Floyd  county  under  the  Cher- 
okee Council,  we  found  four  regularly 
organized  troops  with  85  registered 
scouts.  Troop  No.  4,  which  had  previ- 
)usly  been  registered,  had  disbanded 
luring  the  summer  because  the  scout- 
master moved  from  the  city.  This  troup, 
however,  had  only  six  registered  scouts. 

Seven  new  troops  have  been  organiz- 
ed, and  seven  scoutmasters  and  four 
assistant  scoutmasters  have  been  com- 
missioned as  leaders  of  these  new 
troops.  The  total  number  of  additional 
scouts  that  have  been  registered,  includ- 
ing leaders,  is  161.  Only  four  scouts 
have  dropped  out  of  scouting  since  Sept. 
15,  which  leaves  a  total  of  250  regis- 
tered leaders  and  scouts  now  under  the 
council. 

The  following  are  the  troops  regis- 
tered in  Floyd  county: 

Old  Troops:  Lindale,  No.  1,  Rev.  G. 
W.  Ridley,  scoutmaster;  Rome,  No.  1, 
Rev.  W.  M.  Barnett,  scoutmaster,  W. 
F.  Hosteller,  assistant;  No.  2,  Ed  L. 
King,  scoutmaster,  H.  L.  Lanham,  as- 
sistant; No.  3,  W.  J.  Marshall,  scout- 
master, Marion  Cole,  assistant. 

New  Troops:  Rome,  No.  4,  Dr.  Carl 
Betts,  scoutmaster,  Percy  Landers,  as- 
sistant; No.  5,  Gordon  Ezzell,  scout- 
master; No.  6,  Rev.  H.  F.  Joyner,  scout- 
master; No.  7,  R.  B.  Combs,  scoutmas- 
ter, J.  C.  Henson,  assistant;  No.  8,  Wm. 
J.  Carey,  scoutmaster;  No.  9,  A.  L. 
Stein,  scoutmaster,  Philip  Friedman, 
assistant;  No.  10,  A.  C.  Taylor,  scout- 
master, C.  A.  Townes,  assistant. 

The  council  is  very  fortunate  in  be- 
ing able  to  secure  the  splendid  men  who 
are  now  the  leaders  of  these  troops. 
There  is  being  conducted  a  Scout  Lead- 
ers' Training  Course  at  scout  head- 
quarters every  Monday  night  for  the 
benefit  of  the  troop  leaders  and  others 
who  desire  to  know  the  scout  program. 

A  total  of  184  scouts  registered  and 
were  on  duty  during  the  Noith  Georgia 
Fair  which  was  held  at  the  fair  grounds 
Oct,  11-16;  40  first  aid  cases  were  taken 
care  of  by  the  scouts;  20  lost  children 
were  found.  The  scouts  acted  as  mes- 
sengers, assisted  the  police  to  handle 
the  crowds  at  the  races  and  at  the  fire- 
worku  at  night,  acted  as  ushers  at  the 
grandstand,  and  helped  to  inflate  the 
balloon  each  day  for  the  ascension.  At 
the  request  of  the  government  officials 
at  Washington  a  squad  of  scouts  were 


on  duty  at  the  United  States  Agricul- 
tural Building  every  day.  During  the 
six  days'  work  the  scouts  did  hundreds 
of  good  turns  and  in  every  task  as- 
signed to  them  they  lived  up  to  the 
scout  motto:     "Be  Prepared." 

Fifteen  scouts  were  on  duty  one  day 
putting  up  Red  Cross  posters;  80  scouts 
reported  on  Armistice  Day  to  take  part 
in  the  exercises  conducted  by  the  Amer- 
ican Legion;  20  scouts  distributed  liter- 
ature advertising  the  sale  of  the  Red 
Cross  Christmas  stamps;  18  scouts  as- 
sisted at  the  Christmas  tree  given  for 
the  poor  children  at  the  Auditorium  on 
Christmas  Eve.  A  number  of  scouts 
worked  several  days  gathering  bundles 
of  clothing  for  the  poor,  to  be  dis- 
tributed by  the  Red  Cross. 

The  scouts  under  the  Cherokee 
Council  have  never  failed  to  respond  to 
the  call  for  service,  and  always  stand 
ready  to  be  of  assistance  to  the  city  or 
community. 

On  Dec.  11,  85  scouts  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Commissioner  W.  M.  Barnett, 
Scoutmaster  Rev.  H.  F.  Joyner,  and  the 
Scout  Executive,  went  on  an  all  day 
hike  to  Black's  Bluff  and  spent  the  day 
in  scouting.  This  council  is  highly 
favored  with  being  in  the  midst  of  such 
a  wonderful  country  for  scouting.  With 
headquarters  at  Rome — Rome  the  beau- 
tiful— beautiful  for  situation,  with  her 
glorious  sunsets,  her  majestic  rivers 
winding  their  way  through  her  borders 
as  they  hasten  on  their  journey  toward 
the  sea,  her  surrounding  green  clad  hills 
and  mountains  with  their  hundreds  of 
sparkling  brooks  and  gushing  springs 
■ — all  seem  to  have  been  designed  by  the 
Great  Master  Builder  of  the  universe  as 
an  ideal  place  for  our  boys  to  go  out 
and  come  in  touch  with  the  great  out-of- 
doors  and  learn  lessons  that  they  cannot 
obtain  from  books.  The  scouts  under 
this  council  are  taking  advantage  of 
these  opportunities  and  every  troop  has 
taken  an  average  of  one  hike  each 
month,  either  all  night,  all  day  or  af- 
ternoon, in  open  air  scouting. — Jan.  9, 
1921. 


HOW  TO  BE  MEN— One  of  the  most 
powerful  talks  ever  heard  in  Rome  on 
boy  culture  was  delivered  Tuesday  night 
to  an  audience  of  500  at  the  Auditorium 
by  Prof.  W.  A.  Sutton,  principal  of  the 
Tech  High  School  and  Atlanta  Scout 
Commissioner,  and  Prof.  Sutton  imme- 
diately received  an  invitation  from  G. 
E.  Bennett,  local  scout  executive,  the 
Rev.  H.  F.  Saumenig.  who  introduced 
him,  and  Robt.  W.  Graves,  who  also 
sat  on  the  stage,  to  come  back  again  in 
the  near  future. 


424 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


WATER  SPORTS  ON  LABOR  DAY,  SEPT.  5,   1921 

At    top    is    Rex    Culpepper's   "Nell"    passing    under   Second    Avenue    bridge,   and    bottom,    Fred 
Hoi¥man's    "A.   M.   L."    winning   race.      In   lower  center,    Ed.    King's    Boy   Scout    barge    "Sequoyah" 
making    knots.      Lower    center,    right,    the    Daniel    boat    underway, 
where  seen   in  characteristic  attitudes. 


Scouts    and    others    are    else- 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


425 


Prof.  Sutton's  talk  followed  one  he 
had  made  a  few  hours  before  at  a  lunch- 
eon tendered  him  by  the  Rome  Kiwanis 
Club  at  the  Hotel  Forrest,  in  which  his 
points  were  very  much  the  same.  He 
gave  seven  stages  in  the  making  of  a 
man,  saying  that  some  boys  pass 
through  all  and  make  great  men,  but 
that  some  people  who  pass  for  men 
never  pass  through  any. 

To  the  fathers  he  said  they  should 
know  their  Boy  Scout  sons,  go  on  hikes 
with  them  and  advise  them  throughout. 
"Two  things  are  necessary  to  getting 
along  with  boys,"  he  declared.  "One  is 
honesty  and  sincerity  and  the  other  is 
a  sense  of  humor." 

Mr.  Sutton  told  the  boys  to  keep 
their  bodies  clean,  to  have  reverence  and 
respect  for  their  elders,  to  be  industri- 
ous, to  be  mentally  alert,  to  be  helpful 
to  other  people,  to  do  their  best  at  every 
try,  to  love  their  Creator,  and  never  to 
give  up. 

"When  a  good  thought  comes  into 
your  head,  write  it  down,  boys.  Some 
people  who  don't  know  any  better  will 
say  you  are  crazy.  Pay  no  attention  to 
them.  Make  something  out  of  yourself 
if  you  die  in  the  attempt.  An  English 
boy  named  Thomas  Watt  watched  his 
mother's  tea-kettle  boiling.  The  top 
r'anced  around  when  the  steam  lifted  it. 
He  poured  a  little  cold  water  in,  and 
the  dancing  stopped.  Then  he  wrote  in 
his  note  book,  There  is  something  in 
hot  water  that  is  not  in  cold.'  Later  he 
made  the  steam  engine. 

"Thomas  A.  Edison  was  a  profiteer 
in  the  Civil  war.  He  bought  newspa- 
pers telling  of  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg 
for  ten  cents  and  sold  them  for  $5. 
From  the  boat  that  took  him  across  the 
bay  with  his  papers  he  would  yell  to 
the  waiting  people,  'I'm  coming!'  and 
his  voice  came  back  to  him  in  an  echo. 
He  wrote  in  his  badly-worn  note  book, 
'There  is  something  in  the  curvature  of 
the  earth  that  causes  the  human  voice 
to  rebound.'  Years  later  he  perfected 
the  phonograph. 

"When  the  Wright  boys  of  Toledo 
saw  a  buzzard  fly  through  the  sky,  they 
asked  why  human  beings  with  more  in- 
telligence than  buzzards  could  not  do 
the  same.  'Let's  fly'  suggested  Wilbur. 
'All  right.'  agreed  Orville.  Their  father 
mortgaged  his  farm  so  the  boys  could 
build  a  model.  People  of  narrow  vis- 
ion said  all  of  them  were  crazy.  The 
boys  wrote  the  government  at  Wash- 
ington that  they  would  like  to  give  their 
device  to  their  country,  and  the  govern- 
ment wrote  back  that  it  didn't  have 
time  to  bother  with  any   more   foolish 


schemes.  The  letters  are  on  file  in 
Washington  today. 

"A  man  propounded  the  theory  that 
the  bite  of  the  mosquito  stegomyia  fas- 
ciata  caused  yellow  fever.  He  went  to 
Cuba,  let  this  type  of  mosquito  bite  him, 
and  died,  but  his  death  caused  millions 
to  be  saved.  Needn't  be  afraid  to  die, 
boys,  if  you  can  give  something  like  that 
to  the  world.  Dare  to  do,  boys.  Don't 
be  balked  by  petty  objections  from  peo- 
ple too  small  to  appreciate  big  things. 
Money  does  not  make  manhood.  If  a 
boy  is  good-looking  and  his  father  has 
money,  he's  got  a  poor  chance  to  suc- 
ceed." 

Mr.  Sutton  declared  he  enjoyed  see- 
ing a  little  boy  draw  his  biceps  up  into 
a  hard  knot  and  feel  it  to  see  if  his 
muscles  were  growing.  "That  boy 
wants  to  develop  and  make  himself  into 
a  man,"  asserted  the  speaker.  "I  believe 
in  occasional  fist  fights  to  develop  boys, 
but  not  as  an  every-day  diversion.  Where 
boys  hold  grudges  against  each  other 
the  best  way  for  them  to  forget  it  is  to 
pummel  each  other  and  shake  hands. 
If  you  develop  the  physical  you  may 
never  have  to  use  it,  but  you  are  always 
prepared  for  a  bully  or  one  who  wants 
to  take  advantage  of  you.  If  you  are  a 
good  Scout  you  will  never  need  to  smoke 
cigarettes  or  drink  whiskey  or  otherwise 
tear  down  your  health.  Keep  yourself 
clean.     Be  a     man." 

The  Boy  Scouts  and  Girl  Scouts  were 
entertained  in  this  fasion  for  more  than 
an  hour,  and  their  enjoyment  was  at- 
tested by  the  heartiness  in  their  hand- 
claps, for  they  cheered  Prof.  Sutton  a 
full  minute  when  he  concluded.  Prof. 
Sutton  complimented  the  youthful  mu- 
sicians in  the  orchestra  and  said  Rome 
is  an  ideal  location  for  scouting. 

The  Pine  Tree  Patrol  of  Scouts  went 
through  a  drill  in  the  scout  creed,  con- 
sisting of  a  repetition  of  scout  lines 
and  the  lighting  of  candles  on  a  pre- 
paredness design  by  each  scout  on  the 
stage.— Feb.   9,   1921. 


TWO  "WILD  CATS"  TAMED— 
Scout  Executive  G.  E.  Bennett  told  to- 
day of  how  he  and  a  small  group  of 
Boy  Scouts,  including  a  visitor  from 
Washington.  D.  C,  Friday  captured  two 
gray  cats  which  had  been  penned  up  in 
a  house  on  West  Fifth  street.  Fourth 
Ward,  without  food  or  water  during  the 
freshet. 

"The  house  dweller  had  gone  into 
town  with  his  wife  and  eight -days-old 
babv  and  left  the  cats  penned  up," 
stated  Mr.  Bennett.  "Man.  they  were 
wild.  We  had  to  catch  them  and  they 
fought   hard    for   nearly   half   an    hour, 


426 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


INDIAN  CANOES  GIVE  WAY  TO  CHUGGING  MOTOR  BOATS. 

A  wag  once  remarked  that  if  Atlanta  had  the  Coosa  at  Five  Points  she  would  anchor  a 
battleship  there  in  a  fortnight.  Romans  prefer  smaller  craft.  1 — School  girls  ready  for  a  motor 
boat  ride.  2  and  7 — Girl  Scouts.  3,  4,  5  and  6 — Boy  Scout,  "flagship"  of  "Snake-Doctor  Fleet." 
8 — Holmes   Smith's    boat.      9   and    10 — Annie    H.       11 — Steamer    Cherokee    of    Rome. 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


427 


dashing  desperately  up  the  sides  of  the 
house,  jumping  and  running  into  bureau 
drawers.  Two  fingers  of  a  glove  I  was 
wearing  were  torn  off  and  a  rent  made 
in  the  palm  of  the  other." 

After  the  cats  had  been  caught  they 
were  taken  to  high  land  and  left  with 
a  neighbor  of  the  owner,  who  fed  them 
and  gave  them  drink.— Feto.  14,  1921. 


TWENTY-FOUR  ENJOY  TRIP— 
Fifteen  Boy  and  Girl  Scouts  and  nine 
others  went  on  a  trip  up  the  Oostanaula 
river  on  Capt.  Frank  Holbrook's 
"steamer"  Annie  H,  and  returned  at 
7:50  o'clock  last  night.  They  all  had  a 
good  time  and  no  mishaps. 

The  boat  left  the  Second  avenue 
bridge  at  3:30  p.  m.,  half  an  hour  after 
the  sailing  time,  and  arived  at  Whit- 
more's  Bluff  at  5:30  p.  m.  As  the  even- 
ing shadows  were  near,  only  half  an 
hour  was  spent  ashore,  and  this  was 
taken  up  exploring  the  rocky  bluff  and 
eating  picnic  lunch.  At  6  o'clock  the 
little  steamer  shoved  off  for  town  un- 
der a  canopy  of  stars  and  beams  from 
a  half  moon  that  shone  brightly  on  the 
water.  Singing  and  guitar  music  kept 
the  crowd  lively  going  back. 

On  the  way  up,  a  motor  boat  man  in 
the  "Emmagene  H."  ran  ahead  of  the 
steamer  and  shot  several  dive-dappers 
and  ducks  which  he  took  ashore  about 
five  miles  up  and  gave  to  some  men 
camping  on  the  bank.  At  the  bluff  the 
Scouts  were  gi'eeted  by  more  little  boy 
"Brownies"  who  were  camping  out  at 
that  point. 

The  hosts  of  the  trip  were  James 
Maddox,  E.  L.  Wright,  head-master  of 
Darlington,  and  Geo.  M.  Battey,  Jr. 

The  burden-bearing  Boy  Scouts  were 
Robert  Shahan,  who  makes  fire  by  fric- 
tion; Joe  Fickling,  Alfred  Spears,  James 
Barton  and  Robert  Norton.  Those  boys 
made  themselves  useful  about  the  boat 
in  accordance  with  ship  rules;  carried 
the  "plunder"  on  and  off  the  boat  and 
in  many  ways  proved  indispensable. 

Mrs.  James  Maddox  assisted  Miss 
Adelene  Bowie  with  the  Girl  Scouts, 
who  included  Dorothy  and  May  Morton, 
Martha  Porter,  Sinclair  Norton,  Martha 
Ledbetter,  Dot  Harrison.  Kathrme  Al- 
len Thelma  Davis,  Joy  Shackelton  and 
Florence  Morgan.  Other  guests  were 
Misses  Allene  Burney,  Marshall  Nor- 
ton, Lucie  Daniel  and  Ethnel  Morton, 
making  a  total  of  24  on  board. 

Eleven  Girl  Scouts  got  left  because 
three  of  them  had  to  go  home  for  lunch- 
es and  the  rest  waited  at  Curry-Arring- 
ton's  corner. — Apr.  15,  1921. 


SECOND  RIVER  TRIP  TAKEN— 
The  second  party  of  a  series  to  points 
around  Rome  will  shove  off  Thursday 
afternoon  at  3  o'clock  from  the  Fourth 
Ward  side  of  the  Second  avenue  (Land 
Company)  bridge  over  the  Oostanaula 
river,  on  the  Good  Ship  Annie  H.,  Frank 
Holbrook,  skipper. 

As  on  Thursday,  April  14,  the  desti- 
nation will  be  Whitmore's  Bluff,  about 
nine  miles  up,  and  a  group  of  Girl  and 
Boy  Scouts  who  did  not  get  to  go  the 
first  time  will  be  taken.  The  girls  are 
mostly  Mrs.  Holmes  Cheney's  and  Miss 
Amelia  Berry's  Eagle  Troop,  and  Miss 
Adelene  Bowie's  Hawthorne  Troop,  and 
the  burden-bearing  Boy  Scouts  will  be 
chosen  from  several  troops. 

Names  of  the  chaperones,  the  senti- 
nels and  a  few  others  will  be  announced 
later. 

Whitmore's  Bluff  is  a  beautiful  prom- 
ontory which  projects  a  shaggy  chin 
over  the  winding  Oostanaula.  Its  face 
is  gray  with  a  mass  of  native  boulders 
which  contain  shelves  and  landing 
places.  The  top  affords  a  fine  view  of 
the  surrounding  terrain. 

At  the  base  of  the  rocks  is  Mitchell's 
cave,  from  which  issues  in  gay  little 
cascades  the  purest  spring  water. 

Daniel  R.  Mitchell,  who  named  Rome, 
had  a  plantation  of  2,500  acres  on  the 
Oostanaula.  Whitmore's  Bluff  was  part 
of  it.  In  1863,  when  the  Civil  War  was 
at  its  fiercest,  he  was  offered  $60,000 
in  gold  or  $80,000  in  Confederate  money 
for  it.  The  fortunes  of  the  Confederacy 
were  never  higher.  He  took  the  Con- 
federate money.  In  another  year  his 
money  was  almost  without  value.  Sea- 
born and  Barry  Wright  now  own  Whit- 
more's Bluff  and  they  have  built  an  at- 
tractive cottage  on  it. 

Other  sights  to  see  on  this  river  are 
the  "Chieftain's"  the  home  of  Major 
Ridge,  Cherokee  Indian  chief,  two  miles 
up,  and  the  mouths  of  Big  and  Little 
Dry  creeks. 

An  hour  and  a  half  each  way  on  the 
Annie  H-  is  required,  which  gives  the 
"Brownies"  about  an  hour  to  scout  and 
enjoy  lunch  on  land,  in  order  to  l>e 
back  in  Rome  before  8  o'clock. 

Guitar  and  ukulele  music  and  singing 
will  again  be  a  feature,  provided  the 
weather  man  is  kind.— Apr.  25,  1021. 

THIRD  TRIP  ON  RIVER— The  third 
of  a  series  of  trips  on  the  rivers  in 
Frank  Holbrook's  Annie  H.  was  taken 
Monday  afternoon  by  a  group  of  Boy 
and  Girl  Scouts  as  the  guests  of  E.  L. 
Wright,      headmaster      of      Darlington 


428 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


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AUTOGRAPHS  OF  ROMANS,  MOSTLY  OF  THE  PERIOD  AROUND  1870.'71— I. 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


429 


WHERE  THE  BEAUTIFUL  OOSTANAULA  RIVER  ENTERS  ROME. 

Upper  Broad  Street,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  Avenues,  about  1905:  Extreme  left.  Bos- 
worth  Block;  left  center,  Martha  Battey  Hospital;  house  with  white  roof,  old  Wood  home, 
where   Henry   W.    Grady   once   lived. 


School,  and  Geo.  M.  Battey,  Jr.  Mrs. 
Holmes  Cheney  chaperoned. 

The  party  went  to  Black's  Bluff,  and 
on  account  of  the  close  proximity  of 
that  point  did  not  start  until  3:56  p.  m. ; 
they  landed  at  the  Bluff  at  4:45  p.  m. 
and  left  at  6:30  for  Rome,  arriving  at 
7  p.  m.  The  party  spread  lunch  about 
100  yards  above  the  bank  and  a  spring, 
and  after  feasting  went  back  to  the 
boat  and  had  music  and  songs.  No  ac- 
cidents occurred. 

The  following  others  attended:  Misses 
Tot  Moultrie,  Mildred  Wilkerson,  Mary 
J.  Doyal,  Ruth  Maddox,  Annette  Stroud 
and  Leila  Hill  Newsom,  of  the  Haw- 
thorne Troop  of  Girl  Scouts;  Elizabeth 
McRae,  Elizabeth  Ward,  Elizabeth  Lips- 
comb, Helen  McLeod  and  Maynor  Mc- 
Williams,  of  the  Eagle  Troop  of  Girl 
Scouts;  Miss  Virginia  Dixon,  of  Birm- 
ingham; and  the  following  Boy  Scouts: 
William  and  Lester  Harbin,  John  W. 
Quarles,  Jr.,  Riley  McKoy,  Otis  Par- 
sons, Benj.  Archer,  Ben  Grafton  and 
Benj.  Cothran.— May  18,  1921. 


SCOUTS  TO  COLLECT  FOR  POOR 
— The  Boy  Scouts  have  another  call  for 
service  on  Wednesday.  The  committee 
that  has  charge  of  gathering  the  bun- 
dles for  the  poor  of  the  city  has  asked 
the  scouts  to  go  with  the  automobile 
trucks  and  assist  in  the  work  of  bring- 
ing the  bundles  of  clothing  to  the  Red 
Cross  headquarters.  All  scouts  that 
can  assist  in  this  work  will  report  at 
scout  headquarters  Tuesday  at  10 
o'clock  to  receive  instructions  regarding 
the  work  and  where  to  meet  Wednes- 
day and  territory  which  they  are  to 
cover. 

North  Rome  is  to  have  a  new  troop 


to  register  before  the  first  of  the  year. 
Troop  No.  5,  of  which  the  Rev.  Gordon 
Ezzell  is  scoutmaster,  is  full  with  32 
scouts,  and  a  new  troop  is  forming. 

All  scouts  that  have  not  registered 
in  troops  1  and  2  and  Lindale  will  reg- 
ister at  headquarters  before  the  first 
of  the  year  in  order  to  get  the  benefit 
of  the  special  price  of  25  cents  each 
for  1921  membership. 

The  Boy  Scouts  of  Rome  had  an  oppor- 
tunity last  Friday  to  prove  their  worth 
when  called  upon  by  the  committee  that 
had  charge  of  the  Christmas  tree  for  the 
poor  at  the  Auditorium  to  assist  in  mak- 
ing the  affair  a  success.  They  dis- 
tributed song  sheets,  acted  as  messen- 
gers, helped  the  committee  pass  the 
children  out  of  the  building  after  they 
had  received  their  presents,  located  a 
number  of  lost  children  and  found  sev- 
eral lost  articles. 

They  demonstrated  again  that  a  scout 
is  ready  for  service,  and  remembered 
the  scout  motto:  "Be  Prepared."  The 
committee  has  sent  them  formal  thanks. 
—Dec.  24,  1920. 


HIKE  TO  ROCKY  HOLLOW— Troop 
"Lucky  Seven"  of  the  Boy  Scouts,  R.  B. 
Combs,  scoutmaster,  and  Jerome  C.  Hen- 
son,  assistant,  will  hike  out  to  Rocky 
Hollow,  near  Rotary  Lake  on  Horseleg 
Creek,  Friday  afternoon.  They  will 
cook  supper  and  return  by  the  light  of 
the  moon.  Mr.  Henson  will  accom- 
pany them  and  be  in  charge.  The  boys 
will"  meet  at  3:30  in  front  of  Nixon's 
Hardware  store  on  Broad. 

Several  tests  will  be  given  the  Scouts, 
including  the  preparation  of  supper  by 


430 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


each  boy,  who  will  use  only  one  or  two 
matches  and  will  cook  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  steak  and  half  a  pound  of 
Irish  potatoes  without  the  aid  of  cook- 
ing utensils. — Jan.  6,  1921. 

"SNAKE  DOCTOR"  FLEET— Scout- 
masters of  the  eleven  Boy  Scout  troops 
in  Rome,  representing  250  boys,  will 
meet  Monday  night  at  7:30  o'clock  at 
headquarters,  313  ^4  Broad  street,  on 
call  of  Executive  Geo.  E.  Bennett,  who 
will  present  to  them  a  plan  whereby 
each  troop  may  own  its  own  boat  for 
use  on  the  rivers  around  Rome. 

Mr.  Bennett  will  tell  the  scoutmasters 
that  three  motor  boats  can  be  purchased 
at  a  total  cost  of  $400,  which  will  be 
things  of  pleasure  for  a  long  time  and 
will  be  useful  in  emergencies  as  they 
arise;  also  that  this  would  represent  a 
tax  of  less  than  $2  apiece  if  the  250 
Scouts  paid  for  it  out  of  what  they 
might  save  or  earn. 

He  will  suggest  that  each  troop  can 
obtain  some  kind  of  craft  within  two 
weeks  by  doing  a  little  planning  and 
work.  The  "flagship"  of  the  fleet  unit 
will  be  the  motor  boat  already  in  use, 
known  as  the  "Boy  Scout,"  and  "the  three 
other  motor  boats  would  be  appropri- 
ately named.  The  four  would  be  allotted 
to  certain  troop  units  for  certain  pe- 
riods of  time,  and  seven  batteaux  or 
canoes  would  be  bought  which  troops 
could  use  when  not  in  charge  of  the 
motor  boats.  The  allotments  would  be 
constantly  changing,  so  that,  for  in- 
stance. Scoutmaster  George  R.  Popay's 
Troop  7  would  have  charge  of  one  of 
the  motor  boats  for  a  week,  and  for 
three  weeks  would  take  a  batteau   or 


canoe,  and  the  fifth  week  come  back  to 
another  motor  boat.  The  power  boats 
would  tow  the  paddle  craft  often,  so  all 
could  have  fun. 

Two  of  the  troops  already  have  craft 
which  could  be  substituted  for  that 
many  boats  with  paddles  or  oars.  Troop 
11  (Horace  Gillespie,  scoutmaster)  has 
bought  a  batteau  in  the  Fourth  Ward, 
has  painted  it  and  is  due  by  now  to 
have  shoved  it  in  the  water.  Troop  2 
(Ed  King,  scoutmaster)  will  meet  in 
the  Fourth  Ward  tomorrow  afternoon 
at  3  o'clock  to  put  finishing  touches  on 
their  house  boat,  work  on  which  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  recent  week  spent  at 
camp  at  Cloudland.  Mr.  King  says  the 
boys  are  going  to  launch  their  house- 
boat with  all  kinds  of  salty  ceremony, 
including  the  selection  of  a  fair  young 
lady  sponsor,  the  reading  of  passages 
from  the  manual  and  a  speech  or  so, 
and  free  lemonade  and  all  the  sand- 
wiches anybody  could  eat. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  say  the  "Snake 
Doctor  Fleet"  will  take  official  recog- 
nition of  the  event  and  turn  out  in  full 
array,  and  will  sound  their  gongs  and 
toot  their  whistles  as  the  strange  craft 
slips  from  the  ways.  The  honor  of 
pushing  the  house  boat  a  piece  up  the 
Oostanaula  will  then  be  given  one  of 
the  visiting  host. 

Mr.  King's  boys  have  built  the  house 
boat  entirely  without  help.  They  laid 
her  keel  and  sides,  nailed  on  the  cross 
pieces  for  the  bottom,  poured  tar  pitch 
on  the  outside  and  painted  her  with 
tar  inside.  The  boat's  length  is  22  feet 
and  her  width  8  feet.  She  will  be  a 
scow  for  a  while,  because  Mr.  King  said 
the    patience    of    the    boys    would    be 


MODERN  EXPLORERS  ON  THE  PLACID  OOSTANAULA. 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


431 


threadbare  if  he  tried  to  put  on  the 
house  part  right  away.  So  they  are  go- 
ing to  slip  her  sidewise  in  the  water  and 
rig  out  some  cross  pieces  for  the  32 
Scouts  to  perch  upon. 

Part  of  them  will  bail  until  the  boat 
seems  to  stop  leaking,  then  everybody 
will  sit  on  the  seats  and  yell  defiantly 
at  all  passing  craft.  Presently  the  en- 
gine will  be  installed  so  she  can  kick 
along  under  her  own  power.  Whether 
she  will  be  fitted  out  with  a  propeller 
or  rear  wheel  like  a  steamboat  has  not 
been  decided.  The  Annie  H.  has  a  rear 
paddle  wheel,  and  works  with  a  motor 
forward. 

The  Scouts  have  two  months  of  va- 
cation left  and  plenty  of  afternoons 
thereafter,  and  they  seem  determined 
to  spend  a  good  part  of  it  on  the  water. 
—July  14,  1921. 


SCOUTS  LAUNCH  HOUSE  BOAT 

— An  event  in  the  life  of  the  Boy  Scouts 
of  Rome,  and  particularly  of  Troop  2, 
Ed  King,  scoutmaster,  will  be  the 
launching  Wednesday  afternoon  at 
4:30  o'clock  of  the  "Sequoyah,"  house 
boat,  at  a  point  in  the  Fourth  Ward, 
opposite  the  middle  distance  between  the 
old  Seventh  Avenue  cemetery  and  the 
city  pumping  station.  A  large  crowd 
of  Scouts  will  no  doubt  see  the  "Se- 
quoyah" slide  from  the  ways  into  the 
Oostanaula  River,  for  every  member  in 
the  county  has  been  invited  by  Troop  2 
and  Scout  Executive  Bennett,  and  there 
are  350  of  them.  The  Lindale  and  Cave 
Spring  Troops  are  also  invited. 

A  tub  of  free  lemonade  and  free 
sandwiches  while  they  last  will  be 
served.  Troop  11,  Horace  Gillespie, 
scoutmaster,  will  probably  launch  its 
batteau   at  the   same  time. 

All  units  of  the  "Snake  Doctor  Fleet" 
are  requested  to  get  under  way  at  4 
o'clock  for  the  scene  of  the  launching. 
These  include  the  Annie  H.,  the  Nell, 
the  Katie,  the  Emmagene  H.,  the  Daniel 
Boat,  the  Boy  Scout,  other  motor  boats, 
and  all  the  canoes  and  batteaux  that 
can  be  made  seaworthy  by  that  time. 
The  craft  will  land  above  the  scene  of 
the  launching  and  prepare  to  toot  their 
whistles  and  sound  their  gongs  as  the 
"Sequoyah"  plunges  in.  After  she  is 
launched,  the  boys  will  man  her  and  as 
many  as  she  will  hold  will  take  a  ride, 
and  the  other  Scouts  will  be  taken 
aboard  the  various  craft  for  a  grand 
parade. 

The  "Sequoyah"  is  due  to  have  a  fair 
sponsor  and  a  dark  blue  flag  with  white 
stars  and  a  white  anchor  on  it.  Her 
engine  will   be   put   in    after   the   boys 


have  had  their  first  ride  in  front  of  one 
of  the  motor  boats.  A  short  sketch  of 
Sequoyah,  who  invented  the  Cherokee 
Indian  alphabet,  will  be  read  during 
the  exercises. 

The  Girl  Scouts  and  the  public  gen- 
erally are  invited  and  the  boys  will  try 
to  show  them  how  a  real  boat  should  be 
launched. 

As  the  fleet  steams  slowly  up  and 
down  the  river,  past  Sixth  Avenue,  it 
will  be  reviewed  by  city  officials,  and 
Jim  D'Arcy,  an  old  sailor,  and  "Chips" 
Berliner,  the  local  navy  recruiting 
agent,  are  invited  to  join  them.  The 
whole  affair  will  probably  break  up  in 
a  swimming  party  on  the  Oostanaula. — 
July  24,  1921. 


TWO  SCOUTS  RIDE  50  MILES— 
Boy  Scouts  Julius  M.  Cooley,  Jr.,  13, 
son  of  Julius  M.  Cooley,  of  the  Rome 
Farm  Equipment  Co.  and  resident  of  5 
Butler  street,  and  Ralph  Jones,  14,  son 
of  H.  L.  Jones,  traveling  salesman  of 
the  H.  B.  Parks  Co.  and  resident  of 
Pennington  avenue.  South  Rome,  re- 
turned to  Rome  about  6:50  o'clock  last 
night  after  a  memorable  quest  for  merit 
badges.  They  pedaled  to  Cartersville 
and  back,  approximately  50  miles,  in 
20  minutes  less  than  10  hours.  Both 
boys  are  members  of  Troop  No.  8. 

Asked  if  his  legs  hurt  like  he  had 
growing  pains.  Scout  Cooley  declared: 

"I'll  say  they  do!" 

The  boys  were  told  that  it  was  a 
good  test  of  scout  ability  to  make  it  to 
Cartersville  and  back  starting  at  9:10 
o'clock  yesterday  morning.  That  gave 
them  until  7:10  last  night.  Neither 
had  been  there  before,  so  the  trip  had 
an  added  zest. 

Julius  said: 

"The  roads  were  bad  most  of  the  way 
and  we  saw  convicts  working  them  near 
Cartersville.  We  took  our  lunches  with 
us  and  ate  them  along  the  road  at  a 
stream,  and  had  supper  when  we  re- 
turned home.  There  were  no  accidents 
except  that  I  hit  a  bump  and  fell  once, 
throwing  me  off  on  my  side,  and  Ralph'.s 
pedal  struck  me.  I  was  not  hurt  but 
lost  a  little  breath  and  saw  a  few  stars. 
It  was  a  great  trip." 

The  boys  reported  to  Scout  Executive 
Bennett  and  are  due  to  receive  their 
merit  badges  soon.  Part  of  the  test  had 
been  completed  before.  This  consisted 
of  reading  a  map  and  repairing  bicycle 
punctures  and  taking  their  bicycles 
apart  and  putting  them  together  again. 
—Jan.  23,  1921. 


432 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  GLIMPSE  OF  MOBLEY  (DeSOTO)  PARK  AND  LAKE 

The  hill  to  the  left  was  where  Philip  W.  Hemphill,  one  of  Rome's  founders,  built  his 
home.  The  park  property  has  been  acquired  for  the  Greater  Darlington  School,  and  removal 
to   the  site  will  mark   a   new   era   in   that   institution's  career. 


GIRL  SCOUTS  HEAR  TALK— At 
the  Lindale  Methodist  church  Sunday 
afternoon  a  large  number  of  girl  scouts 
with  their  captains  and  lieutenants  as- 
sembled to  hear  Mrs.  Juliette  Lowe,  of 
Savannah,  an  international  figure  in 
the  scout  movement,  make  an  address 
on  scouting. 

Mrs.  Lowe,  who  lived  for  many  years 
in  England,  told  of  the  organization 
there  of  the  Boy  and  Girl  Scouts,  and 
of  the  work  of  Baden  Powell,  who  was 
so  impressed  by  the  splendid  work  done 
by  the  boys  in  the  Boer  war  that  he  de- 
termined to  train  the  youths  of  England 
in  some  of  the  minor  details  of  war  re- 
gardless of  whether  they  were  ever  to 
be  soldiers  or  sailors. 

Receiving  enthusiasm  and  inspiration 
from  Mr.  Powell,  who  is  a  warm  person- 
al friend  of  hers,  Mrs.  Lowe  started 
work  with  a  band  of  seven  girls  who 
lived  near  her  home  up  in  the  Scotland 
hills,  and  with  the  assistance  of  some 
work  with  a  band  of  seven  girls  who 
taught  signalling,  cooking,  sewing,  tak- 


ing care  of  the  sick  and  other  things  es- 
sential to  making  them  strong  and  capa- 
ble women.  Now  there  are  80,000  Girl 
Scouts  in  America  alone. 

Mrs.  Lowe  went  into  detail  about 
scouting.  She  told  what  was  required 
before  a  girl  could  become  a  citizen 
scout;  the  motto  being  "Be  Prepared." 

In  closing  she  related  a  story  of  the 
heroism  of  a  Polish  girl  whom  she  had 
known  at  an  international  conference 
in  London,  and  told  how  the  girls'  train- 
ing as  scouts  had  prepared  them  for 
the  trials  and  undertakings  of  life. 

Capt.  H.  P.  Meikleham  introduced 
Mrs.  Lowe  with  a  few  apt  remarks,  em- 
phasizing the  fact  that  Mrs.  Lowe  was 
going  to  tell  her  audience  (which  con- 
sisted almost  entirely  of  Girl  Scouts) 
how  to  be  real  girls  and  appreciate 
natural  things. 

Mrs.  Lowe  left  on  an  afternoon  train 
for  Atlanta.  While  in  Lindale  she  was 
Miss  Helen  Marshall's  guest. — Jan.  24, 
1922. 


Miscellaneous — Scout  Section 


433 


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AUTOGRAPHS  OF  ROMANS  OF  THE  PERIOD  AROUND   1870-'71— II. 


434 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE  OLD  COURT  HOUSE,  ON  COURT  (EAST  FIRST)  STREET,  ROME 


THE  REAL  FRANK  L.  STANTON. 
— Lucian  L.  Knight,  state  historian, 
once  remarked  as  follows  concerning 
Stanton : 

"He  is  a  lyrical  genius.  He  has 
never  used  a  typewriter,  but  employs 
long-hand  in  pencil  exclusively;  he 
seldom  scratches  out  a  mistake,  and 
he  makes  no  erasures.  His  is  a  brand 
of  genius  that  is  not  often  fclund. 
Writing  with  him  is  spontaneous;  his 
thoughts  are  transferred  to  paper  with- 
out the  usual  mental  effort,  and  thus 
do  they  appear  in  print.  They  go  to 
the  printer  in  'strings,'  sheet  after 
sheet  pasted  together.  Truly,  he  just 
pipes    his    unpremeditated    lay. 

"When  I  was  handling  the  religious 
page  of  The  Constitution,  Stanton  had 
not  reached  financial  independence, 
and  would  occasionally  ask  me  for  a 
small  loan.  On  one  occasion  he  said, 
'Lucian,   let   me   have    some    money.' 

"  'I  haven't  got  any  money,'  I  re- 
plied. 

"  'Knight,  I  want  you  to  let  me  have 
some  money!' 

"  'Sorry,   but    I    can't.' 

"  'Dr.  Knight,  you  are  the  religious 
editor  of  this  newspaper;  for  Christ's 
sake    let    me    have    some    money!' 

"'You  win;  there's  a  pawn  shop 
ai'ound  the  corner;  take  my  grand- 
father's watch  and  soak  it!'" 


AN  ODD  APPEAL.— In  the  race 
for  mayor  for  the  term  of  1882  were 
three  candidates:  Jas.  G.  Dailey,  who 
was  elected;  Wm.  W.  Seay  and  J.  F. 
Harbour.  The  two  first  named  beat 
the  bushes  in  stump  speeches,  but  Mr. 
Harbour,  being  short  of  oratorical  thun- 
der, contented  himself  with  a  card  in 
the  local  newspaper  which  ended: 

"I  hope  you  will  Seay  your  way 
Dailey  through  the  Harbour  of  safety." 


QUICK  WITS  IN  COURT.— Inter- 
esting situations  are  always  aris- 
ing in  the  present  as  the  members 
of  the  Rome  bar  gather  in  Judge  Moses 
Wright's  Superior  Court.  Judge 
Wright's  charges  to  the  juries,  his  fine 
sense  of  humor  and  of  fairness  fur- 
nish a  considerable  part  of  this  inter- 
est, and  then  occasionally  an  attorney 
is    called    upon    to    furnish    it. 

Several  days  ago  Attorneys  Frank 
Copeland  and  W.  B.  Mebane  found 
themselves  on  opposite  sides  of  a  case. 

"Hold  up  your  right  hand,"  com- 
manded Mr.  Mebane  to  a  witness. 

"The  witness  has  already  been 
sworn,"   interposed   Mr.    Copeland. 

"Take  it  down!"  snapped  Mr.  Meb- 
ane before  the  witness  could  realize 
what  was  going  on. — Jan.  26,  1921. 


Miscellaneous— Scout  Sectiop 


435 


436  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

BILL  OF  SALE  FOR  SLAVES 

Georgia,  Floyd  County:  Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  I,  Philip  W. 
Hemphill,  of  the  county  and  state  aforesaid,  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum 
of  $4,000  to  me  in  hand  paid  by  James  Hemphill,  of  the  same  place,  receipt  of  which 
I  do  hereby  acknowledge,  have  granted,  bargained  and  sold,  and  by  these  presents 
do  gi-ant,  bargain  and  sell  unto  the  said  James  Hemphill,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  the 
following  property,  to  wit:  Lucy,  a  woman  60  years  old.  Bill,  a  man,  65.  Penny, 
a  woman,  60,  Terril,  a  boy,  13,  William,  a  boy,  il,  Margaret,  a  girl.  8,  Myrum,  a 
girl,  9,  Berryman,  a  boy,  7,  Penny,  a  gii'l,  7,  Elvira,  a  woman,  18,  and  child  at  the 
breast,  Catharine,  a  girl,  8,  Emily,  a  girl,  12,  Arena,  a  girl,  10,  Lena,  a  girl,  8, 
Evilene,  a  girl,  12,  Tana,  a  girl,  6,  Madison,  a  boy,  7,  Jane,  a  girl,  13,  Tony,  a 
boy,  7,  Martha,  a  girl,  2  years  old. 

To  have  and  to  hold  the  aforesaid  bargained  property,  to  him  the  said  James 
Hemphill,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  forever.  And  I,  the  said  Philip  W.  Hemphill,  for 
myself,  my  heirs,  executors  and  administrators,  all  and  singular,  the  said  bar- 
gained property  unto  the  said  James  Hemphill,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  against  me 
and  my  said  executors  and  administrators  and  against  all  and  every  other  person 
and  persons  claiming  under  me,  shall  and  will  warrant  and  defend  by  their  presents. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  this  12th  day  of 
October,  one  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  forty-six    (1846). 

P.  W.  Hemphill. 
Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of 

John  B.  Hemphill,  witness,  and  Chas.  Smith,  justice  of  the  peace. 


STORY  OF  A  FROLICSOME  TORNADO 

{From  the  Rome  Neivs,  Sunday,  Ajxril  17,  1921.) 

(By  George  Magruder  Battey,  Jr.) 

A  frolicsome  tornado  supposed  to  have  been  an  offshoot  of  a  cyclone  starting  in 
Kentucky  bounded  through  the  downtown  business  section  of  Rome  yesterday  (Sat- 
urday, April  16,  1921),  at  approximately  11:45  a.  m.,  and  left  a  trail  of  destruc- 
tion 500  feet  wide  behind.  The  start  of  it  was  traced  as  far  down  the  Coosa  as  a 
point  between  Mt.  Alto  and  Black's  Bluff,  where  it  left  the  stream  and  swept 
across  a  stretch  of  green  bottom  land  in  a  generally  northeastern  direction. 

The  tornado  fell  like  a  blight  upon  a  quiet  negro  settlement  in  the  boundaries 
of  Cherokee  street,  Branham  avenue  (south)  and  Pennington  avenue,  and  turned 
a  square  block  into  heaps  of  brick  and  loose  timbers  and  snapping  trees.  Small 
frame  houses  that  had  stood  compactly  a  few  minutes  before  were  reduced  to  piles 
like  jackstraws.  Across  a  ridge  studded  with  stately  pine  trees  the  brusque  charger 
raced  at  80  miles  an  hour,  breaking  pines  and  poplars  in  half  and  bowling  over  oaks 
and  hickories  as  their  roots  snapped  under  the  strain. 

Through  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery  this  first  time  visitor  sped,  irreverently  upset 
tombstones  and  crushed  a  pavilion  into  kindling  wood;  skirted  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
swung  its  tail  over  the  summit  of  the  Confederate  monument  and  swooped  like  a 
hungry  hawk  over  the  Etowah  and  down  upon  peaceful,   unsuspecting  Rome. 

Buildings  trembled  and  struggled  in  the  grip  of  this  unshorn  young  monster, 
then  gave  up  parts  of  themselves,  like  brick  and  mortar,  tin  roofs,  chimneys  and 
contents, — anything  to  be  free  of  his  cave-like  grip.  He  hurried  on  without  apolo- 
gies; knocked  down  the  electrical  contraptions  raised  by  man  on  high  poles, 
smashed  windows  with  the  care-free  demeanor  of  a  spend-thrift,  shoved  a  cornice 
off  a  store  to  the  main  street  without  caring  whether  it  hit  anybody  on  the  head  or 
not;  blew  young  ladies'  dresses  and  tresses  in  a  shocking  manner;  sent  dogs, 
chickens  and  birds  scurrying  to  places  of  safety,  even  as  men;  and  disappeared 
with  a  defiant  gesture  and  a  mocking  laugh. 

The  tornado  paralelled  the  Oostanaula  river  northward  up  West  First  street, 
then  executed  a  right-angle  zag  and  dealt  a  right  uppercut  again  to  the  things  of 
the  land.  Past  Fourth,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh  and  Eighth  avenues  he  leaped,  with 
always  the  same  tale, — a  roof  lifted  off  here,  a  sheet  of  tin  sent  smashing  through 
a  plate  glass  window  there,  a  tree  sent  crashing  against  a  house,  a  house  sat  upon 
until  its  timbers  gT'oaned  and  gave  way. 

Near  the  foot  of  West  First  street  three  mules  were  killed  under  electric  wires 
and  walls  of  brick,  and  their  owner  was  injured;  at  the  jail  a  lad  was  hurt,  in 
North  Rome  a  house  was  blown  a  mile,  scattering  five  children  and  a  woman  along 
the  way. 


Miscellaneous — Two  Playful  Windstorms 


437 


SPOTS  WHICH  DARED  TO  RESIST  THE  TORNADO. 

The   windstorm    of    Saturday.    April    16.    1921.    ->-d    as    a    stern    re.nind.^r    of    the    ins^^^^^^^^^ 
of    man     and     his    earthly     shrines.       Pictures     1.     2     and    6     show     Myrtle     »■''         «;^*    ^     house     on 
like     broom     straws.     5     and     7     West     Second     Street     damage         3--Tree     «?»'"^t       „, 'd    a    man 
Seventh    Avenue.       4— A    sugarberry    at    the    News    office    which    nearly    hit    a    hoi  se    and    a    man. 


438  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Then  the  tornado  was  lost  to  view.  He  had  been  introduced  to  Romans  most 
forcibly.  Maybe  he  went  where  he  came  from.  He  was  not  a  very  welcome 
guest.     Details  of  his  pranks  are  to  be  found  elsewhere  herein. 

A  hard  rain  fell  soon  after  the  tornado  had  passed,  and  continued  for  several 
hours.  It  held  up  a  while,  but  let  in  again  before  midnight.  Woodmen  and  other 
workers  took  their  axes  and  set  to  work  repairing  the  damage,  and  said  some  un- 
kind things  about  frolicsome  gusts  of  wind. 

Rome's  pet  tornado  had  certainly  not  behaved  like  Oliver  Herford's  "Bashful 
Earthquake." 


Tornadoes  are  exciting  phenomena  and  always  coin)n.it  freakish 
and  ^oeird  acts  as  well  as  tragic  and  frightening.     In  the  folloiving 
riinning  story  are  told  incidents  as  they  were  heard  and  discovered  by 
The  News  during  Saturday  afternoon: 
The  worst  damage  in  Rome  was   in  the  area  bounded  by  Eighth  avenue,  the 
Oostanaula  river,  head  of  Coosa  and  Broad  street.     Moving  toward  North  Rome, 
the  tornado  in  this  area  first  struck  the  rear  of  the  old  Hamilton  block,  occupied  by 
Stamps  &  Co.,  and  took  it    off,  a  lot  of  brick  falling  and  helping  to  demolish  a  shed 
in  the  rear  of  the  place.     It  swept  through  West  First  street  between  the  rears  of 
the  second  Broad  street  block  of  wholesale  grocery  concerns  and  the  Curry-Arring- 
ton  warehouse,  caroming  off  the  rear  of  the  Rome  Mercantile  Co.  and  throwing  a 
shower  of  brick  and  timbers  into  the  street  on  a  group  of  a  dozen  or  more  mules 
and  wagons  parked  there  by  farmers,  and  carrying  down  three  poles  full  of  heavily- 
charged  electric  wires.     One  of  the  wires  fell  across  the  back  of  a  small  gray  mule 
and  killed  it  instantly,  while  the  brick  which  fell  from  the  rear  of  the  Rome  Mer- 
cantile Co.  buried  a  pair  of  mules  driven  to  a  wagon  by  Mose  Middleton,  a  Black's 
Bluff  Road  farmer.     One  of  the  mules  was  killed  instantly  and  one  was  hurt  and 
it  was  thought  it  would  have  to  be  shot.     Mr.  Middleton  was  slightly  injured.     He 
heard  the  storm  had  swept  his  home  neighborhood,  and  went  down  to  see. 

The  electric  current  was  immediately  cut  off  by  the  Rome  Railway  &  Light  Co., 
thus  reducing  the  danger  of  broken  and  depending  wires.  Police  and  firemen,  the 
Boy  Scouts,  American  Legion  and  citizen  volunteers  rendered  first  aid  and  went 
on  duty  informally  where  needed.  Linemen  and  other  electrical  workers  went  to 
work  with  a  vim  to  relieve  the  city  fi'om  the  predicament  of  no  electric  power  or 
lights,  all  having  been  cut  off  in  the  city  except  the  trolley  car  current.  Candles 
and  lamps  were  used  pretty  freely  for  illuminating  purposes.  The  gas  plant  on 
West  First  street,  by  the  way,  escaped  any  damage  from  the  tornado,  but  an  ad- 
joining building  had  the  roof  taken  off. 

After  a  few  hours  most  of  the  lights  were  switched  on  again,  but  throughout 
the  night  the  downtown  area  of  devastation  was  dotted  only  with  red  danger 
lights.  The  white  way  lights  on  the  Oostanaula  side  of  Broad  street  were  dark, 
and  the  two  picture  shows  and  business  establishments  in  that  row  did  not  at- 
tempt to  keep  open  last  night. 

Part  of  the  roof  of  the  Rome  Manufacturing  company  on  Second  avenue  was 
lifted  and  the  rain  began  to  pour  in,  so  a  lot  of  goods  were  moved  to  a  warehouse 
at  the  rear  of  the  First  National  Bank  building.  Although  the  wind  sliced  off  a 
layer  of  brick  from  the  Arrington-Buick  building  across  the  street,  it  bowed  before 
the  tall  First  National  structure  and  swept  over  the  Rome  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, where  it  also  sent  down  a  shower  of  brick. 

The  McWilliams  Feed  and  Grocery  Co.  sign  was  doubled  up  at  Third  avenue 
and  West  First  street,  and  one  screen  door  opening  outward  was  torn  from  its 
hinges  and  another  partly  unhinged.  A  hogshead  was  blown  from  a  platform  to 
the  middle  of  the  street.  A  lot  of  tin  was  ripped  from  warehouses  in  this  neigh- 
borhood and  sent  whirling  and  whistling  toward  the  courthouse.  A  tin  ice  can  of 
the  Atlantic  Ice  &  Coal  Corporation  was  blown  50  feet  to  Fourth  avenue. 

At  the  Wyatt  Book  Store  a  plate  glass  over  the  show  or  display  windows  was 
blown  out,  three  show  cases  were  broken  and  the  picture  rack  was  demolished. 

A  pair  of  penny  weighing  scales  was  torn  up  in  front  of  the  Strand  movie 
theatre  and  a  traffic  sign  at  Broad  and  Third  avenue  was  blown  over. 

The  following  sustained  broken  plate  glass  windows:  Bartlett  Automotive 
Equipment  Co.,  Gammon's,  G.  H.  Hays,  the  McDonald  Furniture  Co.,  O.  Willing- 
ham  and  several  of  the  fronts  of  the  wholesale  houses  on  the  west  side  of  Broad 
street  between  First  and  Second  avenues. 


Miscellaneous — Two  Playful  Windstorms  439 


BROAD  STREET  BY  NIGHT,  CARPETED  IN  3  INCHES  OF  SNOW,  JAN.  27,   1921. 


Many  small  windows,  awnings  and  signs  were  caught  and  broken  down.  Trees 
were  blown  down  in  the  yards  of  Wade  Hoyt,  603  West  First  street;  600  Broad 
street,  corner  of  Sixth  avenue;  J.  W.  Bryson,  10  Seventh  avenue,  the  old  W.  M. 
Towers  place  (large  tree  against  center  of  house)  ;  the  old  Underwood  cottage, 
across  West  First  street  from  the  Bryson  home  (large  tree  took  off  corner  and 
rested  against  house)  ;  the  cottage  of  Miss  Julia  Omberg,  next  door  to  the  Lanham 
place  on  West  First  street;  the  home  between  the  Wade  Hoyt  place  and  the  Oostan- 
aula  river.  Limbs  were  strewn  over  the  yard  of  Ed  Maddox  at  Broad  and  Seventh 
avenue,  and  across  Fifth  avenue  back  of  the  Hotel  Forrest. 

A  large  sugar  berry  tree  at  the  corner  of  The  Rome  News  office  blew  toward 
the  building,  narrowly  missing  P.  J.  Fulcher,  a  farmer  living  on  the  Central  Grove 
road  beyond  the  Berry  Schools,  and  demolishing  a  Ford  automobile  owned  by  F. 
C.  Bennett,  of  13  Fourth  avenue,  and  the  Fulcher  buggy.  Mr.  Fulcher  had  just 
taken  his  horse  out  of  the  vehicle.  A  falling  wire  burnt  him  slightly  on  the  right 
hand.  An  American  Railway  Express  Co.  delivery  wagon  was  passing  at  Fourth 
avenue  and  West  First  when  the  tree  crashed  down.  The  wind  blew  the  wagoTi 
over  on  its  side  and  threw  out  the  driver,  Geo.  W.  Turner,  and  a  lot  of  large  empty 
pasteboard  cartons,  one  of  which  was  blown  into  the  hole  left  by  the  tree  roots. 
The  horse  ran  away  down  Broad  street,  probably  to  the  express  company  stable. 

Parts  of  two  chimneys  were  blown  off  TJie  News  building  into  jin  alley  near 
the  Oostanaula  river. 

The  tornado  swept  up  the  Oostanaula,  raising  the  water  about  12  feet,  accord- 
ing to  two  men  who  were  sitting  on  the  end  of  a  platform  of  the  Atlantic  Ice  & 
Coal  Corporation  plant,  on  Fourth  avenue  and  the  river.  The  tail  of  the  thmg 
swept  within  35  feet  of  them,  snapping  off  several  limbs  and  curvmg  in  front  of 
the  Rome  Laundry  Company  across  the  street  and  carrying  a  shower  of  roof  tin 
with  it,  after  which  it  hit  the  tree  at  The  News  corner.  Then  it  twisted  to  the 
left  of  the  courthouse  and  stripped  enough  tin  off  the  Davis  Foundry  &  Machme  Co. 
to  smash  a  plate  glass  window  or  so  of  the  Dodge  Automobile  agency  at  I'lfth 
avenue  and  West  First  street. 

It  tore  tin  off  the  city  stables  on  West  First,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  avenues. 
Lawrence  Wilson,  Boy  Scout,  son  of  Sheriff  Robt.  E.  Wilson,  was  sitting  in  his 
father's  apartments  at  the  Floyd  county  jail  at  that  point  and  was  slamming  down 
a  window  when  tin  or  timber  crashed  into  the  window  pane  and  cut  his  left  arm 
in  several  places.     He  was  attended  by  Dr.  J.  Turner  McCall. 

After  laying  low  a  lot  of  trees  on  West  Fir.st  street,  as  told  above,  the  tornad.) 
swept  toward  Eighth  avenue,  to  the  home  of  Louis  A.  Dempsey,  at  713.  where 
a  tree  was  uprooted  and  two  rooms  of  the  house  damage<l.  Five  Inrtre  ti-^o^  in  the 
Robt.  W.  Graves  yard,  110  Eighth  avenue,  were  blown  down,  and  Robt.  W.  Graves, 
Jr.,  amateur  weather  prognosticator,  lost  a  rain  gauge.  A  corn  crib  and  mule  barn 
of  the  Graves-Harper  Co.  at  West  Second  street  and  Eighth  avenue  were  demol- 


440 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ished.  A  large  tree  blew  down  between  the  home  of  Wm.  E.  Fuller,  104  West 
Eighth  avenue,  and  that  of  A.  S.  Burney. 

Thence  the  wind  blew  through  North  Rome.  Will  Akridge,  who  owns  a  place 
about  two  miles  north  of  North  Rome,  phoned  The  News  that  the  tornado  hit  one 
of  his  tenant  houses,  occupied  by  Alvin  Gilliam,  and  that  the  five  small  Gilliam 
children  narrowly  escaped  death.  Some  were  free,  others  caught  under  flying 
timbers  and  none  hurt  beyond  a  bad  shaking  up.  They  were  gathered  up  and 
Taken  to  the  home  of  a  neighbor  nearby.  Mrs.  Henry  Gilliam  was  hit  in  the  head 
by  a  flying  timber  and  painfully  hurt.  She  was  attended  by  Dr.  Henry  A.  Turner, 
of  Rome.    A  baby  three  months  old  was  uninjured. 

On  Jim  Stewart's  place  on  the  road  leading  over  to  the  Oostanaula  river,  con- 
tinued Mr.  Akridge,  the  one-story  frame  cottage  occupied  by  W.  H.  Sims,  had  only 
two  rooms  left  after  the  twister  had  passed.  The  front  and  back  porches,  kitchen 
and  two  chimneys  were  blown  away.  It  seemed  like  a  thousand  trees  had  been 
blown  down,  he  said. 

While  Mr.  Akridge  was  talking,  a  flash  of  lightning  hit  the  telephone  wire. 
"Did  you  see  that  lightning?"  he  asked.     "Let's  get  away  from  here!" 

The  tornado  was  traced  westward  below  Rome  to  a  point  on  the  Coosa  river 
between  Black's  Bluff  and  Mt.  Alto.     It  skipped  across  the  valley  land  northwest 


<7^ 


•--Tifflfeiiiiiii^ 


■B 


A  TALL  SENTINEL  ON  A  LOFTY  HILL 

Rome's    historic    clock    tower,   built    in    1871    by    John    W.    Noble, 
plant    on    Fort    Jackson    it    supplied    the   city    with    water. 


Prior  to    erection    of    the 


Miscellaneous — Two  Playful  Windstorms  441 

of  the  Ab  Dean  farm  and  tore  a  path  through  clumps  of  woods  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cherokee  street  and  Branham  avenue  (South).  At  this  point  the  wind 
lifted  off  the  front  of  the  Hugley  grocery  store,  then  got  into  a  block  of  negro 
one-story  frame  dwellings  on  Pennington  avenue.  Six  houses  in  a  row  had  their 
brick  chimneys  knocked  off  and  one  was  smashed  almost  flat.  In  the  house  set 
down  upon  the  ground  Mattie  Rogers,  crippled  daughter  of  Fletcher  Rogers,  the 
colored  barber,  was  slightly  hurt  in  the  mouth.  Two  chickens  (hens)  were  killed. 
Debris  was  scattered  everywhere.  Then  the  twister  snorted  up  a  ridge  and  blew 
a  pine  tree  across  a  pig  pen,  where  the  pig  grunted  his  eminent  satisfaction.  On 
top  of  this  ridge  was  a  one  story  frame  dwelling  said  to  be  owned  by  Mrs.  Alia 
Holmes  Nunnally.  The  wind  hugged  this  cottage  and  shook  it  down  off  its  brick 
foundations  to  the  ground.     The  paper  roofing  was  banged  in. 

Slivers  of  plaster  peeled  off  across  the  street  as  the  tornado  shook  a  frail 
wooden  house.  Then  the  mischievous  fellow  visited  the  home  of  City  Commis- 
sioner Ben  Gann  on  Klasing  Hill,  slid  his  refrigerator  across  the  back  porch  and 
stripped  the  under  part  of  the  house  of  its  frail  lattice  work.  Then  it  romped 
into  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery,  ruthlessly  upsetting  tombstones.  The  tornado  uprooted 
seven  large  trees  in  Myrtle  Hill  and  broke  off  two  others  that  fell  across  graves, 
in  addition  to  demolishing  the  pavilion  near  the  Confederate  Soldiers'  sanctuary. 
A  tree  fell  across  the  headstone  of  A.  B.  S.  Moseley,  long  a  newspaper  editor  in 
Rome.  One  knocked  over  the  headstone  of  Mrs.  T.  O.  Hand.  Others  fell  across 
the  Denny,  Grossman,  Burks,  Sharp  and  Thos.  G.  Watters  lots. 
City  forces  were  put  to  work  to  clear  the  trees   away. 

The  tail  of  the  tornado  swished  within  half  a  block  of  the  Frances  Berrien 
hospital  on  South  Broad  and  yanked  off  a  limb  as  large  as  a  fat  man's  leg,  and  did 
the  same  near  the  old  Klasing  machine  shop  (now  the  establishment  of  Coffin  & 
Co.)  Leaves  and  dead  branches  were  scattered  everywhere. 
Jim  Hall's  house  was  unroofed  about  a  mile  north  of  Rome. 
Half  the  roof  of  the  Nixon  Hardware  Co.  warehouse  was  blown  off  in  the  rear 
of  the  Broad  street  store  and  the  goods  had  to  be  moved  to  safe  quarters. 

The  aftermath  of  Rome's  romping  tornado  of  Saturday  morning  at  11:45  o'clock 
found  the  citizens  setting  their  houses  and  yards  in  order.  Some  of  the  houses 
were  beyond  hope  of  redemption.  They  had  been  crushed  like  eggshells  and  their 
timbers  blown  into  near  woods. 

Estimates  of  the  total  damage  varied  with  the  individual.  Insurance  men 
said  one  person's  guess  was  as  good  as  another's.  The  estimates  ranged  between 
$150,000  and  $250,000  for  the  Rome  district.  Much  of  this  is  salvage.  Trees 
blown  down  make  good  wood;  they  have  to  be  cut  up  but  don't  need  cutting  down. 
Alvin  Gilliam,  farmer  tenanting  the  Will  Akridge  farm  two  miles  north  of 
the  Southern  Co-operative  Foundry  in  North  Rome,  found  his  razor  and  his  wife's 
hat  a  mile  toward  the  Oostanaula  river  from  where  the  tornado  smashed  his  house. 
He  congratulated  his  wife  on  her  "close  shave." 

His  mother,  Mrs.  Henry  Gilliam,  and  his  five  children  were  in  the  house  at  the 
time.  The  wind  dumped  them  from  the  floor  to  a  side  wall,  then  deposited  them 
on  the  upside-down  ceiling  and  carried  the  floor  over  their  heads  up  the  hillside. 
In  the  ceiling  was  a  trap  door  two  feet  by  three.  The  lid  flew  off  as  the  ceiling 
went  over,  and  two  of  the  children,  including  the  two-months-old  baby,  were  thrown 
into  the  hole  to  safety,  while  a  mass  of  timbers  crashed  down  over  them.  Rescuers 
pulled  them  out  shortly  afterward. 

Mr.  Gilliam's  18-year-old  boy,  formerly  in  the  navy,  went  searching  for  his 
navy  discharge  papers,  fearing  they  might  have  been  blown  to  the  Bureau  of  Navi- 
gation at  Washington  and  he  might  find  himself  back  in  the  outfit  again. 

Houses  are  few  and  far  between  in  this  neighborhood,  and  not  a  great  deal  of 
damage  was  done.  On  the  Akridge  place,  however,  the  tornado  played  some  of  its 
queerest  tricks.  It  made  a  180-degree  curve,  pointing  back  toward  Rome,  around 
the  brow  of  a  thickly  wooded  hill,  scattering  tall  trees,  then  darted  off  at  riglit 
angles  to  the  right  far  enough  to  miss  a  barn  and  several  horses.  The  next  thing 
it  hit  was  the  Gilliam  cottage  of  four  rooms,  where  the  elder  Mrs.  Gilliam  was 
making  dough  in  a  pan. 

City  workmen  labored  all  day  Sunday  with  axes  and  saws,  removing  overturned 
trees  from  dwellings  and  from  across  streets.  Citizens  wielded  axes  in  many 
cases.  Some  waited  until  Monday,  and  it  seemed  probable  that  within  a  week  few 
signs  of  the  damage  would  remain,  except  in  the  case  of  houses  badly  demolished. 


442 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ROME  IN   BLANKETS   OF   "BEAUTIFUL   WHITE." 

The  central  photograph,  showing  two  feet  of  snow  on  Broad  Street,  was  taken  in  December, 
1887.  The  horse  cars  were  abandoned  and  traffic  generally  was  demoralized.  This  was  a  year 
of   disasters.      In    March    and    April    came    the    record    flood,    with    water   40.3    feet    high    at    Rome, 

and    prior    to    the    flood    a    slight    earthpuake    shock    was    felt.       The    other    pictures    were    taken 

January   27,    1921. 


Miscellaneous — Two  Playful  Windstorms  443 

Two  or  three  cases  were  reported  in  which  men  were  caught  in  the  tornado 
and  lifted  off  the  g:i-ound  or  blown  some  distance.  They  all  landed  on  their  feet 
and  used  them. 

Steps  will  probably  be  taken  by  the  city  or  patriotic  organizations  to  replace 
the  pavilion  which  was  destroyed  at  the  Confederate  soldiers'  graves  in  Myrtle  Hill 
cemetery.  Workmen  started  removing  nine  trees  blown  down  across  graves,  up- 
setting several  tombstones.  The  tornado  swept  across  the  summit  and  eastern  face 
of  Myrtle  Hill  and  jumped  over  the  Steamer  Cherokee,  lying  moored  at  the  base  of 
the  cemetery  on  the  Etowah  river.     It  then  hit  the  lower  business  district. 

The  gay  destroyer  did  not  spare  the  abandoned  old  Seventh  avenue  cemetery 
either.  It  twisted  off  several  large  limbs  and  blew  them  across  graves.  One 
landed  on  the  tomb  of  George  Hamilton,   (1833-1854),  but  did  not  break  the  slab. 

Between  the  Seventh  avenue  cemetery  and  the  Auditorium  several  houses  were 
damaged.  Five  medium-sized  trees  were  blown  across  West  Second  street  north 
of  Seventh  avenue. 

The  Graves-Harper  barn  near  Eighth  avenue  and  West  Second  was  knocked 
off  its  concrete  rat-proof  foundations  and  thrown  down  the  hill  toward  Hell's  Hol- 
low, and  turned  upside  down.     It  was  a  nice  wreck. 

After  blowing  down  several  trees  on  Eighth  avenue  the  tornado  dived  into 
Hell's  Hollow.  It  missed  the  city  water  pumping  station  on  Fort  Jackson  by  at 
least  500  feet  and  swept  over  Blossom  Hill,  inhabited  by  negroes.  Here  the  main 
damage  was  to  fi-uit  trees,  which  was  true  of  other  neighborhoods. 

Windows  in  the  court  house  offices  of  Judges  Moses  Wright  and  W.  J.  Nunnally 
were  smashed.  A  lot  of  women  and  children  were  attending  a  court  hearing  in 
Judge  Wright's  office,  and  they  sought  places  of  safety.  The  Judge's  office  was  in 
the  teeth  of  the  gale,  as  it  were,  but  the  occupants  soon  got  into  a  different  position. 

Rome's  commercial  concerns  hit  by  the  storm  quickly  began  to  get  back  into 
shape.  Carpenters  and  tinners  did  a  land  office  business,  and  many  others,  in- 
cluding electrical  workers,  did  pretty  much  the  same.  The  forces  of  the  Southern 
Bell  Telephone  Company  and  the  Rome  Railway  &  Light  Company  worked  hard  to 
restore  conditions  to  normalcy. 

Insurance  men  carrying  tornado  policies  made  ready  to  pay  up.  It  was  a  new 
experience  for  them  to  get  hit.  W.  B.  Hale,  of  the  Hale-Brannon  Co.,  declared  his 
firm  stood  ready  to  protect  Romans  and  if  another  such  rumpus  came,  he  would 
surrender  the  cash.     The  others  felt  the  same  way  about  it. 

As  usual  with  tornadoes,  the  weather  following  was  cold.    The  thermometer 
dropped  down  to  where  folks  thought  a  freeze  might  greet  them  Monday  morning, 


AN  INFORMAL  GARDEN  OF  DAYS  THAT  ARE  PAST 

This    Third    avenue    spot    was    included    in  "Belvidere,"     the    home    place     of    Hollis    Cooley, 

which    later    became    the    habitation    of    Walker  W.    Brookes    and    Judge    Waller    T.    Turnbull.       It 
nestled  at  the  foot  of  old  Shorter   Hill. 


444 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


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AUTOGRAPHS   OF   ROMANS    OF   THE   PERIOD    AROUND    1870-71- 


-iri. 


Miscellaneous — Two  Playful  Windstorms 


445 


Carnegie  Library  and  the  City  Auditorium. 


but  this  did  not  come.     A  stiff  wind  most  of   Sunday  aggi-avated  the  situation. 
Opinions  seemed  to  be  that  fruit  and  crops  would  be  hurt,  but  not  seriously. 

TREMENDOUS  STORM 

On  Thursday,  the  12th  inst.,  at  one  o'clock,  a  violent  storm,  moving  in  a  South- 
erly direction,  passed  over  this  place,  carrying  with  it  dense,  black  clouds  of  dust, 
leaves,  branches  of  trees,  and  all  sorts  of  light  trash,  and  doing  very  considerable 
damage  in  its  course.  The  bands  of  ^olus  seemed  to  have  been  loosed  and  verily 
"the  winds  did  blow  and  crack  their  cheeks." 

The  following  damages  by  the  storm  have  come  to  our  knowledge :  Two  freight 
cars  standing  on  the  track  just  north  of  the  depot  were  driven  down  the  track,  by 
the  force  of  the  wind,  to  the  foundry,  where  a  switch  being  turned  wrong  for 
them  to  go  farther,  they  were  thrown  from  the  track  and  one  of  them  smashed  up; 
about  one-third  of  the  sheet  iron  roof  of  the  depot  on  each  side  of  the  building, 
commencing  on  the  north  end,  was  torn  off;  the  chimney  of  the  store  of  Sloan  & 
Hoopers  was  blown  down,  breaking  through  the  roof  and  into  the  store  room  of 
Magnus  &  Wyse,  just  missing  several  persons  sitting  there;  the  chimney  of  the 
store  occupied  by  W.  T.  Newman  and  owned  by  P.  M.  Sheibley  was  blown  down 
and  broke  through  the  roof;  the  sky-light  to  Bcarden's  Daguerrean  gallery  was 
blown  quite  off.  and  the  entire  chimney  to  Wm.  R.  Smith's  old  store  was  blown  en- 
tirely down.  We  hear  that  the  tin  on  the  whole  south  side  of  the  depot  at  Kingston 
was  blown  off  and  carried  in  the  arms  of  the  storm  to  the  hotel  of  Mrs.  Johnson; 
the  depot  at  Cass  Station  suffered  the  same  fate,  and  that  at  Cartersville  was  en- 
tirely uncovered,  and  several  other  buildings  injured. 

Capt.  Partin,  the  old  cotton  buyer,  while  riding  up  Broad  street  was  blown 
from  his  horse,  and  being  blinded  by  the  storm,  while  attempting  to  get  into 
Harper  &  Butler's  Hardware  store,  fell  into  the  ditch  and  severely  sprained  his 
ankle.  A  Rev.  Mr.  Lowe,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  traveling  in  a  buggy,  was  over- 
taken by  the  storm  on  the  Summerville  road,  some  six  miles  from  here,  and  seeing 
a  tree  about  to  fall  on  them,  himself  and  negro  boy,  barely  saved  their  lives  by 
jumping  from  the  vehicle;  the  falling  tree  killed  the  horse  and  crushed  the  buggy. 
Thousands  of  trees  were  twisted  off.  but,  the  ground  being  so  very  dry  and  liard, 
comparatively  few  were  turned  up  by  the  roots.  All  through  the  country  great 
damage  has  been  done  to  fences  and  out-buildings. — Rome  Tri-Weekly  Courier, 
July  14,  1860. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  GEORGIA 
(From  Sherivood's  Gazetteer,  1829) 
"Georgia  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Tennessee  and  North  Carolina,  on  the 
northeast  by  South  Carolina,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  Savannah  River; 
on  the  southeast  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean;  on  the  south  by  P'lorida;  and  on  the  we.st 
by  a  corner  of  Florida  and  Alabama.  The  line  between  this  state  and  Tennessee 
begins  at  Nickajack,  in  Latitude  35  degrees,  West  Longitude  from  Washington 
City  8  degrees,  38  minutes,  45  seconds,  and  runs  due  east  110  miles  within  a  mile 
of  the  corner  of  Habersham  and  Rabun  counties,  where  it  jueets  the  North  Carolina 
boundary.     The  line  between  us  and  North  Carolina  is  30  miles  in  length,  so  that 


446 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


the  whole  of  our  northern  boundary,  from  Nickajack  to  Elicott's  rock,  at  the  head 
of  the  Chatuga,  is  140  miles.  From  the  confluence  of  the  Chattahoochee  and  Flint 
Rivers,  in  Latitude  30  degrees,  42  minutes,  42  seconds,  and  Longitude  8  degrees, 
53  minutes,  15  seconds,  to  the  head  of  the  St.  Mary's,  the  distance  is  157  miles. 
Extend  this  line  to  the  Atlantic,  47  more,  and  we  have  a  southern  boundary  of 
200  miles.  The  Chattahoochee,  in  its  various  meanderings,  forms  the  western 
bounaary,  36U  miles,  to  Miller's  Bend,  in  Latitude  32  degrees,  52  minutes,  IG  sec- 
onds, Longitude  8  degrees,  12  minutes,  45  seconds.  Here  the  line  diverges  fi-om 
the  river,  and  runs  north  90  degrees,  26  minutes.  West,  to  Nickajack.  a  distance 
of  146  miles. 

"Georgia  extends  from  Latitude  30  degrees,  34  minutes,  26  seconds,  6  North, 
to  the  35  degree;  and  fi-om  3  degrees,  45  minutes,  to  8  degi'ees,  38  minutes,  45  sec- 
onds. West  Longitude  from  Washington  City.  Length  from  north  to  south,  300 
miles;  breadth  from  east  to  west,  240,  containing  upwards  of  58,000  square  miles, 
equal  to  37,120,000,000  acres.  In  shape,  this  state  is  a  pentagon,  having  its  north- 
eastern angle  in  Rabun,  its  southeastern  in  Chatham,  its  south-southeastern  in 
Camden,  its  southwestern  in  Decatur,  its  northwestern  on  the  summit  of  Rackoon 
Mountain,  in  the  Cherokee  Nation. 

"Sir  Walter  Raleigh  is  the  reputed  discoverer  of  the  territory  now  called 
Georgia.  (Historians,  is  that  correct? — Azithor.)  On  the  9th  June,  1732,  a  char- 
ter was  obtained  of  George  II,  King  of  England,  to  plant  a  colony.  Nov.  24,  114 
persons,  with  James  Edward  Oglethorpe  as  Governor  of  the  Colony,  sailed  from 
Gravesend,  Eng.  On  the  13th  January,  1733,  they  arrived  at  Charleston;  repaired 
to  Georgia,  which  was  named  after  the  king,  and  laid  out  Savannah  in  February. 
The  Creek  Indians,  who  then  had  possession  of  the  country,  were  invited  to  a 
council;  about  50  chiefs  assembled  and  granted  the  colonists  full  and  free  liberty 
to  settle  their  land. 

"In  1751,  the  colonial  assembly,  consisting  of  16  members  from  the  11  dis- 
tricts, was  authorized;  and  this  body  met  in  Savannah,  25th  January. 

"In  1752,  the  trustees,  finding  the  colony  did  not  flourish  under  their  patronage, 
resigned  their  charter;  and  the  province  was  formed  into  a  royal  government  in 
1754,  by  the  appointment  of  John  Reynolds,  Governor. 

"The  reigns  of  the  British  government  were  thrown  off"  in  January,  1776.  The 
provincial  governor,  Wright,  was  imprisoned,  and  Archibald  Bullock  acted  as  gov- 
ernor. In  1777,  our  constitution  was  formed.  The  separate  sections  of  the  settled 
parts  of  the  state  were  denominated  parishes,  St.  John's,  St.  Paul's,  etc.,  eight  in 
number;  now  they  were  called  counties;  and,  except  Liberty,  received  their  names 
from  distinguished  :~idividuals  in  the  English  Parliament,  who  were  opposing  the 
war  and  justifying  the  Americans  in  their  manly  resistance  to  oppressive  taxation 
without  representation.     The  constitution  was  revised  in  1789  and  1795. 

"The  sessions  of  our  legislature  were  held  at  Savannah  until  1776;  then  the 
body  met  in  Augusta.    Its  sessions  were  at  Savannah  and  Augusta,  as  the  perilous 


THE  COWS  WHICH  SUPPLY  SHORTER  COLLEGE  WITH  MILK. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


447 


-    ^sw^ 


THE   OLD   BROAD   STREET   BRIDGE   OVER   THE   ETOWAH    RIVER. 

This    hooded    structure    was    swept    away    in    the    freshet    of    1886,    after    which    a 
steel  bridge  was  built,  and  finally  one   of  concrete  that  is   "freshet  proof." 


conditions  would  admit,  to  the  close  of  the  war.  Major  Prince  could  find  no  account 
of  any  session  in  1780.  The  governor  and  council  were  once  at  Ebenezer,  when  it 
was  dangerous  to  remain  at  either  of  the  above  cities. 

"The  first  session  at  Louisville  was  held  in  the  winter  of  1795-6.  In  1807.  Mil- 
ledgeville  became  the  seat  of  government,  ana  tne  sessions  of  the  legislature  have 
ever   since   been   held   in   that   place. 

"By  royal  charter  of  the  King  of  England,  dated  June  9,  1732,  to  Gen.  Ogle- 
thorpe and  other  trustees,  the  lands  between  the  Savannah  and  Altamaha  Rivers 
were  granted  in  trust,  and  in  1763,  the  lands  between  the  Altamaha  and  St.  Mary's. 
In  1739,  Gen.  Oglethorpe  held  a  treaty  of  friendship  with  the  Creeks,  at  an  Indian 
town,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Chattahoochee,  above  the  falls,  called  Coweta. 

"By  a  treaty  held  at  Augusta,  1773,  with  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees,  the  lands 
were  acquired  which  now  compose  Wilkes,  Lincoln,  etc.;  and  by  another  treaty  at 
the  same  place,  in  1783,  the  land  was  acquired  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kiowe,  and 
the  line  followed  nearly  the  present  line  between  Elbert  and  Franklin,  leaving 
Danielsville  a  little  south;  thence  on  west  to  the  source  of  the  Appalachee;  and 
down  this  stream,  the  Oconee,  and  Altamaha,  to  an  old  line.  The  south  part  of 
this  territory  was,  in  the  next  year,  named  Washington  county,  and  the  north  part 
Franklin.  The  treaty  of  Golphinton  was  held  in  1785.  Possession  was  obtained 
of  the  lands  included  in  a  line  running  southwest,  from  the  forks  of  the  Ocmulgee 
and  Oconee  to  the  south  stream  of  St.  Mary's. 

"The  treaty  at  Shoulderbone,  1786,  was  not  to  acquire  land,  but  to  establisli  the 
others  more  permanently,  and  to  secure  the  punishment  of  offenders. 

"In  1802,  by  a  treaty  held  at  Fort  Wilkinson,  just  below  Millodgeville.  part  of 
the  lands  between  the  Oconee  and  the  Ocmulgee  was  obtained.  The  line  began  on 
the  Appalachee.  at  the  High  Shoals,  leaving  Madison  four  miles  east,  crossing  Lit- 
tle River  at  Lumsden's  Mill;  Commissioner's  Creek  at  Rushing's  Mills,  and  down 
Palmetto  Creek  to  the  Oconee.  In  1805,  at  Washington  City,  the  remainder  of  the 
lands  between  the  Oconee  and  Ocmulgee  were  acquired,  up  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Alcovee  River,  the  corner  of  Newton  and  Jasper  counties.  These  lands  were  dis- 
tributed by  lotteries  since,  and  all  acquired. 

"In  1814,  Gen.  Jackson  having  conquered  the  Creeks,  on  the  Tallapoosa,  made 
a  treaty  with  them  at  Ft.  Jackson  on  that  river,  by  which  the  lands  between  the 


448 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


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AUTOGRAPHS  OF   ROMANS   OF   THE   PERIOD   AROUND    1870-'71— IV. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


449 


WESLEY   O.   CONNOR   IN   HIS  FAVORITE   TURN-OUT 

Prof.  Connor  served  for  a  long  time  as  head  of  the  state  school  for  the  deaf  and 
dumb  at  Cave  Spring.  He  was  the  owner  of  one  of  the  most  complete  collections  of 
Cherokee   Indian   relics  in   Georgia. 


Chattahoochee  and  Altamaha  were  acquired.  This  territory  includes  Early,  Baker, 
the  south  part  of  Irwin,  Appling,  Ware,  etc.  The  act  to  survey  these  lands  was 
not  passed  until  1818. 

"In  1817,  by  treaty  at  the  Cherokee  agency,  and  by  another  at  Ft.  Laurens, 
on  the  Flint  River,  in  1818,  that  territory  which  now  includes  Newton,  DeKalb, 
Gwinnett,  Walton,  most  of  Hall  and  Habersham,  was  acquired.  In  1819,  by  a 
treaty  at  Washington,  Rabun  county  was  obtained,  and  the  western  part  of  Hall 
and  Habersham  to  the  Chestatee.  In  1821,  the  lands  between  the  Flint  and  the 
Ocmulgee  were  acquired  by  a  treaty.  The  counties  are  Monroe,  Bibb,  Crawford. 
Dooly,  Houston,  Upson,  Fayette,  Pike,  and  Henry. 

"In  1825,  those  between  the  Flint  and  Chattahoochee  were  acquired  by  treaty 
at  the  Indian   Springs.     Counties — Coweta,  Campbell,  Carroll,  Troup,  etc." 


GENERAL  INFORMATION. 
(Furnished  by  the  Rome  Chamber  of  Commerce) 

Population:    Rome,  13,252    (including  environs.  20,000);  Floyd  County,  39.000. 
Assessed  tax  valuations.  City  of  Rome,  $14,000,000. 
Assessed  tax  valuations,  Floyd  County,  $22,500,000. 
City  of  Rome  tax  rate,  $1.50  per  $100;  Floyd  County,  $1.50  per  $100. 
Commission  manager  form  of  municipal  government. 

Altitude,  625  feet;  average  annual  rainfall,  52''.'  inches;  average  summer  tem- 
perature, 70  degrees;  winter,  55  degrees. 

City  waterworks— 1,300,000  gallons  daily  capacity,  50  miles  mains  and  pipes. 

Lowest  insurance  rates  in  State  of  Georgia. 

Best  motorized  fire  department  in  Georgia,  four  companies. 

Gamewell  fire  alarm  system;  White  Way  lighting  system. 

Eight  and  three-tenths  miles  street  paving. 

Four  bridges  in  city,  costing  approximately  $300,000. 

Street  railway  system  with  12  miles  of  trackage. 

Hydro-electric  power  and  gas  plant  with  25  miles  of  mains  and  pipe. 

$250,000  Municipal  Building  and  Auditorium,  seating  2,000  people. 

Two  daily  newspapers — Rome  News  and  Rome  Tribune-Herald. 


450 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  NOBLE  ROMAN  FATHER  AND  HIS  SIX  NOBLE  SONS 

1 — James  Noble,  Sr.  2 — William  Noble.  3 — James  Noble,  Jr.,  once  mayor  of  Anniston, 
Ala.  4 — Stephen  N.  Noble,  superintendent  of  Jenifer  Furnace  and  builder  and  superintendent 
of  C'ifton  Furnaces,  Ironaton,  Ala.  5 — George  Noble.  6 — Samuel  Noble.  7 — John  W.  Noble, 
builder  of  Rome's  clock  tower  in  1871  and  St.  Michael's  and  All-Angels'  Episcopal  Church, 
Anniston.  1  he  Nobles  made  cannon  for  the  Confederacy  and  built  the  South's  first  native 
locomotive.     Several  of  them  left  Rome  to  found   the  thriving  town   of  Anniston. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


451 


.  '^'      '% 


vist^  '^r^  '^V*'    '  jit«'«  4^  *-."  I  ',  •  »  H  i*^     »^wl'  I  '.  '   *  *   '  Bv'w- 


THE    NOBLE    BROTHERS'    FOUNDRY    &    MACHINE    WORKS. 

This  concern  manufactured  the  first  locomotive  in  the  South  which  was  made 
out  of  native  materials,  and  during  the  Civil  War  supplied  the  Confederacy  with 
cannon.  The  plant  was  located  at  the  N.,  C.  &  St.  L.  Railway  and  the  foot  of  E. 
Third  Street.  It  was  destroyed  in  1864  by  Gen.  Sherman  and  rebuilt  after  the 
war.  The  Nobles  abandoned  it  in  the  eighties  when  they  moved  away  to  found 
Anniston. 


$300,000  Hotel  General  Forrest,  American  plan;  Third  Avenue  and  Armstrong 
Hotels,  European. 

Twenty-two  passenger  trains  daily  to  all  parts  of  the  country. 

Six  lines  of  railway — Southern,  main  line,  Montgomery  and  Gadsden  branches; 
Central  of  Georgia,  N.,  C.  &  St.  L.,  and  Rome  &  Northern. 

Two  modern,  elevator  equipped,  office  buildings. 

Head  of  navigation  of  the  Coosa  River. 

Seventeen  churches,  representing  nine  different  denominations. 

140  miles  of  railroad  in  Floyd  County. 

1,200  miles  of  public  highways  in  Floyd  County. 

300  miles  hard  surfaced  road  in  Floyd  County. 

United  States  Federal  Court  held  in  Rome  semi-annually. 

Rotary  Club — first  organized  in  city  of  this  size  in  U.  S.  A. 

Kiwanis  Club — second  organized  in  State. 

Best  theatrical   productions  appear  in  Rome. 

First  monument  erected  in  memory  of  the  Women  of  the  Confederacy. 

INDUSTRIAL   DATA 

Rome  has  73  factories,  with  5,287  employees;  Rome  has  $7,000,000  of  capital 
invested  in  manufacturing. 

Rome's  1920  manufactured  products  were  valued  at  $16,000,000. 

Rome's  factory  pay  rolls  average  normally  $1,000,000  per  month. 

Rome  has  largest  furniture  factory  in  Georgia. 

Rome  has  102,010  spindles  in  Rome-Lindale  cotton  mills. 

Rome-Lindale  cotton  mills  employ  2.500  people. 

Rome-Lindale  cotton  products  are  sold  throughout  world. 

Rome  has  the  largest  stove  foundry  in  Georgia. 

Rome's  four  stove  foundries  make  110,000  stoves  annually. 

Rome's  two  hosiery  mills  make  nearly  9,000,000  pairs  of  hose  annually. 

Rome's  two  pants  "factories  make  725,000  pairs  annually  and  fill  large  United 
States  and  Mexican  orders;  Rome's  industrial  machinery  manufacturers  sell  to 
North  and  South  American  markets;  Rome-made  scales  and  trucks  have  world- 
wide sale;  Rome  Tannery  tans  leather  for  Diamond  Belting  Co.;  Rome  s  two  box 
factories  have  annual  output  of  780,000  boxes;  Rome  is  the  home  of  famous 
McKay  Disc  Plows. 

"MADE    IN    ROME" 

Rome  manufacturers  make  the  following:  Plows,  ^^f "\/''^V>?m  ^"7'  ,F^ 
hullers  and  agricultural  implements,  steel  wheelbarrows  trucks,  mill  supplies 
scales  turbine  water  wheels,  saw  mills,  grates,  castmgs,  hollow-ware,  cotton  seed 
oil  Sd  hulls    frrtiSers,  bai'rels,  boxes,  ordinary  face  and  fire  brick,  sewer  pipe. 


452 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  GROUP  OF  BOOSTERS  FOR  ROME. 

Of  "live  wires"  the  Hill  City  has  no  lack.  The  seven  up  before  the  camera  are:  1 — 
Thos.  E.  Clemmons;  2 — J.  D.  Robards;  3 — Judge  W.  J.  Nunnally;  4 — Prof.  Paul  M.  Cousins; 
5 — A.    A.    Simonton;    6 — Rev.    Geo.    E.    Bennett;    7 — Dr.    Carl    L.    Betts. 


tile,  cotton  duck,  bags,  rope,  hosiery,  ore.  cars,  furniture,  chairs,  cornices,  interior 
fittings,  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  marble  monuments,  coke  and  tar,  mattresses, 
belting  leather,  pig  iron,  pants,  overalls,  uniforms,  candy,  cigars,  ice  cream, 
buggies,  wagons,  fire  apparatus,  medicines  and  medicine  preparations,  harness, 
tinware,  beverages,  etc. 

MINERALS 

Found  in  Rome  territory:  Iron  ore,  halloysite,  limestone,  manganese,  bauxite, 
kaolin,  ochre,  fire  clay,  building  stone,  potter's  clay,  lithographing  stone,  bitumi- 
nous shale,  iron  pyrites,  mica,  graphite,  quartz  and  plumbago. 

AGRICULTURE 

College  of  Agriculture  agents  for  farmers'  service. 

County  Farm  Bureau  has  260  members. 

Average  cotton  yield  Floyd  County,  20,000  bales. 

Cotton  marketed  in  Rome  annually,  57,000  bales. 

Five  cotton  warehouses,  17,000  bales   capacity. 

Duroc  hogs  of  Berryton  farms,  famous  in  the  South. 

Dairying  industry  recently  inaugurated  profitably. 

Five  live  stock  dealers  and  fifteen  cotton  buyers  and  factories'  representatives. 


454 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  LEADING  CITIZEN  OF  ROME. 

The  late  Wm.  Melville  Gammon,  merchant,  who  did  a  great  deal 
ot  constructive  work.  He  served  for  years  as  chairman  of  the  Floyd 
County  Board  of  Roads  and  Revenues  and  as  first  commissioner  of 
the  City  Commission.  The  county's  modern  roads  stand  as  a  monu- 
ment   to    his    efforts. 


FINANCIAL 

Five  banks    with    combined    resources    of 
?!6,000,000. 


5,000,000;    deposits    approximating 


EDUCATION  AND  HEALTH 

Ninety  public  schools  in  county,  six  in  City  of  Rome. 
Darlington — boys'  school,  enrollment  of  60. 
Berry  Schools  for  worthy  boys  and  girls. 

Shorter  College — Baptist  school  for  girls,  students  from   14  States — only  fire- 
proof school  building  in  the  South. 

$50,000  Carnegie  Public  Library,  8.000  volumes. 

Harbin  Hospital,  75  beds,  best  in  Southeast,  says  U.  S.  Public  Health  Service. 

Frances  Berrien  Hospital. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


455 


AN  OLD  INDIAN  CAUGHT  ON  THE  WING. 

Wm.  J.  Carter,  herb  doctor,  98  years  old  in  1919,  at  the  Confederate  Veter- 
ans' Reunion  in  Atlanta.  Dr.  Carter  lives  in  Montgomery,  Ala.  He  was  a  scout 
for  Forrest  and  knew  well  Wm.  Smith,  of  Rome,  great-great-grandfather  of  the 
two    lads    in    the    picture — Geo.    Bernard    Bonney     (left)     and    Holbrook    V.    Bonney. 


RECREATIONAL    FEATURES 

Rome   Baseball    Club,  member  Georgia   State  League. 
Motor  boating,  bathing,  fishing,  hunting. 
2,000  automobiles  registered  in  Rome  and  Floyd    County. 

Coosa   Country  Club,  with  splendid  nine-hole  golf  course,  swimming  pool  and 
other  club  equipment. 

Athletic  Club  with  membership  of  125. 
North  Georgia  Fair  Association. 
Fraternal  and  social  organizations. 


STATE  AND   COUNTY  OFFICERS,  FLOYD  COUNTY,  GA.,  189G-1921. 

Election  of  June  6,  1896.— Legislature:  J.  H.  Reece,  Wm.  H.  Ennis.  Jas. 
B.  Nevin  (Mr.  Nevin  named  at  October  general  election);  Clerk  of  Court:  W.  E. 
Beysiegel;  Ordinary:  John  P.  Davis;  Treasurer:  James  B.  Hill;  Tax  Collector:  J.J. 
Black;  Tax  Receiver:  R.  L.  Foster;  Coroner:  F.  H.  Schlapbach;  Surveyor:  J.  T. 
Moore;  County  Commissioners:  C.  N.  Featherston,  D.  W.  Simmons,  W.  C.  Nixon, 
R.  B.  McArver,  Geo.  W.  Trammell;  Sheriff:  J.  P.  McConncll. 

Election  of  June  6,  1898.— Legislature:  J.  Lindsay  Johnson,  W.  C.  Bryan. 
R.  A.  Denny;  State  Senate:  R.  T.  Fouche;  Clerk  of  Court:  D.  W.  Simmons;  Trcas.: 
James  B.  Hill;  Tax  Collector:  Vincent  T.  Sanford;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  N.  Crozier; 
Coroner:  F.  H.  Schlapbach;  Surveyor:  J.  T.  Moore;  SherilT:  J.  E.  Camp. 

Election  of  May  18,  1900— Legislature:  John  C.  Foster.  W.  A.  Knowles.  Sea- 
born Wright;  Clerk  of  Court:  D.  W.  Simmons;  Ordinary:  John  P.  Davis;  Treas- 
urer: James  B.  Hill;  Tax  Collector:  Vincent  T.  Sanford;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  N. 
Crozier;  Coroner:  Lon  Sudduth;  Surveyor:  J.  T.  Moore;  Sheriff:  J.  E.  Camp; 
County  Commissioners:  Dr.  J.  C.  Watts,  R.  S.  Hamrick,  W.  M.  Gammon,  Geo. 
A.  Gray,  Robt.  D.  VanDyke;  Solicitor  General:  Moses  Wright. 

Election  of  June  5,  1902— Legislature:  Wm.  H.  Ennis,  W.  A.  Knowles,  Wm.  S. 
McHenry;   Clerk  of  Court:   D.  W.   Simmons;   Tax  Collector:  John   M.  Vandiver; 


456  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A    GROUP   AT    THE   BENEDICT    SCHOOL,    EUHARLEE,    ABOUT    1900. 


Tax   Receiver:    J.   N.    Crozier;   Treasurer:      J.    B.    Hill;    Surveyor:    J.    T.    Moore; 
Coroner:  Lon  Sudduth;  Sheriff:  W.  G.  Dunehoo. 

Election  of  Apr.  20,  1904— Legislature:  Seaborn  Wright,  G.  B.  Holder,  C.  H. 
Porter;  State  Senate:  Wm.  S.  McHenry;  Ordinary:  John  P.  Davis;  Solicitor 
General;  Wm.  H.  Ennis;  Clerk  of  Court:  D.  W.  Simmons;  Sheriff:  D.  0.  Byars; 
Tax  Receiver:  Ike  J.  Berry;  Surveyor:  J.  T.  Moore;  Coroner:  John  W.  Miller; 
County  Commissioners:  J.  R.  Cantrell,  J.  C.  Mull,  L.  A.  Helms,  W.  N.  Horton, 
D.  H.  ^Shelton. 

Election  of  May  3,  1906 — Legislature:  Linton  A.  Dean,  Seaborn  Wright,  R.  L. 
Chamblee;  Sheriff:  Dan  O.  Byars;  Tax  Collector:  John  M.  Vandiver;  Tax  Re- 
ceiver: Ike  J.  Berry;  Coroner:  John  W.  Miller;  City  Court  Judge,  Harper  Ham- 
ilton. 

Election  of  June  4.  1908— Legislature:  C.  H.  Porter,  G.  B.  Holder,  Barry 
Wright;  Ordinary:  John  P.  Davis;  Solicitor  General:  Wm.  H.  Ennis;  Clerk  of 
Court:  D.  W.  Simmons;  Sheriff:  T.  Berry  Broach;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  Tom  Jen- 
kins; Tax  Collector:  John  M.  Vandiver;  Treasurer:  James  B.  Hill;  Coroner: 
John  W.  Miller;  County  Commissioners:  W.  M.  Gammon,  Wesley  O.  Connor, 
J.  Tom  Watters;  T.  E.  Bridges,  J.  R.  Cantrell,  W.  G.  Dunehoo. 

Election  of  Aug.  23,  1910: — State  Senator:  Wm.  H.  Ennis;  Legislature:  John 
C.  Foster,  George  Anderson,  Walter  Harris;  City  Court  Judge:  John  H.  Reece; 
Sheriff:  W.  G.  Dunehoo;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  Tom  Jenkins;  Treasurer:  T.  B.  Owens; 
Coroner:  John  W.  Miller;  Tax  Collector :  John  M.  Vandiver;  Clerk  of  Court:  D.  W. 
Simmons;  Surveyor:  R.  L.  Brown;  School  Commissioner:  J.  C.  King. 

Election  of  Aug.  21,  1912 — Legislature:  John  C.  Foster,  W.  J.  Nunnally, 
Barry  Wright;  Solicitor  General:  Wm.  S.  McHenry;  County  Commissioners:  J. 
G.  Pollock,  C.  M.  Young,  J.  M.  Yarbrough,  J.  Scott  Davis,  W.  N.  Horton,  R.  S. 
Hamrick. 

Election  of  Apr.  28,  1914 — Legislature:  John  Wesley  Bale,  A.  W.  Findley, 
George  Anderson;  City  Court  Judge:  W.  J.  Nunnally;  Clerk  of  Court:  D.  W. 
Simmons;  Treasurer:  T.  B.  Ov/ens;  Surveyor:  R.  L.  Brown;  Tax  Collector: 
John  M.  Vandiver;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  Zach  Salmon;  Sheriff:  Joe  Barron;  Coroner: 
John  W.  Miller;  County  Commissioners:  J.  G.  Pollock,  C.  L.  Conn,  W.  N.  Horton, 
P.  C.  Griffin,  C.  M.  Young,  J.  Scott  Davis. 

Election  of  Apr.  6,  1916 — Ordinary:  Harry  Johnson;  Tax  Collector:  John  M. 
Vandiver;  Tax  Receiver:  J.  Zach  Salmon;  Clerk  of  Court:  Sam,  L.  Graham; 
Sheriff:  G.  Wash  Smith;  Treasurer:  T.  B.  Owens;  Coroner:  John  W.  Miller; 
County  School  Commissioner:  W.  C.  Rash;  Solicitor  City  Court:  J.  Fred  Kelly. 

Election  of  Sept.  12,  1916— Legislature:  John  W.  Bale,  Seaborn  Wright,  J.  W. 
Russell;  State  Senate:  R.  A.  Denny;  Solicitor  General  Superior  Court:  Claude  H. 
Porter;  County  Commissioners  (unexpired  term)  :  D.  W.  Simmons,  H.  M.  Penn. 

Election  of  Sept.  11,  1918 — Judge  Superior  Court:   Moses  Wright;  Judge  City 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


'i^»?^  ..  'i-  v.<-C 


457 


.i,-.».   » 


KNIGHTS  TEMPLAR  AT  WALTON  SHANKLIN'S  FUNERAL,  Sept.  2,  1921. 

Court:      W.   J.   Nunnally;    Legislature:    John    W.   Bale,    R.    H.    Copeland,    Harper 
Hamilton. 

Election  of  Mar.  18,  1920— Solicitor  General  City  Court:  James  Maddox; 
County  Commissioners:  Wm.  L.  Daniel  and  J.  Dave  Hanks  (for  city),  T.  C. 
Autrey,  W.  P.  Bradfield  and  J.  E.  Camp  (for  county);  Clerk  of  Commission: 
J.  R.  Cantrell;  Tax  Collector:  Thos.  E.  Clemmons;  Tax  Receiver:  Weldon  W. 
Hawkins;  Clerk  of  Court:  Sam  L.  Graham;  Ordinary:  Harry  Johnson;  Sheriff: 
Robt.  E.  Wilson;  Treasurer:  W.  W.  Phillips. 

Note:  In  a  special  election  Sept.  19,  1901,  John  M.  Vandiver  was  elected 
Tax  Collector  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  V.  T.  Sanford.  In  the  dispensary 
election  of  Feb.  19,  1902,  the  majority  for  the  dispensary  system  and  against  the 
open  saloons  was  269,  the  vote  being  1.459  for  dispensary  and  1,190  against.  In 
the  dispensary  election  of  Apr.  19,  1904,  the  majority  for  the  dispensary  system 
was  1,258,  the  vote  being  2,231  for  dispensary  and  973  against. 


Original    names    of    Rome    thoroughfares,    First,    Second    and    Third    Wards 
(Changes   made  about  1890)  : 

RUNNING  EAST  AND  WEST. 


Old  Name.  New    Name. 

South   Street First  Avenue 

Howard  Street Second  Avenue 

Maiden   Lane Third   Avenue 

Oostanaula  Street Fourth  Avenue 

Bridge   Street Fifth  Avenue 

Etowah   Street Sixth   Avenue 

King   Street Seventh    Avenue 

Lincoln  or 

Lumpkin  Street Eighth  Avenue 

North  Boundary  Street.. ..Ninth  Avenue 

Ross  Street '. No  change 

Smith    Street No    change 


Old   Name.  New    Name. 

Gibson   Street Gibbons  Street 

Green  Street West  First  Street 

Jail  Street West  Second  Street 

Dwinell  Street No  change 

Reservoir   Street No  change 

Brooks    Street  Xc    change 

RUNNING  NORTH  AND  SOUTH. 

Court  Street East  First  Street 

Alpine  Street East  Second  Street 

Franklin   Street East  Third  Street 

Cherokee  Street East  Fourth  Street 

Railroad    Street East    Fifth    Street 


Agricultural  Fair  Association  {For  the  Cherokee  Country  oj  Georf/m  a ud 
Alabama)  .—OY^aniwd  July,  1869,  at  Rome.  The  first  fair  was  held  m  the  autumn 
of  1869  and  the  second  Oct.  11-14,  1870,  at  which  time  the  directors  were:  A.  A. 
Jones,  president;  Geo.  S.  Black,  vice-president;  B.  F.  Jones  .«ecretaiT ;  ^^^f-  }}• 
Smith,  C.  W.  Sproull,  J.  W.  Turner,  J.  A.  Stewart,  W.  F.  Ayer  J  H.  Dent,  M. 
Dwinell,  W.  H.  Jones,  Dr.  J.  P.  Ralls,  M.  H.  Bunn,  Wm.  H.  Stiles,  Cicero  C. 
Cleghorn. 


458 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE  28  PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Top,  left  to  right,  Geo.  Washington,  John  Adams,  Thos.  Jefferson,  James  Madison,  James 
Monroe,  John  Quincy  Adams,  Andrew  Jackson,  Martin  Van  Buren,  Wm.  Henry  Harrison,  John 
Tyler,  Jas.  Knox  Polk,  Zachary  Taylor,  Millard  Fillmore,  Franklin  Pierce,  James  Buchanan, 
Abraham  Lincoln,  Andrew  Johnson,  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  Jas.  A.  Garfield 
Chester  A.  Arthur,  Grover  Cleveland,  Benj.  Harrison,  Wm.  McKinley,  Theodore  Roosevelt  Wm' 
H.   Taft,   Woodrow  Wilson,  Warren   G.   Harding. 


Miscellaneous — General  Inform ATior 


459 


STATISTICS  OF  THE  PRESIDENTS 


No. 

President 

Party 

Inaug. 

Age 

Yrs.  Served 

Religion 

Death 

Age 

i 

Geo.  Washington 

Fed. 

1789 

57 

7y-10m-4d 

Epis. 

12-14-1799 

67 

2 

John  Adams 

Fed. 

1797 

61 

4 

Unit. 

7-4-1826 

90 

3 

Thos.  Jefferson 

Rep. 

1801 

67 

8 

Liberal 

7-4-1826 

83 

4 

James  Miadison 

Rep. 

1809 

57 

8 

Epis. 

6-28-1836 

85 

6 

James  Ivlonroe 

Rep. 

1817 

58 

8 

Epis. 

7-4-1831 

73 

6 

Jno.  Quincy  Adams __ 

Rep._ 

1825 

57 

4 

Unit. 

2-23-1848 

80 

7 

Andrew  Jackson 

Dem. 

1829 

61 

8 

Pres. 

6-8-1846 

78 

8 

Martin  VanBuren 

Dem. 

1837 

54 

4 

Ref.  Dut. 

7-24-1862 

79 

9 

Wm.  Henry  Harrison 

Whig. 

1841 

68 

Im 

Epis. 

4-4-1841 

68 

in 

Jno  Tyler,     .  . 

1841 

51 

3y-  11m 
4 

Epis. 
Pres. 

71 
53 

11 

Jas.  K.  Polk 

Dem. 

1845 

49 

6-15-1849 

12 

Zachary  Taylor 

Whig. 

1849 

64 

ly-4m-6d 

Epis. 

7-9-1850 

66 

13 

Millard  Fillmore 

Whig. 

1850 

50 

2y-7m-26d 

Unit. 

3-8-1874 

74 

14 

Franklin  Pierce 

Dem. 

1853 

48 

4 

Epis. 

10-8-1869 

64 

15 

James  Buchanan 

Dem. 

1857 

65 

4 

Pres. 

6-1-1868 

77 

18 

Abraham    Lincoln 

Rep. 

1861 

62 

4v-lm-lld 

Pres. 

4-15-1865 

66 

17 

Andrew  Johnson 

Rep. 

1865 

56 

3y-10m-19d 

Meth. 

7-31-1875 

66 

IB 

Ulysses  S.  Grant 

Rep. 

1869 

46 

8 

Meth. 

7-23-1885 

63 

10 

Rutherford  B.  Hayes 

Rep. 

1877 

54 

4 

Meth. 

1-17-1893 

70 

20 

James  A.  Garfield 

Rep. 

1881 

49 

6m-16d 

Disciple 

9-18-1881 

49 

21 

Chester  A.  Arthur 

Rep. 

1881 

60 

3v-6ml5-d 

Epis. 

11-18-1886 

66 

22 

Grover  Cleveland 

Dem. 

1885 

47 

4 

Pres. 

6-24-1908 

71 

23 

Benjamin  Harrison^  ^ 

Rep. 

1889 

65 

4 

Pres. 

3-13-1901 

67 

24 

Grover  Cleveland 

Dem. 

1893 

55 

4 

Pres. 

6-24-1908 

71 

25 

William  McKinley.^. 

Rep. 

1897 

64 

4y-6m-10d 

IVIeth. 

9   14-1901 

58 

28 

Theodore  Roosevelt 

Rep. 

1901 

42 

7y-6m-18d 

Ref.  Dut. 

l-t-1919 

61 

27 

Wm.  H.  Taft 

Rep. 

1907 

61 

4 

Unit. 

28 

WoodroTV  Wilson 

Warren  G.  Harding.  _ 

Dem. 
Rep. 

1913 
1921 

66 
56 

8 

Pres. 
Bap. 

20 

Note. — The  above  information  was  taken  from  the  World  Almanac,  New 
York,  N.  Y.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  total  in  numbers  is  29.  This  is  caused  by 
the  fact  that  Grover  Cleveland's  name  appears  in  two  columns. 


sterling  R.  COCKRILL,  once  of  Nashville, 
I  enn.,  and  his  "shack"  on  the  Alabama 
Road.  DeSoto,  where  he  conducts  a  scien- 
tific truck  farm.  Mr.  Cockrill  farmed  for 
years  at  Carlier  Springs.  He  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Cornell  University  and  a  cousm  of 
Helen   Keller. 


460 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


SEVEN   "HIGH   ROLLERS"   OF  THE  KIWANIS   CLUB. 

Top,  left  to  right,  Byard  F.  Quigg,  superintendent  of  the  Rome  Public  Schools;  D.  A.  Nolan, 
in  his  uniform  as  a  member  of  Rome  Commandery,  Knights  Templar;  B.  A.  Richards;  C.  M. 
Strange;  bottom,  J.  Frank  McGhee,  Jr.,  Dr.  A.  F.  Routledge,  in  his  World  War  uniform,  and 
Jas.   W.  Bryson. 


AGRICULTURAL   CENSUS   REPORTS   OF    SURROUNDING   COUNTIES 

COMPARED 

Per  Cent     Per  Ct.  Inc.  Inc.  in  Land  Per  Ct. 

Increase       Imp.  Land  and  Buildings         Inc.  in 

Counties.  No.  Farms.  Since  1910.    Since  1910.  Since  1910.  Value 

Floyd    3,516  13.7  9.3  $6,799,309  143.6 

Bartow  3,091  7.6  1.8  4,485,298  94.8 

Polk    2,229  .1  None  2,814,629  94.6 

Chattooga    1.870  .9  27.3  4,069.857  159.9 

Gordon 2,736  3.0  2.1  5,186,926  148.0 

From  the  foregoing  table,  which  has  been  tabulated  by  W.  E.  Bowers,  County 
Agi-icultural  Agent,  from  agricultural  census  reports  of  Floyd  and  adjoining 
Georgia  counties,  it  will  be  seen  that  Floyd  County  leads  in  the  number  of  farms 
and  has  made  a  much  greater  increase  since  1910,  with  13.7  per  cent,  than  any 
of  the  other  counties  named,  almost  doubling  Bartow,  the  nearest  in  gain  to  Floyd. 

Floyd  shows  a  creditable  increase  in  improved  lands  during  the  last  ten  years, 
having  9.3  per  cent  more,  or  a  greater  increase  than  any  of  the  surrounding 
counties,  except  Chattooga,  which  shows  a   27.3  increase. 

The  increase  in  land  and  buildings  since  1910  shows  Floyd  ranking  third  in 
per  cent  but  greater  in  total  increase,  with  almost  seven  million  dollars.  Chattooga 
has  increased  her  value  159.9  per  cent;  Gordon  comes  next  with  148,  and  Floyd 
has  a  143.6  per  cent  increase.  Bartow  and  Polk  have  about  the  same,  with  more 
than  94. 

Mr.  Bowers  has  received  about  100  reports  of  different  Georgia  counties,  and 
says  that  anyone  who  is  interested  in  the  agricultural  census  of  any  of  these 
counties  can  get  the  report  at  his  office. — June  29,  1921. 


Miscellaneous — General  iNFORMAXior 


461 


FARM  VALUES  IN  FLOYD  SHOW  ENORMOUS  INCREASE 

The   Director   of    the    Census    announces,   subject   to    correction,   the    following 
preliminary  figures  from  the  Census  of  Agriculture  for  Floyd  County.  Georgia: 

FARMS    AND    FARM    ACREAGE  FARM    VALUES 

Jan.  1,  Apr.  15,  Increase             Value  of  land  and  buildings: 

1920.  1910.  Per  Ct. 

Farms  3,516  3,092            13.7         January    1,    1920   $11,535,030 

Operated  by  April    15,    1910  4,735,721 

White    farmers-. .-2,704  2,327  16.2 

Colored  farmers..    812  765  6.1             Increase,  1910-20: 

Operated  by 

Owners  and  Amount $  6,799,309 

Managers  1,303  1,151  13.2 

Tenants  2,213  1,941            14.0         Per  cent 143.6 


DOMESTIC    ANIMALS  PRINCIPAL    CROPS 

Jan.  1,  Apr.  15,  Acres  Quantity 

1920.  1910.  Harvested.  Harvested. 

Farms  reporting                                                  Corn  1919  36,315  520,865  bu. 

domestic  animals    ...3,455  3,333  1909  27,291  305,431  bu. 

Animals  reported:  Wheat... .1919  1,579  8.522  bu. 

Horses    1.761  1,511  1909  27,291  305,431  bu. 

Mules   - 5,029  3,673            Hav    1919  763  5,517  bu. 

Cattle  9,673  8,907  "            1909  6,707  6,216  tons 

Sheep   417  1,053  Cotton. ...1919  51,523  23,474  bales 

Swine 9,281  6,961  1909  38,150  13,955  bales 

Goats    317  781 

The  figures  for  domestic  animals  in  1910  are  not  very  closely  comparable  with 
those  for  1920,  since  the  present  census  was  taken  in  January,  before  the  breeding 
season  had  begun,  while  the  1910  census  was  taken  in  April,  or  about  the  middle  of 
the  breeding  season,  and  included  many  spring  calves,  colts,  etc. — June  28,  1921. 


FLOYD  COUNTY  POPULATION  TABLE. 

A  population  table  sent  to  John  Camp  Davis,  of  Floyd's  delegation  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  by  Senator  Wm.  J.  Harris  at  Washington,  shows  some  inter- 
esting facts  touching  the  State,  Floyd  County  and  Rome.  In  1790  Georgia's  pop- 
ulation was  82,548,  and  in  1920  2,895,832,  an  increase  of  286,711  people  over  the 
1910  census,  or  11  per  cent.  The  increase  for  the  United  States  was  14.9  per 
cent.  There  are  13,252  people  living  in  Floyd  County  towns  and  26,589  in  the 
country;  in  1910  there  were  12,099  in  the  towns  and  24,637  in  the  country;  and  in 
1900  there  were  7,291  in  the  towns  and  25,822  in  the  country. 

The  table  shows  that  Rome  gained  115  people  in  1920  over  1900: 

Floyd    County    1920.  1910.  1900. 

Cave  Spring,  including  Cave  Spring  town  2,142  2,253  2.283 

North    Carolina    1,259  1,249  1,206 

Watters    2,418  2,353  1,224 

Rome,  including  Rome  city  14,150  13,696  14,035 

Texas   Valley   873  1,174  1.18.5 

Barker's  1,101  1,081  1.098 

Floyd  Springs  618  1,301  1,096 

Chulio. 1,499  1,457  1,191 

Etowah    1,544  1,215  892 

Livingston  700  451  789 

Mount  Alto  2,548  2.046  1,122 

Everett    Springs    544  674  590 

Foster's    Mill    517  363  472 

Vann's    Valley    1,665  846  975 

Howell's 1,382  1,270  1.045 

Lindale  3,962  3,699  2.643 

State  Line  650  600  614 

Glenwood  984  1,008 

Armuchee    1,285  

Totals    39,841  36,736  33,113 


462 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


MEN    WHO    HAVE    PUT    ROME    ON    THE    POLITICAL    MAP. 

Top,  left  to  right,  Milford  W.  Howard,  native  wood  hauler  of  DeSoto,  who  was  named  rep- 
resentative to  Washington,  and  wrote  a  book,  "If  Christ  Came  to  Congress;"  Judge  Augustus 
R.  Wright,  m  Federal  and  Confederate  Congresses;  Judge  John  W.  Hooper,  who  befriended  the 
Indians;  Judge  Jno.  Henry  Lumpkin,  congressman;  Thos.  C.  Hackett,  congressman;  Dr.  H.  V. 
M.  Miller,  "Demosthenes  of  the  Mountains,"  United  States  Senator;  Judson  Claudius  Clements, 
congressman    and    Interstate    Commerce    Commission    chairman. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


463 


GOVERNORS   OF    GEORGIA 


Jas.  Edward  Oglethorpe 1732-43 

William   Stephens  1743-51 

Henry   Parker   1751-54 

John   Reynolds  1754-57 

Henry    Ellis    1757-60 

James    Wright   1760-71 

James    Habersham    1771-75 

William    Ewen    1775-76 

Archibald  Bullock  1776-77 

Button    Gwinnett     1777-77 

John  A.  Treutlen     1777-78 

John    Houston    1778-78 

John    Wereat    1778-79 

George    Walton    1779-80 

Richard  Howley  1780-81 

Stephen  Heard,   (Pres.  Sen.)-..  1781-81 

Nathan  Brownson  1781-82 

John    Martin    1782-83 

Lyman   Hall   1783-84 

John    Houston    1784-85 

Samuel   Elbert  1785-86 

Edward  Telfair  1786-87 

George    Matthews   1787-88 

George  Handley  1788-89 

George  Walton  1789-90 

Edward  Telfair  1790-93 

George   Matthews   1793-96 

Jared   Irwin    1796-98 

James  Jackson  1798-01 

David    Emmanuel    1801-01 

Josiah   Tatnall   1801-02 

John    Milledge    1802-06 

Jared   Irwin    1806-09 

David  B.  Mitchell  1809-13 

Peter    Early   1813-15 

David  B.  Mitchell  1815-17 

William   Rabun    1817-19 

Matthew  Talbott,  (Pres.  Sen.) ..  1819-19 

John  Clark   1819-23 

George  M.  TrouD  1823-27 


John  Forsyth  1827-29 

George  R.  Gilmer  1829-31 

Wilson  Lumpkin  1831-35 

William   Schley    1835-37 

George  R.  Gilmer  1837-39 

Chas.  J.  McDonald  1839-43 

Geo.  W.  Crawford  1843-47 

Geo.  W.  Towns  1847-51 

Howell  Cobb  1851-53 

Herschel   V.  Johnson   1853-57 

Joseph  E.  Brown  1857-65 

James  Johnson.    (Provisional)..  1865-65 

Chas.  J.  Jenkins  1865-68 

Gen.  T.  H.  Ruger,  U.  S.  A 1868-68 

(military  governor) 
Gen.  Jno.  Pope,  U.  S.  A 1868-68 

(military  commander) 
Gen.  Geo.  G. "Meade.  U.  S.  A 1868-68 

(military  commander) 

Rufus   B.   Bullock   ._ 1868-71 

Benj.  Conley,   (Pres.  Sen.) 1871-72 

James  M.    Smith   1872-76 

Alfred  H.  Colquitt  1876-82 

Alexander  H.   Stephens  1882-83 

James  S.  Boynton,  (Pres.  Sen.)   1883-83 

Henry   D.   McDaniel 1883-86 

John    B.    Gordon    1886-90 

Wm.  J.   Northen   .-  1890-94 

Wm.  Y.  Atkinson  1894-98 

Allen  D.  Candler  1898-02 

Joseph  M.  Terrell  1902-07 

Hoke    Smith    1907-09 

Joseph  M.  Brown  1909-11 

Hoke   Smith   1911-11 

John  M.  Slaton,  (Pres.  Sen.)....  1911-12 

Joseph    M.   Brown  1912-13 

John   M.   Slaton   1913-15 

Nathaniel  E.  Harris  1915-17 

Hugh  M.  Dorsev  1917-21 

Thns.    W.    Hardwick    1921-22 

Clifford  M.  Walker   1922 


Fire  Department  in  lS69(Vobmteer) . — James  Noble.  Jr..  chief,  W.  T.  Mapp. 
first  assistant  chief;  R.  T.  Hoyt,  second  assistant  chief;  W.  T.  Seavey.  secretary. 

Rainbow  Steam  Fire  Engine  Co.  No.  1.— Mulford  M.  Pepper,  president;  T.  S. 
McAfee,  vice-president;    E.    J.   Stevens,   secretary. 

Mountain  City  Fire  Engine  Co.  No.  2.— Dr.  David  ,1.  Powers,  president;  Geo. 
Noble,  captain;   W.  R.  Fenner,  secretary. 

Hook  &  Ladder  Co.  No.  1.— Ed.  F.  Shropshire,  foreman;  S.  C.  Anderson, 
assistant  foreman;   Robt.  J.  Gwaltney,  secretary. 

Attorneys,  1868  to  1894  (Partial  L/sO  •— Dan'l.  R.  Mitchell.  John  W.  11.  Un- 
derwood, Chas.  H.  Smith,  Joel  Branham,  A.  R.  Wright,  Edwin  N.  Broyles,  C.  N. 
Featherston,  R.  D.  Harvey,  Sr.,  D.  B.  Hamilton,  Sr.,  Dunlap  Scott,  DanM.  S. 
Printup,  R.  T.  Fouche,  Wm.  H.  Dabncy,  C.  D.  Forsyth,  John  H.  Reece.  Sr..  Rich. 


464 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


MORE  SILHOUETTES  BY   EUGENE  LE  HARDY  DE  BEAULIEU. 

1 — Anna  Hume,  a  descendant  of  the  celebrated  Hume  family,  of  the  English  nobility; 
2 — Martha  Shorter  Cooley  (Mrs.  Walker  I.  Brooks);  3 — Col.  Alfred  Shorter;  4  and  5 — John 
and  Eliza  Hume;  6 — Sarah  Hendricks;  7 — Mary  Russell  (mother  of  Jno.  J.  Eagan,  of  At- 
lanta); 8 — Mary  Hendricks;  9 — Robt.  Battey;  10 — Dr.  Geo.  M.  Battey;  11 — Mrs.  Robt.  Battey; 
12 — Mrs.   Geo.   M.   Battey. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information  465 

$750,000  FOR  GOOD  ROADS  IN  FLOYD 

On  Thursday,  June  16,  1921,  the  voters  of  Floyd  County,  by  an  almost  unani- 
mous vote,  authorized  an  issue  of  $750,000  bonds  for  road  improvements,  following 
a  resolution  favoring  the  issue  passed  by  the  County  Board  of  Roads  and  Revenues 
at  its  meeting  May  11.  A  considerable  part  of  this  money  has  already  been  spent, 
and  Floyd  County  is  assured  of  a  system  of  roads  that  cannot  be  excelled  in 
Northwest  Georgia.  The  program  called  for  the  expenditure  of  $616,000  on  257 
miles  of  first  and  second-class  roads,  and  the  balance,  $134,000,  on  second  and 
third-class  roads.     It  follows: 

FIRST-CLASS    ROADS 

Miles.  Amount. 

Kingston   road    to    Bartow    County    line 8  $60,000 

Summerville  road,  Armuchee  to  Chattooga  line  5  70,000 

Including  a  bridge  over  Armuchee  Creek. 

Calhoun  road  to  Gordon  County  line  13  50,000 

Cave  Spring  road  to  Alabama  line  21  60,000 

Including  a  bridge  over  Big  Cedar  Creek. 

Bluff  road  to  Alabama  line  16  50,000 

Chulio   road   to   Bartow   County  line   8  25,000 

Seney  road  from  Lindale  to  Polk  County  line 7  30,000 

Dalton  road  from  Summerville  road  to  Gordon  County  line 12  25,000 

Cave  Spring  and  Cedartown  road  to  Polk   County  line 2  5,000 

SECOND-CLASS    ROADS 

Floyd  Springs  road — Armuchee  to  Everett  Springs  at  Pocket  17  25,000 

Pope's  Ferry  from  Calhoun  road  to  Bell's  Ferry 10  20.000 

Plainville  road  from   Calhoun  road   to   Plainville 2V2  4,000 

Adairsville  road  from  Calhoun  road  at  Martin's  store  to   Bartow  line     2V'o  5,000 

Hermitage  road  from  Calhoun  road  at  Watters  to  beyond  Hermitage     4  2,000 
Wayside  School  road  from  Calhoun  road  at  Dr.  Floyd's  to  Bartow 

County   line   8  6,000 

Freeman  Ferry  road  from  Kingston  road  to  Etowah  River 4  4,000 

Taylorsville  road  from  Seney  road  to  Bartow  line 9  15,000 

Foster's  Mill  road  to  Cave  Spring  road  6  5,000 

Melson  and  Cave  Spring  road  7  8,000 

Booger  Hollow  road  from  Six  Mile  to  Pork  County 8  8,000 

River  road  from  Alabama  road  at  Hamilton's,  Alabama  road,  to 

near  Cabin   Creek   Bridge   12  20,000 

Burnett's  Ferry  road  from  Pop  Skull  7  15,000 

Foster's   Mill   to    Coosa   River    7  7,000 

Coosa  from  Alabama  road  to  Lavender  3  2,000 

Lavender  road  from  Alabama  road  to  Texas  Valley 7  12.000 

Redmond  road  from  Summerville  road  to  Texas  Valley 7  12,000 

O'Brian  Gap  road  from  Summerville  road  to  Texas  Valley 7  12,000 

Big  Texas  Valley  from  Crystal  Springs  to  Texas  Valley 8  12,000 

Little  Texas  Valley  road  from  Armuchee  to  Lavender 10  15,000 

Livingston  road  to   Bluff  road   4  5,000 

Pinson's,  Calhoun  road,  to  Pope's  Ferry  road  4  5,000 

Brown's   Store,   Holland   road 3  4.000 

Early  to    Ford's   Bend    5  5,000 

Culpepper's    Mill  to   Everett    Springs   3  3,000 


Totals    257         $616,000 


Historic  Gavel. — The  Xavier  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Rev. 
olution  is  the  possessor  of  a  gavel  made  from  the  historic  wood  of  the  old  La- 
Fayette  House,  Montgomery,  Ala.  The  place  was  torn  down  in  1900  and  the  gavel 
was  presented  by  Mrs.  R.  V.  Mitchell. 

City  Marshals  and  Police  Chiefs. — Samuel  Stewart,  before  and  after  the 
Civil  War;  Dr.  S.  F.  Powers,  Jobe  B.  Rogers,  J.  B.  Sills.  Col.  E.  .1.  Magruder. 
Jas.  C.  Brown  and  J.  B.  ("Pink")  Shropshire,  marshals;  Wm.  H.  Steele.  .las.  A. 
Collier,  H.  H.  Wimpee,  Chas.  I.  Harris  (first  term),  Henry  J.  Stewart  (grandson 
of  Col.  Samuel  Stewart),  Wm.  S.  Simmons  and  Chas.  I.  Harris   (incumbent). 


466  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

Congressmen  in  Rome. — On  Apr.  23,  1909,  a  committee  of  Congressmen  and 
other  leaders  sat  down  to  a  banquet  as  the  guests  of  the  Merchants  &  Manu- 
facturers' Association  at  the  Hotel  Cherokee  (Armstrong).  Among  those  present 
were  Congressmen  Jas.  A.  Tawney,  of  Minnesota;  Geo.  P.  Lawrence,  Massachu- 
setts; John  A.  Moon,  Tennessee;  John  L.  Burnett,  Alabama;  Gordon  Lee,  Georgia; 
and  Jos.  L.  Ransdell,  Louisiana;  Senators  A.  S.  Clay  and  Thos.  W.  Hardwick, 
Georgia;  Jos.  M.  Brown,  Governor  of  Georgia;  Jos.  M.  Terrell,  former  Governor 
of  Georgia;  John  Temple  Graves,  W.  J.  Spillman,  of  the  Federal  Department  of 
Agi-iculture,  Washington,  and  W.  W.  Finley,  president  of  the  Southern  Railway. 

J.  N.  King,  president  of  the  Merchants  &  Manufacturers'  Association,  pre- 
sided as  toastmaster  and  introduced  a  number  of  speakers  who  discussed  the 
question  of  opening  up  the  Coosa  River  to  navigation.  Mr.  King  paid  the  following 
tribute  to  Rome: 

"Surely  the  Great  Giver  of  all  good  never  delivered  into  the  hands  of  mortal 
stewardship  a  section  more  favored,  a  fragment  of  this  old  earth  more  blest 
than  this  in  which  we  live;  a  climate  more  healthful,  or  natural  resources  moi'e 
abundant.  Remarkable  Rome ! — remarkable  in  that  she  is  not  now  a  city  of 
50,000  souls  instead  of  having  to  wait  for  that  minimum  of  population.  Re- 
markable Rome! — born  under  the  blue  canopy  of  a  North  Georgia  sky,  than  which 
there  is  nothing  more  beautiful  in  Italy  or  Switzerland;  in  an  atmosphere  free 
from  the  extremes  of  temperature,  and  laden  with  the  perfume  of  the  blossoms 
of  rare  fruits  and  flowers;  resting  in  a  cradle  of  most  exceptional  natural  ad- 
vantages, nourished  by  the  rich  and  varied  agricultural  products  of  her  fertile 
valleys,  strengthened  by  the  iron  in  her  rugged  hills;  quenching  her  thirst  in  her 
own  bubbling  springs;  clothed  with  the  cotton  grown  in  her  broad  fields;  made 
warm  by  the  coal  within  reach  of  her  extended  hands;  with  her  beautiful  head 
resting  upon  the  mighty  shoulders  of  old  Mount  Alto,  her  shapely  feet  bathed  in 
the  cooling  water  of  the  deep-flowing  Coosa,  and  her  graceful  sides  laved  by  the 
health-giving  tides  of  the  swiftly-flowing  Etowah  and  Oostanaula, — surely,  gen- 
tlemen, surely  never  was  a  city  more  favored,  never  were  a  people  more  blessed!" 

After  the  Freshet. — Floyd  County  folks  "did  about"  as  a  consequence  of  the 
freshet  of  March-April,  1886.  Col.  W.  G.  Gammon  was  chairman  of  the  county 
board  at  that  time,  and  he  called  his  compatriots  together  in  a  special  session. 
The  minutes  of  A.  W.  Shropshire,  clerk,  show  the  following  entries  during  April: 

Ferry  boats  were  ordered  put  on  the  Etowah  at  Broad  Street  and  at  Howard 
Street  (Second  Avenue),  and  Wm.  M.  Towers  was  awarded  a  contract  to  construct 
a  foot  pontoon  bridge  at  the  former  site. 

Capt.  Wm.  T.  Smith  was  authorized  to  build  a  pontoon  for  passengers  and 
vehicles.  Pedestrians  were  charged  3  cents  to  cross,  or  5  cents  round  trip,  and 
vehicles  paid  20  to  35  cents,  round  trip. 

The  Smith  bridge  cost  $200  and  the  Towers  bridge  $169.27.  The  sheriff  served 
an  order  on  the  city  to  erect  the  bridges. 

Hines  M.  Smith,  engineer,  later  constructed  a  military  bridge  at  Broad 
Street  from  the  old  timbers  of  bridges  that  had  been  washed  down  the  Coosa.  He 
was  allowed  $2  per  day  for  his  services,  but  this  was  increased  to  $100  a  month. 

The  Morse  Bridge  Co.  got  the  contract  for  constructing  the  new  iron  bridges. 
The  Broad  Street  bridge  iron  cost  $5.75  per  foot,  and  the  iron  for  the  Howard 
Street  structure  $4.55  per  foot  (erected),  making  $12,000  for  the  former  and 
$8,000  for  the  latter;   the  total  for  both,  with   masonry  at  $12,000,  was  $31,030. 

The  Fifth  Avenue  iron  bridge  was  built  in  1887  by  the  Penn  Bridge  Co.  for 
$24,914. 

A  bond  election  for  bridges  and  other  improvements  failed  June  3,  with 
1,719  for  and  2,218  against,  and  two-thirds  needed  to  carry;  2,997  had  voted  at 
the  last  general  election.     The  bonds  carried  at  a  second  election. 

Three  modern  bridges,  two  of  them  (Second  Avenue  and  Broad)  of  concrete, 
have  since  been  erected. 


468 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ROME'S  SPLENDID  WATERWORKS  PLANT. 

At  top  is  the  Fort  Jackson  filter  station,  and  at  bottom  Sam  P.  Frye,  superintendent, 
at  one  of  the  immense  outdoor  tanks.  In  center  is  a  peek  at  North  Rome  from  the  plant 
elevation. 


A  FAMOUS  FLAG.— Miss  Sallie 
Howard,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Chas. 
Wallace  Howard  (owner  of  "Spring 
Bank"  plantation  and  school  near  old 
Cassville,  Bartow  County),  and  sis- 
ter of  the  late  Miss  Frances  Thomas 
Howard,  author  of  "In  and  Out  of 
the  Lines,"  is  the  possessor  of  a  hand- 
some water  color  sketch  of  the  old  bat- 
tle flag  of  the  Eighth  Georgia  Reg- 
iment. The  original  flag,  she  says, 
was  borne  aloft  in  the  following  hec- 
tic  engagements : 

First  Battle  of  Manassas,  Seven 
Days'  Battle,  Second  Battle  of  Ma- 
nassas, Chantilly,  Boonesborough,  Suf- 
folk, Sharpsburg,  Fredericksburg,  Get- 
tysburg, Frankstown,  various  skirm- 
ishes  on    Jones    Island,    near    Charles- 


ton, Campbell's  Station,  E.  Tennessee 
engagements,  siege  of  Knoxville,  at- 
tack on  Fort  Sanders,  Battle  of  the 
Wilderness,  Spottsylvania  Court  House, 
the  flank  movements  of  Grant,  includ- 
ing Cold  Harbor;   Bermuda   Hundreds. 


AS  THE  WAR  OPENED.— Rev. 
John  Jones,  pastor  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church,  on  April  13,  1861, 
wrote  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  Presbyterian 
minister    at   New    Orleans; 

"The  war  has  opened.  At  this  mo- 
ment the  Charleston  batteries  are  play- 
ing on  Fort  Sumter.  I  unite  with 
you  in  praying  for  our  native  South. 
'May  the  Lord  cover  her  head  in  this 
her  day  of  battle!" 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


469 


MAYORALTY  ELECTION  IN 
1872.*— For  the  1873  term,  Maj.  Wm. 
r'ranklin  Ayer  was  elected  over  At- 
torney J.  I.  Wright.  A  mixed  coun- 
cil   went    in.      The   tickets   follow: 

For  Mayor — W.  F.  Ayer;  for  alder- 
men: First  Ward,  Dr.  G.  W.  Holmes 
and  Terrence  McGuire;  Second  Ward, 
Col.  W.  G.  Gammon  and  W.  L.  White- 
ly;  Third  Ward,  J.  A.  Stansbury  and 
J.   L.   Camp. 

For  Mayor— J.  I.  Wright;  for  al- 
dermen:  Dr.  G.  W.  Holmes  and  A. 
Tabor  Hardin;  W.  L.  Whitely  and  Dr. 
R.  V.  Mitchell;  Robt.  T.  Hargi-ove  and 
Edward    H.    West. 


Thus  was  ended  a  controver.sy  that 
had  existed  since  18,35.  As  an  old  cit- 
izen  said,  "The  cat  was  finally  'bell- 
ed.' " 


CITY  OFFICERS  IN  1888.**— 
Mayor — Maj.  W.  F.  Ayer;  city  attor- 
ney, Junius  F.  Hillyer;  city  treasurer, 
Edward  C.  Hough;  city  clerk,  Mitchell 
A.  Nevin;  chief  of  police,  Capt.  Ed- 
ward J.   Magruder. 

FREE  BRIDGES.— How  the  toll 
bridges  of  Rome  were  made  "free"  is 
related  by  the  late  Judge  Joel  Bran- 
ham  in  his  booklet,  "The  Old  Court 
House  in    Rome,"    (ps.   24-26)  : 

On  Dec.  5,  3  872,  the  East  Rome 
Town  Co.  obtained  a  conditional  license 
from  the  Board  of  County  Commis- 
sioners establishing  their  new  bridge 
over  the  Etowah  to  East  Rome  as  a 
"toll  bridge."  A  bill  of  injunction  had 
been  filed  against  the  company  by  Col. 
Alfred  Shorter  and  Judge  Augustus 
R.  Wright,  owners  of  the  other  bridges 
yielding  an  income,  and  who  made  the 
point  that  the  Inferior  Court  had  is- 
sued them  an  exclusive  grant.  Judge 
Robt.  D.  Hai'vey  denied  the  injunction, 
and  the  decision  was  affirmed  by  the 
State  Supreme  Court  and  then  the 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court,***  where 
it  was  fought  out  by  Judge  Joel  Bran- 
ham  for  the  company  and  by  Judge 
Wright  in  person  for  himself  and  Col. 
Shorter. 

A.  Thew  H.  Brower  later  purchased 
a  large  block  of  the  company's  stock 
and  20  acres  of  land  on  the  ridge 
along  the  river  below  East  Second 
Avenue,  and  at  his  instance  the  bridge 
was  eventually  opened  to  the  public, 
toll  free.  Still  later  the  county  bought 
all  the  bridges  and  abolished  the  tolls. 

♦Authority :    Election    tickets. 

**Authoritv :  Tribune  of  Rome,  Anniversary 
and  Trade  Number,  Tues..  Oct.  2.  1888,  p.  4. 

***101     U.    .S.    Reports,    p.    79L 

****The  Tribune  of  Rome,  Anniversary  and 
Trade    Number,    Tues.,    Oct.    2,    1888,    p.    .'). 

*****Ibid,    p.    .3. 

******The  honored  father  of  Col.  Craves,  who 
died  32  years  later  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
was    buried    in    Westview    cemetery,    Atlanta. 


CLERGYMEN  OF  ROME  IN 
1888.****—  Rev.  G.  T.  Goetchius,  Pres- 
byterian; Rev.  Robt.  B.  Headden,  Bap- 
tist; Revs.  W.  F.  Quillian,  W.  M. 
Bridges  and  W.  F.  Robison,  Metho- 
dists; Rev.  C.  Buckner  Hudgins.  Epis- 
copalian, and  Rev.  Father  M.  J.  Clif- 
ford,   Catholic. 

THE  TRIBUNE  IN  1888.*****— 
When  John  Temple  Graves  came  to 
Rome  from  the  Atlanta  Evening  Jour- 
nal to  establish  the  Tribune  of  Rome 
on  Oct.  2,  1887,  he  had  evidently  im- 
bibed some  of  the  lofty  enthusiasm 
which  was  so  prevalent  among  mem- 
bers of  the  Rome  Land  Co.  and  other 
"boom"  org'anizations  of  the  period. 
He  gathered  around  him  for  his  new 
paper  not  only  60  able  stockholders 
(suggestive  of  the  present-day  arrays) 
but  put  on  the  payroll  a  producing 
force  of  43  people,  or  three  times  as 
many  as  the  experts  say  are  neces- 
sary to  put  out  a  paper  in  a  town 
the    size    of    Rome.      'The    43   follow: 

Col.  Graves,  editor  and  general  mana- 
ger; Gen.  J.  P.  Graves,  assistant;****** 
Houstoun  R.  Harper,  city  editor;  J.  Dan 


RKV.  HARRY  F.  JOYNKR.  Baptist  minister 
whoso  Maple  Street  Community  House  plan 
has    attracted    wide    attention. 


470 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Cleaton,  assistant;  E.  Fletcher  Smith, 
night  editor;  Jno.  G.  Taylor,  business 
manager;  F.  A.  Webster,  bookkeeper; 
Sam  C.  Whitmire,  collector;  Henry 
Thompson,  office  boy;  Fred  H.  Wright, 
composing  room  foreman,  and  B.  C. 
Edwards,  Dick  Dempsey,  J.  B.  Spence, 
J.  N.  Swaggartv,  W.'  H.  Peters,  B. 
C.  Kelton,  G.  S.  McAfee,  A.  B.  Theo- 
bold,  F.  J.  Estes,  Tom  Turner,  W. 
B.  Lathrop,  C.  A.  Cook.  P.  A.  W. 
Keel,  Tom  Barnett  and  W.  H.  May- 
neck,  with  Pete  and  John  Roser  as 
"devils;"  Sam  Whitmire,  superintend- 
ent of  machinery  and  press  room; 
Oliver  Elmore,  pressman,  Charlie 
Wright,  feeder,  and  Hienry  Thomp- 
son, mailing  clerk.  In  the  carrier  and 
delivery  department  were  Simon  Ray, 
Jimmy  and  Willy  Elders,  John  and 
Henry  Wright,  John  Harper,  Bob 
Moss,  George  Starr,  Scab  Higgin- 
botham  and  Hayes  Ray;  the  Associat- 
ed Press  reporters  were  Cothran 
Smith,  Luther  Gwaltney  and  Wirt 
Marshall. 

The  leaders  in  the  movement  for  an 
up-to-date  daily  newspaper  were  J.  W. 
and  J.  A.  Rounsaville,  Dr.  J.  B.  S. 
Holmes  and  Dr.  Robt.  Battey.  Dr. 
Battey  was  made  president,  and  the 
other  directors  were  Dr.  Holmes,  J. 
A.  Rounsaville,  Col.  Graves,  R.  T. 
Armstrong,  T.  F.  Howel,  and  D.  F. 
Allgood.  In  addition  to  the  directors, 
the  stockholders  were  H.  B.  Parks  & 
Co.,  Alfred  S.  Hamilton,  Emmons,  Mc- 
Kee  &  Co.,  Simpson,  Glover  &  Hight, 
Elbert  T.  McGhee,  R.  G.  Clark  &  Co., 
Chas.  H.  Cothran,  C.  Oliver  Stillwell, 
Geo.  M.  Battey,  Wm.  W.  Seay,  J.  A. 
Sniith,  Jos.  B.  Patton,  Robt.  H.  Jones 
&  Sons,  E.  H.  Colclough,  Dean  & 
Ewing,  Wm.  M.  Towers,  Almeron  W. 
Walton,  Joel  Branham,  T.  J.  McCaf- 
frey, D.  B.  Hamilton,  M.  A.  Taylor, 
Jas.  T.  Vandiver,  B.  T.  Haynes,  Mark 
G.  McDonald,  Henry  A.  Smith,  P.  L. 
Turnley  &  Co.,  W.  H.  Wardlaw,  Jas. 
G.  Dailey,  Chas.  D.  Wood,  M.  A. 
Nevin,  Wm.  H.  Roe,  Jas.  Douglas,  L. 
R.  Gwaltney,  A.  McGhee.  Henry  G. 
Stoffregen,  Jas.  D.  Gwaltney,  Wm.  H. 
Adkins,  Jno.  T.  Warlick.  jack  King, 
J.  T.  Crouch  &  Co.,  Park  Harper,  R. 
J.  Ragan,  Jno.  J.  Seay,  II.  D.  Coth- 
ran, Jno.  Montgomery,  David  W.  Cur- 
ry, Bradford  &  Watts,  Lamkin  & 
Funkhouser,  Harper  Hamilton,  Capt. 
W.  N.  Moore,  Wm.  A.  Wright,  Jno. 
G.   Taylor   and   Jno.    H.    Reynolds. 

The  Tribune  of  Rome  was  a  mint 
of  money  from  the  start — for  the 
stockholders  to  pay  out.  One  day  a 
"nxass  meeting"  was  held,  and  orders 
given  to  "cut  to  the  bone."     This  was 


done,  and  after  struggling  along  for 
three  years  with  his  "corporal's 
guard,"  Col.  Graves  departed  for  a 
different  clime.  In  the  meantime, 
F'rank  L.  Stanton  had  broken  in  from 
the  Smithville  (Lee  County)  News, 
but  his  prodigous  efforts  to  prop 
things  up  with  poety  availed  little,  and 
he  escaped  to  Atlanta  a  short  distance 
ahead   of  the    crash. 

"OWE  NO  MAN  ANYTHING."— 
"The  Cash  System  is  Best  for  Mer- 
chant and  Customers." — Messrs.  Edi- 
tors: With  your  permission  we  take 
this  occasion  to  set  forth  to  our  friends 
and  patrons  a  few  reasons  why  we 
ought  to  be  encouraged  in  our  re- 
cently adopted  system,  Cash.  We  be- 
lieve it  is  best  for  both  merchant  and 
customer.  When  we  go  to  market 
with  the  cash,  we  are  independent  and 
can  buy  goods  when  we  please  and 
where  we  find  goods  at  the  lowest 
prices — we  buy  at  reduced  prices  and 
divide  with  the  customer.  The  cus- 
tomer is  under  no  obligation  to  buy 
of  us  because  of  an  unpaid  debt, 
whether  it  is  to  his  interest  or  not; 
merchant  and  customer  stand  on  equal 
ground.  Again,  the  cash  system  makes 
no   bad    debts.      It   is  the  good   solvent 


TELAMON  CRUGER  SMITH-CUYLER,  a 
Roman  who  has  traveled  all  over  the  world 
and  is   an   entertainer   without  a   peer. 


472 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


customers  that  pay  the  merchant,  who 
loses  by  those  who  don't  pay.  Trade 
is  like  the  fluid  in  a  spirit  level — it 
will  equalize  itself — and  competition 
compels  meix-hants  to  sell  as  low  as 
they  can  affoid  to,  and  if  they  can  af- 
ford to  sell  at  25  per  cent  and  lose 
10  per  cent  for  bad  debts  and  law- 
yers' fees,  then  of  course  they  can 
sell  at  15  per  cent  profit  when  no  bad 
debts   are   made. 

By  the  credit  system,  bad  debts 
have  always  been  made  and  always 
will  be  made,  and  bails  and  attach- 
ments, and  bills  of  injunction,  and 
lawyers'  fees  and  court  costs,  and  liv- 
ery bills,  and  troubles  with  trust  es- 
tates, and  administrators  and  guard- 
ians create  a  heavy  sinking  fund  in 
every  credit  house,  and  the  loss  is  met 
by  the  promptly  paying,  solvent  cred- 
itors. The  credit  system  must  employ 
a  good  bookkeeper  and  pay  liberally 
for  one.  Day  book,  journal,  ledger, 
note  book,  invoice  book,  cash  book, 
bills  receivable  and  bills  payable  and 
hundreds  of  dunning  letters  are  indis- 
pensable — but  with  us  "Othello's  occu- 
pation is  gone" — the  bookkeeper  is  ab- 
sent behind   the   counter. 

The  cash  system  leaves  no  room  for 
quarrels   about  settlements  at  the  end 


FRANK  STOVALL  ROBERTS,  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  Roman  of  before  the  war,  whose 
recollections  of  Rome  have  entertained  hun- 
dreds. 


of  the  year,  for  with  us  the  year  has 
no  end;  there  are  no  long  accounts  to 
be  astonished  at,  no  family  jars,  no 
cloudy  evenings  at  home  because  of 
the  family's  extravagance.  The  cash 
system  saves  the  buyer  a  good  deal 
by  forcing  economy  upon  him — his  pur- 
chases will  be  less  if  he  pays  the 
money  down.  His  family  will  buy 
fewer  of  the  fancies  that  dazzle  the 
eye,  and  will  themselves  begin  a  new 
system  of  economy.  It  avoids  the 
necessity  of  performing  that  unpleas- 
ant duty  of  prying  into  everybody's 
financial  condition  and  of  refusing 
credit  to  clever  men  because  we  fear 
they  can't  pay  promptly — perhaps 
never.  We  intend  to  make  a  fair  and 
diligent  experiment,  to  test  its  virtues 
thoroughly;  we  assure  you  that  this 
is  no  trick  fixed  up  to  trap  the  un- 
wary, but  an  honest  effort,  worthy 
of    consideration. 

Finally,  we  say  to  our  friends  that 
there  is  one  unanswerable  argument 
which  we  shall  leave  untold.  If  you 
will  call  at  our  place  of  bueiness  we 
will  take  much  plaesure  in  giving  you 
this  unwritten  reason,  and  will  even 
make  your  pocket  sensible  of  its  truth. 
JONES,  SCOTT,  OMBERG  &  CO. 

N.  B. — Southerner  &  Advertiser, 
Banner  &  Baptist,  Cassville  Standard, 
Jacksonville  Republican  and  Coosa 
River  Argus  please  copy. — Jan.  31, 
1860. 

THE  CARELESS  SMOKER.— Will 
the  next  nation-wide  crusade  be 
against  the  use  of  tobacco?  There  are 
many  who  believe  so.  The  other  day 
I  received  a  questionnaire  from  a  New 
York  company  that  makes  a  business 
of  compiling  information  as  to  pub- 
lic opinion  on  public  questions.  It  is 
getting  the  sentiment  of  newspaper 
men  all  over  the  country  as  to  whether 
the  anti-tobacco  movement  is  favored 
or  opposed  by  the  people  of  their 
communities,  wrote  J.  D.  McCartney 
in  the  Rome  Tribune-Herald  Jan.  7, 
1921. 

To  the  average  man  it  seems  absurd 
that  anyone  should  attempt  to  take 
his  pipe  or  cigarette  or  cigar  away 
fi'om  him.  Twenty  years  ago  the 
average  man  thought  it  silly  to  talk 
of  taking  away  his  beer — but  they  did 
it.  It  would  not  surprise  me  in  the 
least  if  there  should  be  legislation 
against  the  use  of  tobacco  within  the 
next  decade.  To  be  sure,  tobacco  never 
caused  men  to  beat  their  wives,  or 
lose  their  money,  or  neglect  their  chil- 
dren, or  do  the  hundreds  of  other  evils 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


473 


charged  against  liquor.  But  there  are 
many  people  who  consider  that  tobacco 
lessens  the  efficiency  and  impairs  the 
mentality  of  its  users,  hence  they  re- 
gard it  as  a  curse.  Many  more  re- 
gard  it   as   a    nuisance. 

Personally  I  do  not  favor  anti-to- 
bacco legislation,  having  used  tobacco 
in  the  past  and  knowing  just  how 
enjoyable  it  is.  But  as  a  non-user  of 
tobacco  at  present  I  am  aware  that 
many  smokers — in  fact,  most  smokers 
— are  utterly  inconsiderate  of  the  com- 
fort and  convenience  of  those  who  do 
not  smoke.  As  the  non-sniokers  out- 
number the  devotees  of  the  weed,  it 
is  by  no  means  improbable  that  leg- 
islation restricting  the  use  of  tobacco 
may  be  enacted.  Certainly  the  sell- 
ers and  users  of  tobacco  might  take 
a  leaf  out  of  the  book  of  the  sellers 
and  users  of  liquor,  who  by  abusing 
existing  rights  and  privileges  hasten- 
ed the  day  of  their  taking  away.  If 
saloonkeepers  had  all  been  decent  and 
law-abiding,  liquor  would  still  be  with 
us.  If  tobacconists  and  smokers  would 
be  law-abiding  and  considerate  there 
would  be  no  danger  of  legislation 
against    tobacco. 

There  are  laws  in  many  states 
against  the  sale  of  cigarettes  and  to. 
bacco  to  minors.  Those  laws  are  con- 
stantly violated  and  this  gives  a  just 
cause  of  complaint  to  the  anti-tobac- 
co people  and  is  a  powerful  weapon 
for  their  cause.  The  general  indif- 
ference of  smokers  to  the  rights  of 
non-users  of  the  weed  is,  however,  the 
main  thing  that  strengthens  the  hand 
of    the    agitators    against    tobacco. 

If  there  was  an  organization  whose 
members  were  pledged  to  the  decent 
use  of  tobacco,  and  the  consequent 
consideration  for  the  rights  of  others, 
there  would  be  no  need  for  blue  laws 
to  suppress  smoking.  To  begin  with, 
an  accompaniment  to  the  use  of  to- 
bacco is  the  constant  and  unhygienic- 
spitting,  half  of  it  due  to  habit  and 
entirely  unnecessary.  The  expectora- 
tion may  be  aimed  at  a  cuspidor,  but 
it  often  finds  its  way  to  the  flooi-, 
the  sidewalk,  or  the  rug.  The  prac- 
tice is  disgusting  and  it  ought  to  be 
stopped. 

Smokers  are  constantly  encroach- 
ing on  new  territory.  They  "light  up" 
in  cafes  and  restaurants  at  the  con- 
clusion of  their  own  dinner,  without 
a  thought  that  they  may  be  spoiling 
the  dinner  of  someone  else.  They  in- 
hale deeply  and  blow  clouds  of  smoke 
all  over  whoever  may  be  sitting  next 
to    them.      They    erect     their     smoke- 


screen in  every  public  gathering,  even 
though  ladies  may  be  present.  At 
banciuets  or  lodge  meetings  they  soon 
get  the  air  so  thick  it  can  be  cut  with 
a  knife  and  the  unhappy  non-smoker, 
comi)elled  to  attend,  goes  home  with 
smjirting  eyes  and  aching  head.  They 
trail  their  fumes  through  business 
offices  and  homes.  At  the  theaters 
they  twist  nervously  until  the  intermis- 
sion, when  they  crawl  over  other  peo- 
ple in  a  mad  rush  for  a  cigarette,  then 
crawl  back  again,  reeking  with  the 
fumes  of  tobacco.  Such  a  thing  as 
exercising  a  little  self-restraint  in  pub. 
he  places,  where  the  health  and  com- 
fort of  others  might  be  affected,  never 
enters  the  head  of  the  average  smoker 
— and  if  there  is  a  growing  sentiment 
against  smoking,  it  is  the  thought- 
less smoker  who  contributes  most  to 
the  growth    of   that   sentiment. 

There  is  a  more  serious  side  to  the 
question,  and  that  is  the  loss  of  prop- 
erty and  sometimes  life  due  to  the 
careless  handling  of  fire.  Just  recall 
the  many  newspaper  accounts  of  fires 
attributed  to  a  "smoldering  cigar 
butt"  or  "a  carelessly  thrown  match." 
Look  at  the  furniture  in  any  public 
place  or  hotel.  You  will  find  desks 
scorched,     furniture     blackened,     rugs 


CAPT.  CIIA.S.  NICIIOl.A.S  IKAIllEUS  ION. 
in  his  Civil  War  unifdrni.  Captain  Fi-athor- 
ston  was  one  of  Rome's  l>«'<t  Inwyir^  nnil 
students. 


474 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


with  holes  burned  in  them,  polished 
surfaces  showing  scratches,  all  the 
work  of  the   careless   smoker. 

The  smoker  has  the  privilege  of 
fi-eedom  and  full  enjoyment  now.  If 
he  continues  to  abuse  it  by  making 
himself  a  nuisance  to  non-smokers,  by 
burning  carpets,  scorching  furniture, 
spitting  on  the  sidewalks  and  setting 
fire  to  houses,  it  is  problematic  as  to 
how  long  this  freedom  will  continue. 
It  is  not  beyond  the  bounds  of  possi- 
bility that  the  cigarette  boot-legger 
may   be   a    development   of  the   future. 


AS  IT  USED  TO  BE.— The  Tri- 
Weekly  Courier  of  June  24,  1860,  re- 
printed the  following  as  a  jolt  to  the 
"weed    mashers:" 

"The  Portsmouth  Transcript  ex- 
claims against  the  shameful  desecra- 
tion of  church  floors  and  walls  by 
thoughtless  and  mannerless  tobacco 
chewers.  We  copy  the  last  paragraph 
of  the  article : 

"  'It  is  contrary  to  common  etiquette 
to  expectorate  in  a  parlor.  Why  not 
in  a  church?  We  have  seen  a  pious 
pew  holder  praising  God  and  rolling 
his  quid  in  the  most  delighted  manner 
imaginable — spitting  great  jets  of  am- 


ber and  groaning  "Amen"  in  the  next 
breath,  singing  half  a  line  of  a  hymn 
and  spitting  and  grunting  the  other. 
The  vestibules  frequently  suffer  and 
stains  are  everywhere  visible.  Hov/ 
much  of  the  poetic  beauty  that  shines 
along  the  pathway  of  religion  and  in- 
vests it  with  a  charm  which  causes 
even  the  infidel  to  respect  it  will  re- 
main if  the  filthy  customs  of  pervert- 
ed taste  are  tolerated  in  its  temples? 
Why  should  a  beautiful  house  be  con- 
secrated to  God,  if  it  is  to  be  desecrated 
by  indecency?  We  should  as  soon  see 
a  man  carry  his  bottle  with  him,  and 
drink  in  full  view  of  all,  as  to  see  him 
sit  and  squirt,  or  clandestinely  dribble 
his  disgusting  expectorations  amidst 
the  pews  and  aisles  of  the  sanctuary. 
The  deed  would  be  more  decent,  at 
least  would  not  defile,  as  well  as  in- 
sult,   the    House    of    God.' " 


BENJAMIN  CUDWORTH  YANCEY,  police 
court  recorder  and  probably  the  only  na- 
tive-born   mayor    Rome    ever   had. 


FATHOMING  A  VACUUM.— Al- 
though C.  A.  Bundschu,  North  Rome 
meat  market  man  shot  in  the  head 
last  Thursday  night  by  Mark  Johnson, 
tried  to  smoke  a  cigarette  this  morn- 
ing to  soothe  his  nerves,  the  experi- 
ment was  not  very  satisfactory,  and 
the  patient  had  to  throw  the  weed 
away.  His  wife  helped  him  fire  off, 
but  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  right 
side  of  his  face  is  paralyzed,  he  could 
not  get  up  enough  vacuum  or  suction 
to  make  a  draught  to  cause  it  to  burn. 

A  discussion  was  started  in  The 
News  office  the  other  day  concerning 
the  physical  aspects  of  smoking  a 
cigarette.  One  man  said  that  a  cigar- 
ette is  consumed  because  a  vacuum  is 
formed  in  the  mouth  of  the  smoker 
which  causes  the  air  to  rush  into  the 
burning  end  from  without  and  through 
the  cigarette  into  the  mouth  and 
throat,  causing  combustion  of  the 
smoking  materials  and  carrying  with 
it  the  smoke.  Another  was  of  the  opin- 
ion that  no  vacuum  was  caused,  that 
it  was  entirely  a  matter  of  draft.  If 
you  will  reverse  the  current,  contend- 
ed this  latter  gentleman,  you  will  find 
that  you  get  an  effect  that  is  not 
caused  by  a  vacuum.  Smoke  issues 
in  increased  volume  from  the  end  of 
the  cigarette,  or  "pill." 

Although  the  man  holding  to  the 
draught  theory  seemed  to  have  a  good 
argument,  the  other  dismissed  the  sub- 
ject by  saying: 

"You  can't  tell  me  that  a  vacuum 
has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  I  could 
never  come  to  any  other  conclusion." — 
Rome  News,  July  12,   1921. 


Miscellaneous — General  Information 


475 


DAYS  OF  THE  "HOWLING 
DERVISHES."— In  few  towns  do  the 
white  and  colored  races  get  along  bet- 
ter together  than  in  Rome.  This  has 
not  always  been  true.  In  Reconstruc- 
tion days,  for  instance,  the  situation 
was  chaotic,  to  say  the  least.  A  citi- 
zen wrote  the  Weekly  Courier  of 
Thursday,  Aug.  20,  1868,  as  follows: 

"Mr.  Editor:  We  have  the  most 
pious  reverence  for  the  Christian  re- 
ligion and  its  honest  votaries — we  have 
been  reared  to  esteem  those  who  pro- 
fess and  follow  its  teachings,  as  the 
salt  of  the  earth.  More  than  this,  we 
have  as  little  sectarianism  and  as 
large  a  charity  for  all  Christian  de- 
nominations as  any  one,  but  we  must 
and  do  solemnly  protest  against  the 
use  now  being  made  of  the  houses  of 
religious  worship  by  the  colored  pop- 
ulation of  the  city.  Their  manner  of 
conducting  religious  service  is  not  only 
a  nuisance  to  those  who  live  near,  but 
it  is  a  mockery  and  an  insult  to  Him 
for  whom  these  temples  have  been 
built.  Let  any  one  who  has  not  heard 
those  howling  Dervishes  in  their  night- 
ly orgies  draw  near  some  night  and 
listen.  A  few  minutes  will  suffice  to 
convince. 

"At  a  recent  attendance  we  heard 
a  whining  voice  sing  out,  'I'm  gwine 
to  Heben  on  a  white  hos.'  Another 
jumped  up  and  echoed,  'Bless  de  Lord, 
here's  a  poor  sister  gwine  to  hell  on 
a  black  mule.'  One  raises  her  hands 
and  with  eyes  fixed  on  the  ceiling 
screams,  'I  see  Jesus,  I  see  Jesus,  I  see 
Jesus  a  lookin'  at  me.'  Another  re- 
plies, 'I  see  him,  too,  a  lookin'  out  de 
winder  at  me.'  Another  cries,  'Bless 
de  Lord,  tell  Jesus  to  send  down  a  rope, 
and  I'll  climb  up  to  Heben.'  This  last 
idea  strikes  a  dozen  or  more  with  force, 
and  they  jump  up  and  down,  shouting, 
'Send  down  de  rope,  and  we'll  all  climb 
to   Heben.' 

"Now,  Mr.  Editor,  our  observation 
long  has  been  that  the  negroes  who 
have  the  most  of  this  kind  of  religion 
are  the  very  meanest  of  the  race.  They 
are  most  idle,  rougish  and  disobedi- 
ent. They  will  shout  all  night,  on  Sun- 
day night,  and  old  Satan  will  possess 
them  all  the  week  after.  The  best  ne- 
groes of  the  community  are  not  of  this 
sort,  and  there  are  very  many  good 
ones — negroes  who  make  good  serv- 
ants, faithful  agents,  and  diligent  la- 
borers. These  have  the  sympathy  of 
our  race,  and  will  always  have  it.  They 
will  be  supported  and  protected  by  u.s. 
But  there  is  a  class,  and  it  is  nmch 
the  largest  class,  who  are  idle  and  vie- 
ious,  who  make  no  effort  to  lay  up   a 


dollar  for  winter  or  want  or  sickness. 
We  are  informed  that  our  city  fath- 
ers have  expended  within  the  "last  18 
months  nearly  a  thousand  dollars  in 
burying  the  pauper  negroes.  A  negro 
child  died  in  the  city  on  Thursday 
last  about  noon.  The  sexton  was  sent 
for,  and  he  informed  the  mother  he 
had  his  orders  to  bury  no  more  at  the 
public  expense.  The  house  was  full  of 
negroes.  They  sang  over  the  child  all 
night,  and  had  a  good  time,  but  made 
no  more  demonstrations  whatever  to- 
wards its  interment.  Next  day  about 
noon  the  sexton  called  again  and  found 
no  progress.  He  called  on  a  negro  car- 
penter near  by,  and  told  him  he  had 
better  make  a  box,  or  some  sort  of  a 
coffin.  The  carpenter  utterly  refused, 
and  the  sexton  had  to  bury  the  child 
at  last. 

"The  mortality  of  the  negroes  in  the 
city  for  the  past  year  has  been  ten  to 
one  as  compared  with  the  whites,  and 
it  is  not  decreasing,  but  increasing.  The 
charity  practiced  by  our  physicians 
among  them  has  become  a  serious  tax 
upon  their  time,  and  this  is  no  small 
charity  of  this  kind-hearted  profession, 
for  it  is  done  among  the  most  ignor- 
ant and  neglectful  of  our  population. 
What  is  to  be  done  with   them?     Are 


DR.  ROUT.  RATTKY,  in  tho  uniform  of  a 
colonel,  Medical  Corps,  Confederate  States 
Army,    taken    about    18fi3. 


476 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


they  under  our  care  avid  protection,  or 
not?  If  they  are,  then  they  ought  to 
he  under  our  control.  Surely  we  have 
laws  enough  to  reach  the  case.  Will 
the  city  fathers,  or  the  grand  juries, 
or  both  take  the  matter  in  hand?  We 
owe  it  as  a  duty  to  the  negro  and  to 
ourselves.  If  pestilence  comes  among 
us,  it  will  find  an  inviting  field  in 
these  hovels,  and  from  thence  it  will 
spread  among  us  all. 

"No,  let  the  negro  be  made  to  un- 
derstand the  laws  of  labor  and  the  laws 
of  society.  Freedom  has  exhausted  it- 
self in  an  effort  to  civilize  him.  There 
are  many  poor,  very  poor  whites  in 
our  community,  but  they  know  they 
must  labor  and  toil  and  struggle.  They 
are  generally  cleanly  and  industrious 
— at  all  events,  they  live,  and  are  not 
termed  as  paupers. 

"Now  we  are  not  of  the  faith  of 
Ariel — far  from  it — we  believe  the  ne- 
gro has  a  soul.  More  than  this,  we 
believe,  as  a  race,  they  are  peculiarly 
religious  in  their  notions,  and  what  is 
most  wanted  is  a  control  of  them  by 
reasonable  and  well-directed  effort. 
They  should  not  be  allowed  to  become 
vagrants  and  paupers,  nor  should  they 
be  allowed  to  howl  and  whoop  like  Hot- 
tentots and  savages,  under  the  idea 
that  such  is  the  way  to  worship  God. 
If,  however,  this  way  is  their  profes- 
sion, let  them  worship  so  far  from  our 
habitations  as  not  to  annoy  or  disturb 
our  repose  in  the  still  hours  of  the 
night. 

"We  have  said  this  much  upon  a 
subject  that  will  have  to  be  considered 
hereafter,  though  it  is  ignored  now. 
The  timie  has  passed  when  the  negro 
is  considered  superior  to  the  white 
race.  The  time  is  almost  at  hand  when 
he  will  take  his  own  proper  position, 
and  be  made  to  know  his  entire  de- 
pendence upon  his  white  friends.  We 
fear  that  few  of  them  will  profit  by 
any  advice  we  may  give,  for  their  ele- 
vation has  been  so  sudden  and  their 
ignorance  so  feasted  by  office  seekers 
that  they  are  not  in  condition  to  know 
the    truth." 

THE  COST  OF  HIGH  LIVING.— 
An  exchange  asks,  "How  civilized  are 
we?"  Not  very,  perhaps,  when  you 
consider  that  the  big  portion  of  our 
tax  money  (some  say  95  per  cent)  goes 
into  wars  or  preparations  for  wars, 
the  big  portion  of  the  balance  goes  for 
luxuries  and  a  measly  sum,  compara- 
tively, goes  toward  education  and  other 
things    that    benefit    the    masses. 

The  High  Point   (N.  C.)    Enterprise 


presents    the    following     amazing     fig- 
ures : 

"Americans  are  quite  given  to 
boasting  of  their  large  expeditures  for 
public  education. 

"From  the  point  of  view  of  relativ- 
ity the  boasting  doesn't  square  with 
the  facts. 

"We  spend  something  less  than  $1,- 
000,000,000  a  year  on  public  educa- 
tion. 

"In  1920  our  tobacco  bill  was  more 
than  double  this,  and  for  face  powder, 
cosmetics,  perfumes,  etc.,  we  spent 
three-quarters    of   a   billion. 

"For  every  dollar  we  spend  on  pub- 
lic education,  we  spend  25  cents  for 
ice  cream,  50  cents  for  jewelry,  35 
cents  for  soft  drinks  and  30  cents  for 
furs. 

"The  $50,000,000  a  year  we  spend 
for  chewing  gum  is  two  and  a  half 
times  the  total  expenditures  for  normal 
schools  and  almost  exactly  the  same 
as  all  state  and  city  appropriations  for 
higher  education. 

"The  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Educa- 
tion points  out  that  if  we  would  smoke 
two  cigarettes  instead  of  three,  two 
cigars  instead  of  three,  take  two  chews 
instead  of  three,  and  add  the  money 
thus  saved  to  the  teachers'  pay  roll, 
the  salaries  of  teachers  could  be  in- 
creased   120   per   cent. 

"As  it  is  pretty  generally  admitted 
that  our  teachers  as  a  class  are  crimi- 
nally underpaid,  these  figures  are,  to 
say  the   least,   rather   humiliating. 

"  'We  think  we  believe  in  education,' 
says  Claxton.  'No  doubt  we  do  believe 
in  education  in  a  way,  but  we  have 
not  paid  and  do  not  pay  much  for 
it.'  " 

Suppose  we  should  spend  50  per 
cent  of  our  tax  money  for  education. 
Wouldn't  we  be  well  enough  educated 
eventually  to  do  without  some  of  the 
luxuries,  including  wars? — Rome  News, 
July  18,  1921. 


FREE    RURAL   MAIL   DELIVERY 
ROUTES    (Floyd   County,  1922).— No. 

1,  Summerville  Road  to  Armuchee;  No. 

2,  Calhoun  Road;  No.  3,  Kingston 
Road;  No.  4,  Carlier  Springs  and 
Chulio;  No.  5,  Foster's  Mill  and  Liv- 
ingston District;  No.  6,  Black's  Bluff 
Road  and  Cave  Spring;  No.  7,  Horse- 
leg  Creek  (Coosa  River)  and  Burnett's 
Ferry  roads;  No.  8,  Alabama  Road, 
via  Hamilton's  and  Shorter  College; 
No.  9,  O'Brien  Gap  and  Redmond 
Gap  Roads;  No.  10,  Chulio  and  Wax. 


^Miscellaneous  — 1920-1921  Chronology 

1920 

OCTOBER— 

27 — Rev.  D.  Coe  Love,  Presbyterian  missionary,  lectured  at  the  Berry  Schools. 

NOVEMBER— 

2 — Rome  News  flashed  results  of  overwhelming  victory  of  Harding  for  President 

on  screen  at  Elite  Theatre;  Tribune-Herald  flashed  results  on  Lanham  store. 
5 — Miss  Margaret  Romaine,  soprano,  in  recital  at  Shorter  College. 
6 — Brewster  Hall,  first  dormitory  at  the  Berry  Schools,  destroyed  by  fire  at  7:30 
A.  M.     Professors  and  students  lost  their  clothing. 
11 — Thos.  H.  Johnston,  dean  of  St.  Philip's  Cathedral,  Atlanta,  addressed  Rotary 
Club  at  Brown  Betty  Tea  Room  on  Irish  and  International  affairs.     Parade 
down  Broad  Street  by  Confederate  Veterans,  World  War  Veterans,  Boy  Scouts 
and  others,  celebrating  signing  of  the  Armistice  with  the  Germans. 
12 — Rev.  John  H.  Elliott,  of  College  Park,  started  two  weeks'  revival  at  the  First 
Presbyterian  church.     Hagenback-Wallace  Circus  disbanded  for  the  season  at 
Rome. 

13 — Football  at  Hamilton  Field:  Darlington  School  14,  Powder  Springs  6. 

14  (Sunday) — Ice  on  streets;  25  degrees.  Congressman  Wm.  D.  Upshaw,  of  At- 
lanta, spoke  on  "A  Stainless  Flag  and  a  Sober  World"  at  the  First  Baptist  church 
in  the  morning,  the  Cave  Spring  Methodist  church  and  Shorter  College  in  the 
afternoon,  and  the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  church  at  night. 

16 — Municipal  election;  Miss  Ava  Duncan  was  first  Rome  woman  to  vote,  and 
Paul  I.  Morris  first  man  to  vote,  at  court  house.  Conference  announced  change 
of  Rev.  T.  R.  Kendall,  Jr.,  from  First  Methodist  Church  to  First  Methodist  at 
Gainesville,  Rev.  Elam  F.  Dempsey,  of  First  Methodist  at  Athens  to  First  Meth- 
odist at  Rome;  Rev.  J.  R.  King,  presiding  elder  of  the  Rome  District,  superannu- 
ated, and  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  T.  Irvine,  of  Augusta. 

19 — Branch  chapter  of  the  League  of  Women  Voters  formed  at  Rome  with  Mrs. 
Annie  Freeman  Johnson  as  president. 

21  (Sunday) — Rev.  Sam  W.  Small,  evangelist,  spoke  at  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist 
church,  and  Rev.  John  H.  Elliott  at  Berry  Schools. 

25 — Football  at  Hamilton  Field:  Darlington  School  6,  Rome  High  School  0. 

28  (Sunday)— Rev.  T.  R.  Kendall,  Jr.  left  for  Gainesville,  and  Rev.  Elam  F.  Demp- 
sey, of  Athens,  assumed  pastorate  of  First  Methodist  church. 

DECEMBER— 
l_Seventh  District  Medical  Society,  Dr.  Howard  E.  Felton,  of  Cartersville,  pres- 
ident, in  one-day  session  at  City  Auditorium. 

15 — Kenneth  G.  Matheson,  president  of  the  Georgia  School  of  Technology,  Atlanta, 
addressed  Rotary  Club  at  Hotel  Forrest;  "Intelligence." 

21— Tumlin  Mercantile  Co.  burned  at  Cave  Spring;  loss,  $25,000. 

31 — "Watch  Nights"  at  churches;  New  Year  ushered  in. 

1921 

JANUARY— 

1— Board  of  Roads  and  Revenues  elected  Judge  John  W.  Maddox  county  attorney 
to  succeed  Graham  Wright. 

3_New  city  officials  sworn  in.  Rev.  A.  J.  Moncrief,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
church,  accepted  call  to  First  Baptist  of  Pensacola,  Fla. 

4— Horace  A.  Wade,  author  at  12,  drew  2,000  people  in  success  talk  at  City  Audi- 
torium. Floyd  County  Farm  Bureau  guests  of  Kiwanis  Club  at  Hotel  Forrest 
in  move  to  establish  creamery. 

7 — Rome  Writers'  Club  organized  with  Mrs.  Perrin  Bestcr  Brown  president  and 

Jack  D.  McCartney  secretary. 
10— Alex  W.  Chambliss,  mayor  of  Chattanooga,  appeared  in  civil  case  in  Judge 
Moses  Wright's  Superior  Court  at  Court  House. 


478  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

21 — President-elect  Warren  G.  Harding,  going  to  Florida,  spoke  ten  minutes  from 
rear  of  train  to  crowd  of  Romans  at  Southern  Railway  depot,  promising  an  un- 
derstanding between  North  and  South,  and  was  heartily  cheered. 

23  (Sunday) — Small  fire  in  Taul  B.  White's  apartment  at  Hotel  Armstrong;  water 
damage  considerable. 

24 — Miss  Elizabeth  Lanier,  of  Greenwich,  Conn,  (now  Mrs.  Robert  Boiling,  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.)  arrived  to  spend  a  week  teaching  folk  songs  and  dancing  at 
the  Berry  Schools. 

27 — Mrs.  George  Maynard  Minor,  President-General  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution,  and  Mrs.  J.  L.  Buell,  State  Regent  of  Connecticut,  at  Berry 
Schools  on  visit.  City  Commission  instructed  Chief  Harris  to  stop  children  from 
skating  on  streets. 

FEBRUARY— 

7 — Dr.  Chas.  E.  Barker,  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  in  talks  deploring  modern  moral  ten- 
dencies, addressed  boys  and  girls,  then  women,  at  Auditorium,  was  entertained 
by  Rotary  Club  at  the  Brown  Betty  Tea  Room  for  dinner,  and  spoke  again  at 
night  at  the  First  Baptist  church. 

8 — W.  A.  Sutton,  principal  of  Tech  High  School,  Atlanta,  spoke  to  Boy  and  Girl 
Scouts  at  City  Auditorium.  Georgia  School  of  Technology  campaign  for  $5,000,- 
000  launched  in  Floyd  County.  Wilson  M.  Hardy's  garage  on  3rd  Avenue 
smashed  by  landslide  from  old  Shorter  College  Hill. 
11 — Congressman  Gordon  Lee,  of  Chickamauga,  registered  for  day  at  Armstrong 
Hotel. 

MARCH— 
2 — Curb  market  projected  by  committee  composed  of  Taul  B.  White,  Walter  S. 

Cothran,  Wilson  M.  Hardy,  and  John  M.  Graham. 
3 — Capt.  N.  C.  Remsen,  of  Greenville,  S.  C,  new  Tribune-Herald  manager. 
4 — Better  business  predicted  in  Rome  as  Warren  G.  Harding,  twenty-ninth  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  is  inaugurated  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
5 — Supt.  W.  C.  Rash  announced  county  school  teachers  would  soon  be  paid. 
7 — Basketball  at  Mt.  Berry:  Berry  Schools  43,  Rome  Athletic  Club  35. 
8 — Fire  at  Armstrong  Hotel;  damage  about  $40,000. 
10 — Georgia    Federated    Musical    Clubs,    Mrs.    Frederic    E.    Vaissiere,    of    Rome, 
president,  opened  three-day  session  in  Carnegie  Library  Auditorium;  delegates 
welcomed  by  Miss  Lula  Warner,   president  of  the   Rome   Music  Lovers'   Club, 
and  Mrs.  Wm.  P.  Harbin,  and  response  was  made  by  Mrs.  Harry  P.  Hermance, 
of  Atlanta. 
11 — Lester  C.  Bush,  of  LaGrange,  elected  secretary  of  the  Rome  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, to  report  April  1. 
20    (Sunday) — S.  E.  DeFrese,  of  Chattanooga,  president  of  the  Rome   Municipal 
Gas   Co.,  arrived  at   Hotel   Forrest  to  investigate   complaints   against   service 
furnished  by  his  concern.     Left  hurriedly  when  Rome  News  invited  irate  citi- 
zens to  lodge  complaints  with  him  by  telephone. 
24 — Boy  Scouts  clean  up  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery. 

27 — First  "Easter  Sing"  on  top  of  Myrtle  Hill   Cemetery;   speaker,  Judge  Moses 

Wright. 
28 — Baseball  at  Macon;  University  of  Georgia  6,  Yale  5. 
30 — Berry  School  students  put  in  day  of  work  on  new  artificial  lake. 

APRIL— 

1 — City  Commission  discussed  $300,000  street  and  school  bond  issue. 

2 — Baseball  at  Athens:  University  of  Georgia  2,  Yale  1.  Eagle  Troop  of  Girl 
Scouts  hiked  to  Rotary  Lake,  Shorter  College. 

3 — Dr.  B.  V.  Elmore,  of  Blountstown,  Fla.,  arrived  as  new  County  Commissioner 
of  Health,  succeeding  Dr.  E.  0.  Chimene,  who  went  to  Greenville,  S.  C. 

4 — Georgia  Tech  Industrial  Tour  party,  with  K.  G.  Matheson,  Governor  Hugh  M. 
Dorsey,  former  Governor  Jos.  M.  Brown  and  others  and  Tech  band,  lunched  at 
Hotel  Forrest,  was  welcomed  by  J.  Ed  Maddox,  responded  through  Dr.  Mathe- 
son and  inspected  Rome. 


480  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

5 — J.  H.  HoflFman,  Atlanta  landscape  architect,  Inspected  City  Auditorium  Park 
with  Mrs.  W.  M.  Henrv  and  Miss  Anna  Graham,  of  Women's  Club.     Simpson 
Grocery  Co.  fire;  loss,  $125,000. 
9 — Hawthorne  Troop  of  Girl  Scouts  on  hike  to  Carlier  Springs. 

11-12 — American  Legion  showed  official  war  films  at  City  Auditorium. 

14 — Twenty-four  Boy  and  Girl  Scouts  on  trip  up  Oostanaula  River  nine  miles  to 
Whitmore's  Bluff  in  Frank  Holbrook's  Steamer  Annie  H. 

16 — Emory  University  Glee  Club  at  Shorter  College. 

21 — Dr.  Albert  Shaw,  of  New  York,  editor  of  American  Review  of  Reviews,  and 
Mrs.  Shaw  arrived  for  five-day  visit  to  Berry  Schools  from  Cuba.  Seventh  Dis- 
trict Water  Power  Convention  in  hot  session  at  City  Auditorium.  Floyd  County 
men  pledged  $6,000  to  Georgia  Tech  fund. 

25 — Second  Boy  and  Girl  Scout  trip  to  Whitmore's  Bluff  on  Annie  H. 

26 — Confederate  Memorial  Day  exercises  in  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  led  by  Judge 
John  W.  Maddox,  Capt.  Henry  J.  Stewart,  Rev.  E.  R.  Leyburn,  Miss  Helen 
Knox  Spain  and  Major  Wm.  A.  Patton;  about  200  present. 

27 — Jos.  S.  Stewart,  of  Athens,  professor  of  secondary  education,  on  visit  to  Rome 
Public  Schools. 

28 — City  Attorney  Max  Meyerhardt,  Mrs.  Roy  Berry,  Mrs.  J.  Lindsay  Johnson, 
Mrs.  C.  T.  Jervis  and  Mrs.  James  Maddox  as  committee  laid  before  State  Rail- 
road Commission  at  Capitol,  Atlanta,  Rome's  complaint  against  inferior  gas 
service. 

MAY— 

1  (Sunday) — C.  R.  Wilcox,  of  the  McCallie  School,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  arrived 
to  take  charge  of  the  Darlington  School.  Camp  sites  at  Cloudland,  Chattooga 
County,  offered  Boy  and  Girl  Scouts  by  Will  and  John  Ledbetter.  Rev.  J.  Ellis 
Sammons  preached  first  sermon  as  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church. 
2 — Southeastern  Express  branch  office  opened.  City  Commission  in  special  ses- 
sion voted  wreaths  for  Battey  shaft  May  5  at  Rome  and  Grady  shaft  May  24 
in  Atlanta. 
3 — Dr.  H.  A.  Morgan,  president  of  the  University  of  Tennessee,  Knoxville,  spoke 

at  the  Berry  Schools. 
4 — Medical  Association  of  Georgia  opened  three-day  session  at  City  Auditorium. 
Seventh  District  Masonic  convention  opened  two-day  session  at  Masonic  Temple. 
University  of  Georgia  drive  for  $1,000,000  started.     Municipal  band  stand  an- 
nounced ready  on  City  Hall  park  site. 
5 — Masons  adjourned  after  midnight  feast  at  Masonic  Temple.     Dr.  Howard  A. 
Kelly,  of  Baltimore,  Dr.  E.  T.  Coleman,  of  Graymont,  Dr.  Howard  E.  Felton,  of 
Cartersville,  and  Dr.  Geo.  R.  West,  of  Chattanooga,  spoke  at  unveiling  of  mon- 
ument to   Dr.  Robert  Battey  in   City  Hall   Park,   and   shaft  was  accepted  for 
City  of  Rome  by  Ernest  E.  Lindsey.     Doctors  repaired  to  Coosa  Country  Club 
for  barbecue;  at  morning  session  passed  resolutions  giving  to  Dr.  Crawford  W. 
Long  credit  for  the  discovery  of  anesthesia,  and  calling  on  the  Legislature  to 
appropriate  money  to  put  his  statue  in  Statuary  Hall  at  Washington. 
6 — Doctors  adjourned. 

9 — Baseball  at  Hamilton  Park  opened  season  in  Georgia  State  League :   Lindale 
3,  Rome  2   (15  innings). 

14 — Rome  Curb  Market  opened  opposite  postoffice  on  Fourth  Avenue,  with  Mrs. 
Hamilton  Yancey,  Jr.  and  Mrs.  Bessie  B.  Troutman,  president  of  the  Women's 
Auxiliary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  Chief  of  Police  Charlie  Harris  in 
charge.  Aurora  Borealis  seen  in  sky  near  midnight;  got  Thos.  Colegate  out  of 
bed. 

18 — Third  Boy  and  Girl  Scout  trip,  to  Black's  Bluff,  Coosa  River,  on  Annie  H.  At 
Macon:  Drill  team  of  Rome  Commandery  No.  8,  Knights  Templar,  Chas.  N. 
Burks,  drillmaster,  won  $100  Liberty  Bond  for  drill. 

20 — Shorter  College's  47th  Commencement  started. 

21 — Shorter  players  staged  Shakespeare's  "Twelfth  Night." 

22 — Municipal  band  stand  in  City  Hall  Park  presented  to  City  of  Rome  by  Wo- 
men's Club  through  Mrs.  W.  M.  Henry  and  accepted  by  E.  E.  Lindsey  for  City. 
Rev.   J.    Ellis    Sammons    delivered   baccalaureate   sermon    at    Shorter    College. 


Miscellaneous — 1920-1921  Chronology 


481 


A  SUBSTANTIAL  AMPHITHEATER  FOR  ORATORICAL  FIREWORKS. 

The  Floyd  County  Court  House,  built  in  1892-93  by  Jos.  B.  Patton,  contractor  and  which 
replaced  the  old  structure  of  Court  (East  First)  Street,  where  barristers  had  pleaded  the  cause 
of  justice   for  half  a   century.      The   northern   outlook   is   upon    the   Oostanaula   River. 


482  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

Princess  Rahnie  Haider,  of  Syria,  and  Miss  Lucille  Burgess  in  performance  at 
Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  church. 

23 — Rev.  Wm.  Russell  Owen,  of  Macon,  delivered  Shorter  Commencement  oration; 
award  of  diplomas  and  barbecue  at  "Maplehurst."  Berry  Schools  summer  sea- 
son opened. 

26 — Rev.  Elam  F.  Dempsey  spoke  at  Edmonia  Newman  Institute  graduation  exer- 
cises at  First  Baptist  church.     Darlington  School  commencement  in  East  Rome. 

27 — Chautauqua  Week  opened;  performances  in  tent  behind  City  Auditorium. 

31 — Ben  Greet  Players  on  Chautauqua  program. 

JUNE— 

3 — Ralph  Bingham,  Philadelphia  humorist,  delighted  large  Chautauqua  crowd. 
5 — North  Georgia  Fair  Association  directors  elected  H.  A.  Dean  president;  John 
M.  Berry  first  vice-president;   H.  H.  Shackelton  second  vice-president;  James 
M.  Harris  treasurer  and  Lester  C.  Bush  secretary. 
6 — Women  held  mass  meeting  in  favor  of  issue  of  $750,000  road  bonds  for  Floyd 
County. 
16— Floyd  County's  $750,000  road  bond  issue  carried  by  3,102  to  67. 
21 — District  School  performance  at  City  Auditorium  as  benefit  for  Women's  Aux- 
iliary of  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

JULY— 

1 — Judge  Moses  Wright,  Barry  Wright  and  Harry  P.  Meikleham  speakers  at  Lin- 
dale,  when  Massachusetts  Mills  Auditorium  is  accepted  by  American  Legion  as 
memorial  to  Lindale  men  who  lost  lives  in  World  War. 
2 — Greenwich,  Conn.:  J.  Simpson  Dean,  Princeton  1921,  of  Rome,  won  Intercol- 
legiate  Golf  championship,  defeating  Jesse  Sweetser  and  others. 
4 — Double  header  baseball  game  at  Hamilton   Park:    Lindale   5 — 2,  Rome  2 — 3. 

Motor  boats  active  all  day  on  rivers. 
7 — Opening  gun  fired  in  fight  to  extend  city  limits  of  Rome  and  include  7,000  more 
people  and  revenue.     Doctors  returned  from  Seventh  District   Society  meeting 
at  Calhoun.     Adj.  Gen.  Peter  C.  Harris  told  Rotary  Club  at  Hotel  Forrest  ha 
hoped  for  early  end  of  all  wars. 
9 — Municipal  swimming  pool  project  started. 

33 — Robt.  W.  Van  Tassel,  of  Lindale,  made  Colonel  on  Governor  Kardwick's  staff. 
16 — Mrs.  J.  Lindsay  Johnson  sold  controlling  interest  in  Rome  Tribune-Herald  to 

J.  Ed  Maddox,  Thos.  W.  Lipscomb,  E.  E.  Lindsey  and  associates. 
27 — "Sequoyah,"  house  boat  built  by  Scoutmaster  Ed  King's  Boy  Scout  Troop  2, 
launched  on  Oostanaula  river  in  Fourth  Ward  before  large  crowd;  prayer  by 
Rev.  J.  L.  Hodges;  principal  speakers,  James  Maddox  and  Claire  J.  Wyatt. 
30 — Rev.  Harry  F.  Joyner's  Maple  Street  Community  House  playground  and  gym- 
nasium opened  in  East  Rome. 
31   (Sunday) — Notice  given  of  approaching  city  Clean-up  Week. 

AUGUST— 

3 — Committees  named  for  Home-coming  Week,  October  10-16. 
8 — Limits  extension  bill  introduced  in  Georgia  Legislature,  Atlanta,  by  Hon.  John 
Camp  Davis,  of  Floyd. 

11 — News — Kiwanis  dairying  and  creamery  project  commended  at  Hotel  Forrest 
luncheon  by  Roland  Turner,  of  Southern  Railway  Development  Service.  Rotary 
Club,  Walter  S.  Cothran,  president,  started  city  planning  project. 

19 — Kiwanis  Club  and  Women's  Auxiliary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  presented 
Miss  Frances  Brown,  lyric  soprano,  in  song  recital  at  City  Auditorium. 

20 — Dr.  Carl  Betts,  Richard  A.  Denny,  Jr.,  and  Edward  Hine  winners  of  finals 
cups  in  North  Georgia  Tennis  Tournament  at  Coosa  Country  Club. 

21  (Sunday) — Judge  John  C.  Printup  launched  movement  to  erect  monument  to 
Floyd  County  boys  who  lost  lives  in  World  War. 

22 — Hughes  T.  Reynolds,  Kiwanis  Club  president,  and  W.  E.  Bowers,  county  agri- 
cultural agent,  addressed  one-day  farm  institute  members  at  Berry  School.  Dr. 
Carl  Betts'  Scout  Troop  4  off  for  Ship  Island,  Oostanaula  River,  on  Annie  H. 


Miscellaneous — 1920-1921  Chronology 


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484  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

23 — Floyd  County  Sunday  School  Association  Convention  at  Berry  Schools. 

24 — Barclay  Terhune,  Chulio  District  farmer,  again  brought  to  Rome  first  bale  of 
cotton  of  season;  sold  to  Taul  B.  White  at  21 1/2  cents  a  pound. 

26 — Congressman  Gordon  Lee  got  Howitzer  at  Camp  Jackson,  S.  C,  for  memorial 
to  Floyd  County  boys  of  World  War. 

27 — Coosa  Country  Club  held  swimming  and  diving  contests.  Miss  Helen  Knox 
Spain  started  Rome  Musical  Center  on  Lower  Broad  Street,  with  touch  of  Bo- 
hemia. Floyd  County  Farm  Bureau's  first  annual  picnic  at  Morrison's  Camp 
Ground. 

SEPTEMBER— 

2 — Rev.  S.  E.  Wasson,  of  Atlanta,  and  Rev.  Horace  Freeman,  of  Newnan,  offici- 
ated at  military  funeral  at  First  Methodist  church  of  Lieut.  Walton  Shanklin, 
U.  S.  A.,  killed  in  France  Oct.  15,  1918,  in  Argonne  Forest  drive.  City  Com- 
mission refused  petition  of  Rome  Municipal  Gas  Co.  for  increased  gas  rate. 
Lee  J.  Langley,  attorney,  appointed  by  Governor  Hardwick  member  of  State 
Waterway  and'  Canal  Commission.  Girls'  School  at  Mt.  Berry  opened. 
3 — Hugh  L.  Hodgson,  pianist,  and  T.    Goodwin,  both  of  Athens,  motored  through 

Rome  on  way  home  from  Chattanooga  tennis  tournament. 
5  (Labor  Day) — Boy   Scout  swimming  and   diving  events   at   "Head   of   Coosa." 
Motor  boat  races  won  by  Fred  Hoffman's  "A.  M.  L."     Baseball,  double  header: 
Lindale  6—2,  Rome  2—1. 
6 — Rome  committee  failed  to  make  connection  at  Cartersville  with  Dixie  tourists 
going  to  Cincinnati  from  Jacksonville.     Cotton  up;   20  cents  a  pound. 

10 — Miss  Nettie  Dickerson,  60,  of  Cave  Spring,  killed  in  auto  accident  on  Alabama 
Road.     Fifty  Rome  girls  nominated  for  Home-coming  Queen. 

11  (Sunday) — Rev.  and  Mrs.  G.  Campbell  Morgan  and  Misses  E.  and  K.  Morgan 
and  Howard  Morgan,  their  children,  had  supper  at  the  Hotel  Forrest  en  route 
to  their  new  home  in  Athens,  Ga.  Gordon  L.  Hight  returned  from  Chicago 
radio  convention. 

12 — LaGrange  won  Georgia  State  League  baseball  pennant  from  Lindale.  Etowah 
River  clearer  than  the  Oostanaula  at  Rome. 

13 — Jas.  A.  Holloman,  of  Washington,  addressed  Kiwanis  Club  at  Hotel  Forrest  on 
tax  problems.  Fatty  Arbuckle  movie  pictures  at  Elite  Theatre  called  off  by 
Manager  O.  C.  Lam.  Main  leak  under  Oostanaula  River  at  Fifth  Avenue  caused 
City  Manager  Sam  S.  King  to  cut  off  water  for  about  10  hours  for  Fourth 
Ward,  West  Rome  and  Berry  Schools. 

15 — Shorter  College  opened  forty-eighth  annual  session  with  207  girls  from  16 
states;  135  from  Georgia,  15  from  Alabama,  15  from  Florida  and  12  from  Ten- 
nessee. Senator  Wm.  J.  Harris,  of  Cedartown,  on  visit  to  Rome  and  Berry 
Schools. 

16 — Roman  Minstrels  put  on  Red  Cross  benefit  performance  at  City  Auditorium. 

17 — Robt.  M.  Gibson  winner  over  Arthur  S.  West  of  Coosa  Country  Club  golf 
trophy. 

20 — Public  meeting  addressed  by  Linton  A.  Dean,  Bernard  S.  Fahy,  Byard  F. 
Quigg,  H.  H.  Shackelton,  Rev.  W.  M.  Barnett  and  Gordon  Watson,  urging  more 
money  for  public  schools. 

21 — John  Robinson's  circus  in  Fourth  Ward. 

22 — Salvation  Army  drive  opened  with  W.  L.  Shaddix  in  charge.  Dr.  Elizabeth 
B.  Reed,  of  the  U.  S.  Public  Health  Service,  Washington,  spoke  at  the  Berry 
Schools. 

23 — Miss  Madeline  Cashin,  of  Peoria,  His.,  put  on  local  amateur  players  in  "0,  O 
Cindy!"  Gay  Jespersen's  Lindale  band  signed  for  North  Georgia  Fair,  Octo- 
ber 10-15. 

24— Congressman  Gordon  Lee  visited  Curb  Market.     Bowie  Stove  Works  destroyed 
in  East  Rome  fire  with  loss  of  $100,000. 

OCTOBER— 

'^—^'^^^^^^  on  Darlington  Field,  East  Rome:  Central  High  School  (Chattanooga) 
7,  Darlmgton  School  6. 

2 — Jewish  New  Year  celebrated  two  days. 


a^C 


486 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


3 — Mass  meeting  at  City  Auditorium  discussed  city  limits  extension  and  proposed 

McLin  cotton  mill. 
8 — Miss  Louise  Berry  elected  Queen  of  Home-coming  week  and  ball.     Football  at 
Hamilton  Field:  Rome  High  School  30,  Disque  of  Gadsden  0. 

10 — Fritz  Lieber,  Shakespearean  player,  in  "The  Merchant  of  Venice"  at  City  Audi- 
torium. Governor  Thomas  W.  Hardwick,  of  Atlanta,  spoke  at  opening  of  North 
Georgia  Fair  on  state  tax  and  revenue  problems. 

11 — Horse  races  at  fair,  George  Stiles  winning.  Principal  speaker  for  day,  Lee 
J.  Langley. 

]2 — Horse  races  at  fair.  Principal  speaker,  State  Senator  J.  H.  Mills,  of  Butts  Co. 

14 — Home-coming  day  at  Fair.  Races.  Miss  Louise  Berry  crowned  Queen  by  H.  A. 
Dean,  following  addresses  by  H.  H.  Shackelton,  home-coming  chairman,  and 
Hon.  Wright  Willingham.  Hon.  Claude  H.  Porter  spoke  under  auspices  of  the 
League  of  Women  Voters  in  favor  of  disarmament  and  peace.  Day's  attend- 
ance, 10,000.    Queen's  Ball  at  Shrine  Hall  at  night,  Fred  Malone  acting  as  King. 

14 — Dairy  Day  at  Fair.  Roland  Turner  and  J.  F.  Bazemore,  speakers.  Races. 
Boy  Scouts  in  Indian  pageant  at  night.  Football  at  Marietta,  Ga. :  Rome  High 
School  6,  Marietta  High  School  0. 

16  (Sunday) — Mrs.  John  R.  Barclay  assured  of  strong  support  in  race  for  Rome 
postmastership.  W.  A.  Parker,  of  Community  Service,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  spoke 
at  First  Methodist  and  First  Christian  churches  on  need  of  more  recreational 
and  outdoor  facilities  in  Rome  as  an  aid  to  healthful  and  wholesome  young  citi- 
zenship. 

21— Football  at  Hamilton  Field:  Rome  High  School  25,  Marist  College  (Atlanta)  7. 


MAKING  THE  MOST  OF  WAR  CONDITIONS. 

"Big  John"  Underwood,  the  grocer,  "steered"  away  fron»  Rome,  according  to  "Bill 
Arp's  Scrap  Book,"  to  accept  a  commission  at  Savannah  as  a  member  of  the  staff  of 
Gov.  Jos.  E.  Brown  Lacking  harness,  he  employed  other  means.  "Big  John"  was  in 
the  Georgia  Guard  detail  which  arrested  John  Howard  Payne  in  1835.  Many  other 
Romans    refugeed    from    the    city    from    1863    to    1865. 


Tabloid  Facts 


Did  You  Know  That — 

"Chiaha"  was  the  Indian  for  "Otter  Place"  (now  Rome)  ? 

Bayard  Franklin  Jones,  New  York  artist,  was  born  in  Rome  in  1869? 

Alexander  H.  Stephens,  Benj.  H.  Hill  and  Alfred  Iverson  visited  Rome  in  the 
same  week  in  1860? 

James  Noble,  Jr.,  and  associates  founded  the  Rome  Volunteer  Fire  Department? 
Henry  W.  Grady  was  a  member  of  Rainbow  Steam  Fire  Engine  Company  No.  1? 

Judge  John  W.  Hooper  moved  from  Cassville  to  Rome  directly  after  the  Civil 
War? 

George  Barnsley,  of  Barnsley  Gardens,  Bartow  County,  before  1861  boarded 
with  Mrs.  J.  G.  Yeiser  on  Third  Avenue,  and  Frank  L.  Stanton  lived  there  for  a 
short  time? 

Major  Wm.  A.  Patton,  stationed  at  headquarters  telephones,  helped  direct 
sector  artillery  operations  in  the  World  War  battles  of  St.  Mihiel  and  the  Argonne, 
France? 

John  Hume  brought  the  first  bath-tub  to  Rome,  from  Charleston,  about  1850? 

Daniel  R.  Mitchell  owned  the  first  piano? 

Coosa  Old  Town  was  an  Indian  village  on  the  Coosa  River  near  Rome,  South 
Rome  side,  and  was  destroyed  on  or  about  Oct.  17,  1793,  by  Gen.  John  Sevier, 
ancestor  of  numerous  Romans? 

An  erratic  character  known  to  the  Cherokee  Indians  as  the  "Widow  Fool" 
operated  a  ferry  in  1819  at  the  forks  of  the  Oostanaula  and  Hightower  (Etowah) 
Rivers? 

Miss  Eliza  Frances  Andrews,  botanist,  has  had  her  habitat  in  Rome  since  1911? 

Major  Ridge's  ferry,  opposite  his  home  on  the  Oostanaula,  was  seized  in  1835 
by  a  white  man  named  Garrett,  who  claimed  Ridge  would  not  run  it  or  let  any- 
body else  run  it? 

Father  Ryan,  Indiana  poet,  once  visited  Rome  to  see  about  the  Kane  property 
in  New  York,  and  was  the  guest  of  Mrs.  Mary  Adkins,  mother  of  Wm.  H.  Adkins? 

Thos.  A.  Wheat,  of  Ridge  Valley,  loaded  the  first  ten-inch  Mortar  cartridge 
fired  at  Fort  Sumter  in  1861? 

The  Santa  Anna  silver  service,  captured  by  Houston  at  the  Battle  of  San 
Jacinto,  was  once  the  property  of  Henry  Pope  at  Pope's  Ferry? 

Heavy  guns  furnished  the  Cherokee  Artillery  by  the  Nobles  were  captured  by 
Gen.  Sherman  at  Resaca? 

Before  Barney  Swimmer  and  Terrapin,  Cherokees,  were  hung  on  Broad  Street 
for  robbing  and  murdering  Ezekiel  Blatchford  (or  Braselton),  of  Hall  County, 
a  land  seeker,  in  1837,  they  were  allowed  to  take  a  last  swim  under  guard  at  the 
forks  of  the  Etowah  and  the  Oostanaula? 

"Ga-la-gi-na"  ("male  deer"  or  "turkey")  who  later  took  the  name  of  Elias 
Boudinot,  president  of  Congress,  was  born  in  the  present  Floyd  County  in  1803? 

"Stand  Watie",  Major  Ridge's  brother,  who  commanded  a  regiment  of  Indians 
in  the  Civil  War  as  Confederates,  lived  near  Rome? 

Clyde  Moore  Shropshire,  speaker  of  the  Tennessee  House  of  Representatives, 
Nashville,  ran  for  Governor  of  Tennessee  in  1918? 

Col.  Benj.  Cudworth  Yancey  served  in  the  Legislatures  of  South  Carolina, 
Alabama  and  Georgia? 

Rome  once  had  thirteen  whisky  saloons? 

Jack  King  was  the  second  of  Capt.  Jno.  D.  Williamson  in  the  Calhoun-William- 
son duel.  Dr.  Henry  Halsey  Battey  was  his  physician,  and  Capt.  Jno.  J.  Seay  and 
John  G.  Taylor  were  spectators? 

William   Smith  owned  a  horse-race  track  between  the  forks  of  the  rivers? 

Col.  Chas.  Iverson  Graves  was  in  charge  of  the  Confederate  Naval  School  at 
Richmond,  Va.,  in  the  Civil  War,  and  in  1865  sent  his  wife  and  son.  Chas.  I. 
Graves,  Jr.,  then  a  baby,  in  a  covered  wagon  to  Georgia  from  Richmond,  in 
company  with  Mrs.  Jefferson  Davis? 


488  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

Prize  chicken  fights  used  to  be  held  in  cock-pits  on  Broad  Street? 

Terrell  Speed,  Oostanaula  River  fisherman  and  trapper,  was  known  as  "The 
Coonskin  Statesman,"  and  that  a  cigar  was  named  after  him? 

Judge  William  H.  Underwood,  father  of  Congressman  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood, 
represented  the  Indians  in  claims  against  the  Government,  and  sleeps  in  an  un- 
marked grave  in  the  old  Seventh  Avenue  Cemetery,  Rome? 

The  organ  played  by  George  Whitefield,  the  great  churchman,  at  Savannah, 
once  was  installed  in  St.  Peter's  Episcopal  Church? 

Fourteen  thousand  Cherokees,  headed  by  John  Ross  and  others,  marched  afoot 
600  miles  to  "The  Arkansaw"  in  1838  and  1839,  and  4,500  of  them  died  of  disease 
or  exposure,  or  were  slain  by  United  States  troops,  and  the  pilgrimage  was  known 
as  "The  Trail  of  Tears"? 

Cave  Spring,  on  Little  Cedar  Creek,  was  incorporated  with  a  "growth  radius" 
of  %  mile  and  is  an  older  town  than  Rome,  and  Rome  is  older  than  Atlanta? 

The  Bowies  of  Rome  were  descended  from  Gen.  Bowie,  of  Alamo  and  "Bowie 
knife"  fame? 

Col.  Nicholas  James  Bayard,  Roman,  was  descended  from  Chevalier  Bayard, 
the  great  Frenchman? 

The  Cherokees  used  to  play  a  game  similar  to  football? 

Some  historians  claim  that  Ferdinand  DeSoto,  Spanish  cavalier,  spent  nearly 
30  days  on  the  site  of  the  present  Rome  in  1540? 

Part  of  the  Fourth  Ward  of  Rome  has  always  been  called  "DeSoto"? 

The  region  north  of  the  Chattahoochee  River,  some  25  counties,  was  called 
"Cherokee  Georgia"  before  the  Civil  War? 

John  Ross,  principal  chief  of  the  Chei'okees,  lived  several  years  in  DeSoto  and 
started  his  letters  "Head  of  Coosa"? 

Major  Ridge,  leader  of  the  Treaty  Party  of  the  Indians,  lived  from  1794  to 
1837,  43  years,  up  the  Oostanaula  River  two  miles  from  Rome? 

The  Cherokees  were  the  most  intelligent  nation  of  Indians  on  the  North  Amer- 
ican continent? 

Sequoyah,  who  invented  the  Cherokee  alphabet,  lived  in  the  adjoining  county 
of  Chattooga,  near  Alpine? 

Gen.  John  Floyd,  of  Fairfield  Plantation,  Camden  County,  made  possible 
the  peaceful  settlement  of  Floyd  County  by  dispersing  Indian  bands  in  Alabama? 
Also  that  Floyd  County  was  named  for  him  in  1832  when  "Cherokee  Georgia" 
was  broken  up  into  counties? 

The  county  seat  of  Floyd  County  for  about  two  years  was  Livingston,  down  the 
Coosa  River? 

Rome  was  founded  in  1834  by  Zachariah  B.  Hargrove,  Philip  W,  Hemphill  and 
Daniel  R.  Mitchell,  lawyers,  and  William  Smith,  planter? 

Names  were  drawn  from  a  hat,  and  one  put  in  by  Col.  Mitchell — Rome — was 
chosen? 

Three  of  the  four  founders  of  Rome  lie  buried  in  Myrtle  Hill? 

William  Smith  built  Rome's  first  steamboat,  the  William  Smith? 

Rome  once  depended  upon  her  steamboat  trade  for  her  life? 

Rome  came  near  being  placed  on  the  main  line  of  the  W.  &  A.  Railroad  between 
Chattanooga  and  Atlanta? 

Rome  sent  four  men  to  Congress  before  the  Civil  War? 

Rome  has  sent  two  men  to  Congress  since  the  Civil  War? 

Floyd  and  several  adjoining  counties  have  never  furnished  a  Governor? 

Gen.  Beauregard  said  after  the  First  Battle  of  Manassas,  "I  lift  my  hat  to  the 
Eighth  Georgia  Regiment!  (Rome  companies).     History  will  never  forget  you!"? 

Gen.  Forrest,  with  410  Confederates,  Sunday,  May  3,  1863,  captured  1,466 
Union  soldiers,  marched  them  into  Rome  and  saved  it  from  destruction? 

Forrest  was  given  the  finest  horse  in  Rome  by  Col.  A.  M.  Sloan,  and  admiring 
women  cut  off  locks  of  his  hair? 

The  celebrated  "Green  Corn  Dances'"  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  used  to  be  held 
on  the  lawn  of  Chief  Ridge's  home? 


Miscellaneous — Tabloid  Facts  489 

Maj.  C.  A.  De  La  Mesa,  U.  S.  A.,  hung  a  large  American  flag  over  Broad 
street  in  Reconstruction  days  and  forced  ex-Confederates  and  civilians  to  sa- 
lute it? 

Col.  Marrast  Perkins  has  served  with  the  Marines  all  over  the  world? 
Rome's  first  real  cyclone  came  Saturday,  April  16,  1921,  and  resulted  in  a  loss  of 
no  lives? 

The  first  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson  lies  buried  beside  her  parents,  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Saml.  Edward  Axson,  in  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery? 

The  term  "Cherokee"  means  "Upland  Fields"? 

A  Congressman — Judge  John  H.  Lumpkin — sleeps  in  the  old  Seventh  Avenue 
Cemetery? 

Henry  Grady  was  accustomed  as  a  Rome  newspaper  editor  to  scratch  notes  on 
his  cuffs?  That  his  trunk  was  attached  when  he  left  Rome  for  Atlanta,  and  his 
wedding  silver  was  threatened? 

The  Rev.  Sam  P.  Jones  did  not  start  fighting  liquor  until  after  he  had  left 
Rome? 

Major  Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill  Arp")  wrote  a  saucy  open  letter  in  1861  to  "Abe 
Linkhorn"?  The  original  Bill  Arp  was  a  Chulio  District  farmer?  Major  Smith 
was  a  law  partner  of  Judge  Joel  Branham  and  Judge  J.  W.  H.  Underwood? 

Theodore  P.  Shonts,  Chicago  and  New  York  traction  magnate,  came  to  Rome 
about  1900  to  select  a  school  for  his  daughters,  Theodora  and  Marguerite,  and  on 
requesting  a  negro  cabman  to  take  him  to  the  most  interesting  spot  in  town,  was 
driven  to  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery? 

The  Noble  Foundry  made  cannon  for  the  Confederacy  in  the  Civil  War,  and 
Ihe  machine  lathe  that  bored  them  is  still  in  use  at  the  Davis  Foundry  &  Ma- 
chine Shop? 

Rome's  business  district  was  burned  by  Sherman's  army  in  1864,  and  the  mes- 
sage that  brought  his  orders  to  march  to  the  sea  was  sent  from  Rome? 

Chas.  Morgan  Seay,  actor  and  playwright,  formerly  made  motion  pictures 
for  Thos.  A.  Edison,  and  has  had  50  photoplays  produced? 

Gen.  Jos.  E.  Johnston,  C.  S.  A.,  visited  Rome  Dec.  3,  1868,  as  the  guest  of 
Major  Chas.  H.  Smith? 

Henry  A.  Gartrell,  uncle  of  Henry  W.  Grady,  was  mayor  of  Rome  in  1860, 
and  moved  to  Athens  in  1865? 

Mayor  Zach  Hargrove  once  issued  .$50,000  of  local  money  to  meet  a  financial 
stringency,  and  was  called  to  account  by  the  Federal  authorities? 

A  sword  hilt,  a  carved  pipe  and  piece  of  breastplate  were  unearthed  at  Rome 
which  are  believed  to  have  belonged  to  Ferdinand  DeSoto? 

The  old  Seventh  Avenue  Cemetery  was  abandoned  and  Myrtle  Hill  established 
in  1857? 

Martha  Baldwin  Smith  (Mrs.  Robt.  Battey)  was  the  first  white  child  to  be 
brought  into  Floyd  County? 

The  first  monument  to  the  Women  of  the  Confederacy  was  erected  in  Rome? 

Rome  was  visited  Saturday,  Oct.  8,  1910,  by  Theodore  Roosevelt,  and  President 
Harding  spoke  to  her  citizens  Friday,  Jan.  21,  1921? 

Woodrow  Wilson  was  visiting  an  aunt,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Bones,  at  Ronio.  when  he 
met  his  first  wife,  Ellen  Lou  Axson? 

Mrs.  Wilson's  father,  the  Rev.  Saml.  Edward  Axson.  accepted  the  pastorate 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  1866  without  any  promise  of  salary? 

The  benches  of  Rome  churches  were  used  to  build  pontoon  bridges  during  the 
Civil  War? 

Church  basements  were  used  to  quarter  horses  of  the  Northern  .\rniy? 

William  Jennings  Brvan,  Wm.  G.  McAdoo.  Col.  Roosevelt,  Dr.  Albert  Shaw, 
Miss  Ida  M.  Tarbell  and  "Dr.  Howard  A.  Kelly  have  addressed  the  students  of  the 
famous  Berry  Schools? 

The  Berry  Schools  constantly  refuse  admission  to  the  sons  of  wealthy  fathers? 

Rome's  Belgian  Colony  settled  at  Carlier  Springs,  three  miles  east  of  the  city? 

Dr.  Louis  Mathieu  Edouard  Berckmans,  native  Belgian,  was  a  skilled  violinist 
and  maintained  a  hermit's  retreat  at  Mt.  Alto? 


490  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

Chief  John  Ross  as  a  boy  was  known  as  "Tsan-usdi"  ("Little  John"),  and  later 
as  "Koo-wes-koo-wee"   ("Swan")  ? 

Chief  Ridg'e  was  called  "Ka-nun-ta-cla-ge"  ("Man  who  walks  on  the  ridges 
or  mountain  tops")? 

Prof.  J.  J.  Darlington  furnished  the  inspiration  for  the  establishment  of  the 
Darlington  School? 

Gen.  John  B.  Gordon  attended  school  at  Hearn  Academy,  Cave  Spring? 

Lavender  Mountain  and  Lavender  Village  were  named  after  George  Michael 
Lavender,  pioneer  trading  post  man? 

Ferries  were  a  profitable  industry  before  Rome's  bridges  were  built? 

Col.  John  H.  Wisdom  rode  like  Paul  Revere  to  warn  Romans  of  the  approach 
of  the  Federals  from  Gadsden  in  May,  1863? 

Rome  entertained  Governors  Jos.  E.  Brown,  Herschel  V.  Johnson,  John  B. 
Gordon  and  other  executives? 

Benj.  Cudworth  Yancey,  brother  of  Wm.  L.  Yancey,  of  Alabama,  secession 
leader,  served  as  minister  to  Argentina?  Also  that  he  was  slated  for  Ambassador 
to  Great  Britain  by  President  Buchanan  when  Civil  War  complications  interfered? 

A  casual  Roman — Capt.  John  D.  Williamson — participated  in  the  last  aifair  of 
honor  in  the  South  under  the  code  duello,  with  Pat  Calhoun,  of  Atlanta,  near  Cedar 
Bluff,  Ala.,  Saturday,  Aug.  10,  1889? 

A  Roman — Wm.  G.  Campbell — established  a  world's  record  for  looping-the- 
loop  in  an  aeroplane? 

Jim  Montgomery  created  the  "Velvet  Joe"  tobacco  advertising? 

Chas.  Iverson  Graves  served  abroad  in  the  Khedive  of  Egypt's'  army? 

Thomas  Berry  and  Col.  J.  G.  Yeiser  once  commanded  American  troops  on  the 
Mexican  border? 

Two  Romans — Rev.  G.  A.  Nunnally  and  Seaborn  Wright — once  ran  for  Gov- 
ernor on  the  Prohibition  ticket,  and  Seaborn  Wright  was  mentioned  for  President? 
Hooper  Alexander  ran  for  Governor  and  Congress? 

John  Temple  Graves  once  ran  for  Vice-President  on  the  Independent  ticket? 

Col.  J.  Lindsay  Johnson  served  as  census  director  of  the  Philippines  and  died 
in  the  islands? 

Donald  Harper,  Paris  lawyer,  is  a  chevalier  of  the  French  Legion  of  Honor? 
"Lord  Beresford's"  real  name  was  Sidney  Lascelles,  and  that  he  wrote  a  book- 
let about  Rome? 

Stockton  Axson,  brother  of  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson,  was  born  at  Rome  in  1867? 

The  site  of  Rome  381  years  ago  was  possibly  an  island? 

Col.  Cunningham  M.  Pennington  laid  before  the  Confederate  Cabinet  in  1861 
at  Montgomery  a  plan  for  an  armored  warship? 

Gen.  Nathan  Bedford  Forrest  hitched  his  horse  where  the  Hotel  Forrest  now 
stands? 

Danl.  R.  Mitchell  was  known  as  the  father  of  the  Rome  bar? 

A  Confederate  signal  station  was  operated  on  Eighth  avenue  during  the  Fed- 
eral occupation  of  Rome  in  1864? 

The  bachelors  of  "Poverty  Hall"  some  25  years  ago  bought  a  tract  of  land  on 
Mt.  Alto  with  the  idea  of  building  a  lodge? 

Judge  John  H.  Lumpkin  died  on  the  veranda  of  the  Choice  House  (later  the 
Central  Hotel),  July  10,  1860,  while  conversing  with  political  friends? 

Howard  Tinsley  is  in  the  consular  service  at  Montevideo,  Uruguay? 

A  locomotive  of  the  Rome  Railroad,  called  the  "Wm.  R.  Smith,"  was  used 
April  12,  1862,  in  the  pursuit  past  Kingston  after  Andrews'  Wild  Raiders  on  the 
"General"? 

The  Nobles  tested  Confederate  cannon  by  shooting  them  into  a  bluff  across  the 
Etowah  River  during  the  Civil  War? 

A  steamer  steamed  up  Broad  street  to  Third  avenue  in  the  flood,  March 
ol,  1886? 

Dr.  George  Magruder  Battey,  of  the  Augustus  N.  Verdery  place,  "Riverbank 
Farm,"  had  one  of  the  finest  poultry  establishments  in  the  United  States? 


'/Y~0-€<r^'-^ 


492  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

Rev.  Luther  R.  Gwaltney  first  suggested  to  Col.  Alfred  Shorter  the  establish- 
ment of  Shorter  College? 

Capt.  Francis  Marion  Coulter  built  a  dozen  steamboats  at  Rome? 

Telamon  Cruger  Smith-Cuyler  shook  hands  with  Grover  Cleveland  and  King 
Edward  VII  of  England? 

Sproull   Fouche  filled  the   post  of   American  vice-consul   at    Bucharest,    Rou- 
mania? 

Rome  and  Georgia  doctors  held  indignation  meetings  and  threatened  to  lynch 
Dr.  Robert  Battey  for  performing  the  Battey  operation,  Aug.  27,  1872?  Also 
that  Dr.  Battey  defended  himself  so  ably  at  a  meeting  in  the  State  Capitol,  At- 
lanta, that  Henry  W.  Grady  referred  to  him  as  the  "Cicero  of  the  Georgia  Medical 
Profession"?  Dr.  Battey  was  a  civil  engineer,  then  pharmacist,  and  had  six  chil- 
di'en  before  he  practised  medicine?  In  his  youth  he  clerked  in  a  dry  goods  store  at 
Detroit,  Mich.,  for  Zach  Chandler,  later  United  States  Senator? 

Col.  Hamilton  Yancey  roomed  with  Henry  W.  Grady  at  the  University  of 
Georgia,  Athens,  and  was  one  of  his  groomsmen  at  his  marriage  in  Athens  to 
Miss  Julia  King.? 

Col.  Alfred  Shorter  nearly  always  walked  to  town,  a  mile,  from  "Thornwood," 
his  West  Rome  home,  with  his  walking  stick  under  his  arm? 

"Maplehurst,"  home  place  of  the  president  of  Shorter  College,  was  bought  in 
January,  1869,  by  Capt.  J.  M.  Selkirk,  of  Charleston,  and  later  became  the  prop- 
erty of  Hugh  T.  Inman,  of  Atlanta,  and  Joe  L.  Bass,  of  Rome? 

Dunlap  Scott,  member  of  the  Legislature,  passed  around  a  petition  March  20, 
1872,  for  a  bill  admitting  Forrestville  (North  Rome)  into  Rome?  North  Rome 
was  first  called  Woodville? 

Judge  Joel  Branham  about  50  years  ago  enjoined  owners  from  selling  the  face 
of  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  to  negroes  for  residence  purposes? 

The  Nobles  left  Rome  and  founded  Anniston,  Ala.,  because  they  thought  East 
Rome  land  they  wanted  for  their  foundry  extensions  was  priced  too  high? 

Other  names  suggested  for  Rome  were  Hillsboro,  Hamburg,  Warsaw  and 
Pittsburg?  Also  that  South  Rome  along  the  Etowah  River  was  once  known  as 
Hillsboro?     Also  that  the  Etowah  was  sometimes  known  as  "Hightower"? 

The  Rev.  Marcellus  Lyttleton  Troutman,  Methodist  minister  of  Pope's  Ferry, 
graduated  at  the  University  of  Georgia  law  school  after  he  was  50? 

Generals  of  the  Northern  Army  occupying  Rome  in  1864  accused  prominent 
Rome  women  of  supplying  the  Confederates  with  information  by  "underground 
telephone"? 

A  Cherokee  Indian  returned  from  Indian  Territory  about  40  years  ago  and 
dug  for  buried  treasure  on  the  Sproull   (Haynes-Howel)   place,  north  of  Rome? 

Soldiers  of  the  Union  Army  dug  into  graves  in  North  Rome,  searching  for  gold 
and  silver  plate? 

Colquitt's  Scouts  hung  Col.  L.  D.  Burwell  several  minutes  by  the  neck  to 
make  him  tell  where  his  money  was  hid?  Also  that  Mrs.  Robt.  Battey  concealed 
$500    in    gold    in   her    stockings    and   shoes   for    him? 

Rome  women  used  "smoke  house  salt"  during  the  Civil  War? 

Miss  Florence  Fouche,  the  newly-wed  wife  of  Capt.  Edward  Jones  Magruder, 
of  the  Rome  Light  Guards,  went  marching  off  to  war  with  him  with  pistol  and 
dagger  in  her  belt? 

Mrs.  Hiram  Hill  sent  the  Mitchell  Guards  away  with  a  speech  and  a  silk 
battle  flag? 

The  Rome  Courier,  Capt.  Melville  Dwinell,  editor,  used  to  swap  subscriptions 
for  stove  wood  and  "anything  that  could  be  eaten  or  worn"? 

Danl.  R.  Mitchell  gave  the  land  on  which  the  First  Methodist  Church  origi- 
nally stood  on  Sixth  avenue? 

Bishop  Thos.  Fielding  Scott,  of  Marietta,  founded  St.  Peter's  Episcopal  Church 
in  Rome? 

Alfred  Shorter  was  a  Baptist? 

Ivy  Ledbetter  Lee,  publicity  director  of  the  Standard  Oil  Co.,  New  York,  lived 
in  Rome  more  than  two  years? 

Bauxite  was  first  mined  in  Floyd  County? 


Miscellaneous — Tabloid  Facts 


493 


MISS  MARY  DARLINGTON,  of  Washington. 
D.  C,  first  graduate  (in  1877)  of  Shorter 
College,    and  sister   of   J.    J.    Darlington. 


J.  J.  DARLINGTON,  lawyer  and  educator, 
who  taught  many  Romans  and  whose  gene- 
rosity  made   possible  the   Darlington    School. 


The  "Pony  Clubs"  were  white  men  who  blacked  their  faces  and  robbed  the 
Indians,  between  1830  and  1839? 

Capt.  Reuben  Grove  Clark  donated  $3,000  toward  the  Sunday  School  room  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  1896,  and  it  was  named  the  Rosalie  Clark  Me- 
morial? 

Prof.  Palemon  J.  King  was  once  the  best-known  school  teacher  in  Floyd  County? 

Prof.  Hay  Watson  Smith  was  a  Presbyterian  preacher  as  well  as  a  teacher? 

Miss  Elizabeth  Lanier,  granddaughter  of  Sidney  Lanier,  the  poet,  spent  a 
week  from  Jan.  24,  1921,  at  the  Berry  Schools?  That  Dr.  Albert  Shaw,  of  New 
York,  editor  of  the  American  Review  of  Reviews,  visited  Berry  April  21-2(i,  1921, 
with  Mrs.  Shaw  and  called  the  school  idea  the  greatest  in  America? 

The  late  Dr.  A.  W.  Van  Hoose,  president  of  Shorter  College,  taught  young 
ladies  for  40  years? 

Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson  attended  the  Rome  Female  College? 

Joshua  Daniel,  grandfather  of  Lucian  L.  Knight,  state  historian,  owned  a 
plantation  up  the  Oostanaula  River? 

Daniel  R.  Mitchell  sold  the  Mitchell  plantation  of  2,500  acres,  up  the  Oosta- 
naula, including  Whitmore's  Bluff  and  Island,  in  18G3,  for  $80,000  in  Confederate 
money  in  preference  to  $60,000  in  gold? 

Chief  John  Ross  was  arrested  in  Tennessee  in  1835  near  Spring  Place,  Murray 
County,  with  John  Howard  Payne,  author  of  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  John  H. 
("Big  John")   Underwood,  of  Rome,  was  one  of  their  military  guard? 

Ross  offered  to  sell  the  Cherokee  lands  to  the  Government  for  $20,000,000, 
but  the  proposition  of  his  rival.  Ridge,  for  $5,000,000,  was  accepted? 

Major  Ridge  was  breveted  by  General  Andrew  Jackson  for  bravery  at  the 
Battle  of  Horseshoe  Bend,  Tallapoosa  River.  Alabama,  March,  1814?  ALso  that 
the  Cherokees  nicknamed  Jackson  "Straight  Talk"? 

Judge  Jas.  M.  Spullock,  superintendent  of  the  W.  &  A.  (State)  Railroad  con- 
tracted with  the  Noble  Foundry  for  the  construction  of  the  fir.st  locomotive  built 


494  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


of  native  materials  in  the  South,  the  Alfred  Shorter  (1856),  at  $11,000,  and  Gov- 
ernor Jos.  E.  Brown  refused  to  pay  such  an  "excessive  price"? 

John  Ridge  (son  of  Major  Ridge)  and  his  sister,  Sally,  were  educated  in  the 
East,  and  were  accomplished  musicians? 

In  June,  1839,  at  an  Indian  Territory  settlement,  Major  Ridge  was  shot  to 
death  from  ambush;  his  son  John  was  killed  with  knives,  and  Elias  Boudinot, 
editor  of  the  Cherokee  Phoenix,  was  hacked  to  death  with  tomahawks  by  Chero- 
kees  who  claimed  they  had  betrayed  the  Nation? 

The  first  automobile  in  Rome  was  driven  from  Atlanta  by  Edward  H.  Inman? 

Boiling  Sulivan  owned  the  first  pneumatic  tire  bicycle? 

John  Temple  Graves  rode  a  "big  and  little  wheel"  bicycle  dressed  in  a  silk  hat? 

The  Mayo  Bar  Lock  ("lock  and  dam")  was  named  after  Micajah  Mayo? 

Motor  boating  is  now  a  popular  sport  in  Rome? 

The  steamboats  have  practically  disappeared? 

Boy  and  Girl  Scout  organizations  in  Rome  are  among  the  livest  in  the  State? 

Rome  lends  itself  more  readily  to  development  by  the  city  beautiful  plan 
than  nearly  any  city  in  Georgia? 

Rome  and  Floyd  County  commercial,  educational,  religious  and  social  advan- 
tages are  unsurpassed,  and  climate  and  water  are  of  the  best? 

Rome  and  Floyd  County  have  produced  or  sheltered  the  following:  Congress- 
men Augustus  R.  Wright,  Thos.  C.  Hackett,  John  H.  Lumpkin,  Jno.  W.  H.  Under- 
wood, Judson  C.  Clements,  John  W,  Maddox  and  Milford  W.  Howard; 
United  States  Senators  H.  V.  M.  Miller  and  Wm.  J.  Harris;  Comptroller  General 
John  T.  Burns.  Attorney  General  Richard  A.  Denny,  Assistant  Attorney  General 
Graham  Wright;  William  H.  Hidell,  secretary  to  Alexander  H.  Stephens;  John 
Johnathan  Pratt,  inventor  of  the  pterotype  (typewriter)  ;  Col.  B.  F.  Sawyer,  in- 
ventor of  the  paper  bag  and  a  newspaper  press;  James  Noble,  Sr.,  and  his  six 
sons,  the  "Iron  Kings";  Frank  L.  Stanton;  the  Rev.  Jas.  W.  Lee;  Jas.  W.  Lee, 
Jr.,  New  York  advertising  expert;  Major  Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill  Arp")  ;  Mont- 
gomery M.  Folsom;  Jno.  Locke  Martin;  Jos.  A.  Magnus;  Israel  S.  Jonas;  Jno.  H. 
Towers,  naval  aviator;  Gen.  Wm.  L.  Marshall;  Eliza  Frances  Andrews,  botanist; 
Miss  Martha  Berry;  Geo.  B.  Ward,  mayor  of  Birmingham;  Arthur  W.  Tedcastle, 
shoe  merchant;  Jno.  W.  Bale,  speaker  pro  tern  of  the  Georgia  Legislature  and 
later  Indian  claim  agent;  Edward  A.  Heard,  New  York  dry  goods  merchant;  Will 
McKee,  Boston  shoe  merchant;  Edward  E.  Magill,  of  St.  Louis;  Dr.  Elijah  L. 
Connally,  M.  B.  Wellborn,  Walter  C.  Taylor  and  Walter  G.  Cooper,  of  Atlanta; 
Dr.  Julius  Caesar  LeHardy  de  Beaulieu,  yellow  fever  expert  of  Savannah;  Eugene 
LeHardy  de  Beaulieu,  chief  construction  engineer  of  the  Selma,  Rome  &  Dalton 
Railroad;  Prof.  Wesley  O.  Connor  and  Prof.  Jas.  Coffee  Harris,  principals  of  the 
Georgia  School  for  the  Deaf,  Cave  Spring;  Gen.  Francis  S.  Bartow,  of  Savan- 
nah and  the  Confederate  Army;  Col.  B.  F.  Sawyer,  Geo.  T.  Stovall,  Phil  Glenn 
Byrd,  Melville  Dwinell,  John  Temple  Graves,  J.  B.  Nevin,  J.  Lindsay  Johnson,  M.  A. 
Nevin,  Chas.  H.  Smith  ("Bill  Arp"),  W.  A.  Knowles  and  A.  B.  S.  Moseley, 
newspaper  editors;  Gen.  James  Hemphill,  of  Mississippi;  Joseph  Watters,  Dun- 
lap  Scott,  William  Smith  and  James  Wells,  Legislators;  Dr.  W.  C.  Doss,  of  Col- 
lege Park,  Ga.,  and  Allie  Watters,  of  Atlanta,  inventors  of  the  Doss  puncture- 
proof  automobile  tire;  J.  H.  Lanham,  inventor  of  the  Lanham  cotton  cultivator; 
Thos.  F.  Pierce,  Wm.  M.  Crumley,  Atticus  G.  Haygood,  Alex  M.  Thigpen,  Wm.  H. 
LaPrade,  Sr.,  Gen.  Clement  A.  Evans,  Weyman  H.  Potter,  T.  R.  Kendall,  Sr.,  W. 
F.  Quillian,  S.  R.  Belk,  J.  H.  Eakes,  B.  F.  Eraser,  C.  O.  Jones,  Walker  Lewis,  S.  E. 
Wasson,  Chas.  H.  Stillwell,  W.  M.  Bridges,  J.  M.  M.  Caldwell,  George  T. 
Goetchius,  Sam  P.  Jones,  G.  G.  Sydnor,  C.  B.  Hudgins,  Father  M.  J.  Clifford,  and 
Marcellus  L.  Troutman,  among  ministers;  L.  P.  Hammond,  T.  R.  Garlington, 
James  Banks  Underwood,  G.  W.  Holmes,  Robert  Battey,  J.  B.  S.  Holmes  and  Henry 
H.  Battey,  among  doctors;  John  Temple  Graves,  Jr.,  and  James  Montgomery,  au- 
thors; Gordon  L.  Hight,  wireless  expert;  Hooper  Alexander,  United  States  District 
Attorney,  and  David    J.  Meyerhardt,  Assistant  United  States  District  Attorney? 


Items  from  the  T^ress 


A  SPLENDID  METEOR— On  last 
Thursday  night  we  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  behold  one  of  those  grand  meteoric 
phenomena  of  which  we  had  often  read, 
but  never  before  witnessed.  A  little 
before  10  o'clock  our  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  a  streak  of  pale  white  light 
which  seemed  to  proceed  from  the 
moon.  It  moved  with  great  rapidity 
across  the  sky,  increasing  in  brilliancy 
and  size,  until  about  half  way  its  ca- 
reer, it  appeared  as  large  as  the  full 
moon,  its  body  as  dazzling  as  the  sun, 
surrounded  by  a  beautiful  purple  and 
blue  light,  and  followed  by  a  stream  of 
fire  a  foot  or  two  in  length.  Just  be- 
fore it  apparently  reached  the  earth  it 
changed  to  a  red  ball  of  fire,  and  ex- 
ploding with  a  cracking  noise,  threw  off 
fragments  in  every  direction  and  disap- 
peared. Its  course  was  from  southeast 
to  the  north  and  was  visible  not  more 
than  half  a  minute,  but  in  that  time 
traversed  nearly  the  entire  arch  of  the 
firmament,  hundreds  of  miles  in  length. 
Although  the  moon,  which  was  shining 
very  brightly,  was  completely  eclipsed, 
yet  if  that  luminary  had  been  below 
the  horizon  the  effect  would  have  been 
grander,  if  possible. 

None  of  the  meteors  recently  seen, 
of  which  graphic  accounts  have  reached 
us,  could  have  excelled  this  in  magnifi- 
cence and  sublimity.  Its  size,  brilliancy 
and  velocity  excited  in  the  beholder  sen- 
sations of  mingled  awe  and  admiration. 
It  impressed  us   as   a   spark  from  the 


glory  of  Heaven,  appearing  for  a  little 
while  to  remind  man  of  the  existence 
of  an  avenging  God  and  the  doom  of 
this  wicked  world,  and  then  as  if  to 
remind  him  of  His  mercy  also,  it  speed- 
ily vanished,  lest  he  might  gaze  upon 
it  and  perish. — Rome  Tri-Weekly  Cour- 
ier, 1860. 


TOM  COLEGATE  SUSPECTED— 
Don't  know  whether  Thomas  Colegate, 
prominent  advocate  of  the  single  tax 
system,  and  resident  of  the  Fifth  Ward, 
had  anything  to  do  with  it,  but  it  mat- 
ters not  whether  he  was  the  cause  of 
this  week-end  of  rain  or  not,  he  is  re- 
sponsible for  a  great  deal  of  disap- 
pointment on  the  part  of  ardent  lovers. 

Last  week,  getting  out  his  books  on 
the  stars  and  other  things  in  the  heav- 
ens, he  made  the  discovery  that  on 
the  night  of  November  27  the  old  world 
would  pass  through  the  tail  of  Biela's 
Comet,  or  rather  what  had  been  the 
tail,  and  that  as  it  did  the  country 
would  be  treated  to  a  great  and  grand 
shower  of  shooting  stars. 

This  show  comes  about  by  reason  of 
the  fact  that  this  comet  has  become  di- 
vided against  itself  and  is  now  only  a 
mass  of  flying  fragments,  having 
broken  in  half  a  number  of  years  ago, 
and  is  continually  breaking  up  since 
that  time. 

Now,  with  the  warning  of  the  shoot- 
ing stars  for  the  twenty-seventh,  young 


THE  BATTERED  HYDROPLANE  NC-3  MAKING  PORT  AT  PONTA  DELGADA 

John  Towers  comrrandcd  the  trans-Atlantic  expedition  in  the  spring  of  1919.  .indperson.illy 
had  charge  of  the  NC-3,  which  was  nearly  lost  in  a  storm.  (Note  condition  of  lower  wins). 
Lieut.  Commander  A.  C.  Read,  in  the  NC-4,  completed  the  flight  to  Plymouth,  England,  via  the 
Azores   and   Portugal.      It   was    the    Irst   time  an    air    vessel    had    crossed    the    ocean. 


496 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


and  artful  lovers  recalling  the  right  of 
man  to  implant  a  kiss  on  lips  of  maid 
for  every  shooting  star,  went  out  and 
made  numerous  "dates." 

The  dates  v^^ere  kept,  and  maybe  the 
rest  of  it  was  carried  out,  but  the  shoot- 
ing stars  were  not  seen,  for  the  skies 
are  dark  with  clouds,  and  the  heavens 
cannot  be  seen.  It's  a  sad  world,  and 
no  one  is  to  blame  but  the  weather  man, 
unless  Mr.  Colegate  by  reason  of  the 
fact  that  he  feared  his  reputation  as  an 
astrologer  brought  out  the  clouds  and 
turned  on  the  rain. 

Lightning  bugs  can't  even  be  rung 
in,  as  their  season  has  passed  with  the 
coming  of  Jack  Frost. — Wm.  A.  Patton 
in  Rome  News,  Nov.  28,  1920. 


ROME  IS  TREATED  TO  HAIL— 
Hail,  hail,  the  gang  don't  care! 
This  parody  on  the  popular  song  was 
sung  by  early  risers  going  to  work 
Tuesday  about  8:30  o'clock  in  certain 
sections  of  Rome,  including  East.  Rain 
fell  hard  first,  then  hail  for  five  min- 
utes, then  more  rain.  The  sky  looked 
like  it  would  be  overcast  practically 
all   day. 

The  fall  of  rain  was  heaviest  about 
8.     Street  gutters  became  clogged  with 


leaves,  and  citizens  used  rakes,  espe- 
cially at  Second  avenue  and  East  Sec- 
ond street.  Much  warmer  weather 
ruled  during  the  day,  and  fires  were 
not  badly  needed.— Feb.  8,  1921. 

COMET   FIZZLES   OUT. 
By  G.   M.  B.,  Jr. 
Just  ten  short  years  ago  at  night 

A  comet  came  to  town 
By  name  of  Halley;  flitted  by 

In  sphere  of  great  renown. 
Full  widely  heralded  as  bright 

And   largest   of   the   age, 
The  wonder  of  the  milky  way, 

The  joy  of  every  sage. 
It  came  and  stayed  a  little  while, 

Proved  quite  a  chilly  frost; 
Some  folks  fell  off  their  lofty  perch, 

While  other  folks  got  lost. 

Now,  Biela's  comet,  so  they  say. 

Was  due  in  Rome  last  night; 
The  fog  and  rain  so  heavy  fell 

That  none  could  get  a  sight, 
But  early  tumbled  off  to  bed 

And  did  not  bother  much 
About   the   comet's   escapades, 

Their  debts  or  sins  or  such. 

"The   comets  often  worry  me," 
Piped  Thomas  Colegate,  seer; 
"I  sometimes  wish  they'd  chase  them- 
selves 
Around  the  world  from  here." 

—Nov.  28,  1920. 


JOHN  H.  TOWERS,  U.  S.  N.,  whose  attempt 
to  fly  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  1919  near- 
ly  cost    him    his   life   oflf   the   Azores    Islands. 


SEES  WILSON  IN  METEOR— A 
meteor  of  unusual  brilliancy  was  ob- 
served in  the  northern  heavens  Fri- 
day night,  March  4,  about  6:40  by  stu- 
dents and  teachers  of  the  Berry  School 
as  they  were  leaving  the  dining  hall 
and  going  to  their  dormitories. 

David  Reynolds,  who  occupies  the 
chair  of  history  and  has  made  a  repu- 
tation at  Berry  as  lecturer  on  "South- 
ern Heroes  and.  Celebrities,"  imme- 
diately attached  a  significance  to  the 
falling  star  in  connection  with  the 
passing  of  Mr.  Wilson  from  his  high 
public  position.  "The  brightest  star 
in  the  political  firmament  is  thus  pass- 
ing," said  Mr.  Reynolds,  as  he  watched 
the  meteor  sweep  slowly  across  the 
northern  sky  from  west  to  east  and  dis- 
appear from  sight. 

"When  beggars  die  there  are  no  com- 
ets seen.  The  heavens  themselves  blaze 
forth  the  death  of  princes. 

"I  consider  Mr.  Wilson  the  third 
great  American — Washington,  the 
Father  of  his  Country;  Lincoln,  the 
Emancipator,  and  Wilson,  the  great 
Pacificator    and    Idealist — stand    alone 


498 


A  History  oprRoME  and  Floyd  County 


and  unique  among  the  many  lesser  stars 
in  the  wide  stretch  of  our  firmament 
of  the  great  and  wise  and  good  lead- 
ers that  have  been  raised  up  for  our 
country."— Mar.  7,  1921. 

AURORA  BOREALIS  THRILLS 
ROME — The  occasional  appearing  Au- 
rora Borealis  appeared  in  the  sky  over 
Rome  last  night  near  midnight  and  cut 
its  capers  for  about  15  minutes,  finally 
retreating  after  a  spasm  of  subdued 
but  spirted  flashes.  The  flashes  seem- 
ed to  come  together  at  a  central  point 
at  zenith,  arriving  from  a  considerable 
distance  outward.  They  shed  a  little 
light  as  far  down  as  earth.  The  light 
was   in  beams. 

Robert  Shahan,  Boy  Scout  and  resi- 
dent of  Eighth  avenue,  phoned  The 
News  that  he  and  Porter  Harvey  and 
Cundy  Bryson  were  on  Tower  Hill 
watching  the  performance.  The  News 
passed  the  word  to  Thomas  Colegate, 
the  well-known  astronomer,  of  103  Myi'- 
tle  street.  South  Rome,  and  Mr.  Cole- 
gate  declared  he  would  stick  his  bean 
out  the  front  door  immediately. 

Webster's  Shorter  School  Dictionary 
gives  the  following  definition  of  au- 
rora borealis:  "An  atmospheric  phe- 
nomenon consisting  usually  of  streams 


GEORGE  B.  WARD,  former  Roman,  who  served 
twice  as  Mayor  of  Birmingham,  Ala.,  during 
the  period  of  that   city's   greatest  growth. 


of  light  radiating  upwards  and  out- 
ward toward  the  east  and  west  from  the 
north  polar  region." 

It  was  said  that  aurora  interfered 
with  the  telephones  and  the  telegraph. 

After  the  above  was  written,  a  fair 
young  lady  of  East  Rome  phoned  The 
News  that  a  young  man  calling  on  her 
had  discovered  the  lights  in  the  sky 
while  looking  for  an  inspiration  up 
there.— May    15,    1921. 

HOTTEST  DAY  IN  7  YEARS— 
Romans  had  a  perfect  right  to  swelter 
today. 

At  2:30  this  afternoon  it  was  the 
hottest  in  seven  years,  the  thermome- 
ter registering  108  degres. 

Records  kept  by  Miss  Mary  Towers 
and  by  her  father  prior  to  his  death 
showed  that  the  previous  high  record 
was  in  1913,  at  109  degrees.  No  higher 
temperature  has  ever  been  recorded 
here.— Aug.    1,  1921. 

A  STAR  THE  LOVERS  SAW— How 

many  people  saw  that  wonderful  shoot- 
ing star  Monday  night  about  10:10 
o'clock?  (Of  course  all  the  lovers  did!) 
It  seemed  to  leave  its  place  over  Lav- 
ender Mountain  and  proceed  in  a  curve 
toward  John's  Mountain,  in  a  generally 
northern  direction.  For  ten  or  fifteen 
seconds  it  could  be  seen,  shooting  like  a 
fireball.  Wonder  it  didn't  hit  some 
other  star,  and  cause  a  shower  of 
sparks  to  descend.  Maybe  it  didn't 
because  space  is  so  infinite.  The  dis- 
tance between  stars  must  be  as  great 
as  from  the  earth  to  the  moon,  which 
the  astronomers  say  is  93,000,000  miles, 
if  your  correspondent  remembers  cor- 
rectly.—Sept.   20,    1921. 

PASTOR  SINGS  OF  ROME— The 
Rev.  J.  L.  Ballard,  of  Atlanta,  a  visitor 
to  Rome  Thursday,  January  13,  throws 
some  nice  bouquets  at  the  Hill  City  in 
the  current  issue  of  the  Wesleyan 
Christian  Advocate,  as  follows: 

"The  work  of  the  week  was  closed 
Thursday  at  Rome.  Were  you  ever  in 
Rome?  If  you  never  were,  the  first 
time  you  have  the  opportunity,  go.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  places 
the  writer  ever  saw.  Wide  streets,  all 
paved,  splendid  stores  mostly  of  brick 
or  stone.  Fine  office  buildings  and 
handsome  residences.  But  my,  what  a 
beautiful  church!  It  was  built  in  1884 
by  the  wonderful  man.  Dr.  J.  W.  Lee, 
who  was  the  greatest  church  builder 
among  us.  Bro.  Irvine,  the  presiding 
elder,  and   Dr.  Dempsey,  pastor  of  the 


Miscellaneous — Items  From  the  Press 


499 


First  Church,  Rome,  are  both  first-year 
men,  but  have  gotten  hold  of  things, 
and  the  work  moves  on  with  great 
promise. 

"The  week's  work  was  closed  at  beau- 
tiful, picturesque  Rome.  A  hurried 
walk  to  the  train,  a  ride  to  Kingston  in 
sight  of  the  beautiful  Etowah  River, 
then  through  the  mountains  trimmed 
with  sleet  and  snow,  and  we  came  to 
Atlanta."— Jan.  24,  1921. 

TO  SWAT  TEA  HOUNDS— A  brand 
new  social  club  has  been  formed  at 
Rome  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing 
pleasure  to  her  seductive  lair  and  mak- 
ing war  on  all  "tea  hounds,  lounge  liz- 
ards, chewing  gum  buddies  and  cake 
eaters,"  as  the  charter  preamble  fiercely 
states.  The  members  are  petitioning  in- 
formally for  the  right  to  operate  and 
be  operated  upon  in  the  courts  of  Epi- 
curus, God  of  Pleasure,  father  of  Epi- 
curean June;  Cupid,  God  of  Love  and 
Trouble,  and  Thor,  God  of  Thunder  and 
White  Lightning.  Thev  are  Ed  Cald- 
well, W.  E.  Weathers,  Fred  Hull,  Will 
A.  Patton,  Roy  Echols,  Fred  Malone, 
Edwin  Reese,  Donald  Cantrell,  W.  B. 
Watts,  Denny  King,  Tom  Rawls,  Alfred 
King  and  Harris  Best — thirteen  leather- 


necked    gentlemen    who   rise   above    the 
superstition   of  unlucky  numbers. 

The  constitution  swears,  in  addition 
to  other  things,  that  "the  object  of  the 
corporation  is  not  pecuniary  gain  for 
itself  and  members,  but  rather  for  a 
generous  distribution  of  any  pecuniary 
gains  the  members  might  latch  onto 
from  any  possible  source,"  and  this  ob- 
ject has  caused  their  friends  to  hint 
that  a  deep-dyed  plot  is  being  hatch- 
ed to  resurrect  the  "Boys  of  Poverty 
Hall."  The  name  for  the  present  will 
be  the  "Moonlight  Golf  Association," 
and  the  members  intend  to  let  theirs 
shine.  Branch  clubs,  not  clubs  on 
branches,  are  to  be  formed  if  desired. 

The  chief  meeting  place  is  not  stated, 
but  a  rumor  has  it  that  the  first  initia- 
tion will  be  held  at  the  place  "where 
the  jay— bird  jarred  the  mountain," 
near  Black's  Bluff.  If  sky  water  does 
not  prevent,  that  meeting  will  prob- 
ably be  held  tonight,  and  the  first 
monthly  dinner  will  occur  within  a 
week  at  the  Forrest.  There  will  be  no 
officers  for  the  present,  unless  Charlie 
Harris  should  butt  in.  Each  of  the  Si- 
lent Thirteen  will  govern  himself  in 
accordance  with  the  emergency  and  the 
best  interest  of  (the)  society. — 1-25-'21. 


MRS.  C.EO.  R.  WARD,  who  prior  to  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Margaret  Ketcham,  quite  a 
belle  in   her   day. 


GEO.  li.  WAKD.  a  lonilinK  business  man  of 
Rome,  and  the  father  of  Ceo.  B.  Ward,  of 
Birmincham. 


502 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Justice  E.  P.  Treadaway  yesterday 
bound  over  Charles  Hand,  charged  with 
kicking  Linton  Jones,  10-year-old  boy. 
near  the  Rome  Hosiery  Mills  and  on  a 
tender  part  of  his  anatomy. — Feb.  11, 
1921. 


5  THROWN  INTO  LAKE— Members 
of  the  Women's  Auxiliary  of  the  Floyd 
County  Farm  Bureau  had  a  big  time 
at  Updegrove  Lake,  Armuchee,  at  their 
big  picnic.  A  feature  was  the  upsetting 
of  a  canoe  carrying  Misses  Bertha 
Evans  and  Willie  Bohannon,  Harry 
Selman,  Arthur  and  Elmore  Miller, 
caused  when  one  of  the  boys  and  one 
of  the  girls  tried  to  exchange  seats  and 
produced  an  uneven  keel  effect  which 
let  water  in.  Several  jumped  to  the 
other  side  of  the  boat  all  at  once  and 
she   went   over. 

Most  of  those  aboard  could  swim. 
The  boys  helped  the  girls  and  the  girls 
clung  to  the  boat,  while  Mr.  Harrison 
luckily  came  along  and  fished  them 
out.  Mr.  Harrison  advised  them  that 
it  was  well  to  keep  an  even  keel,  but 
the  boys  were  too  busy  blowing  and  the 
girls  wringing  out  their  skirts  to  hear. 

Ethel  Salmon,  six-year-old  daughter 
of   one   of   the    Salmons,  of   Armuchee, 


got   run   over  by    a   buggy,   but    it   did 
not  hurt  her  to  speak  of. 

After  the  excitement  had  subsided, 
the  regular  program  was  carried  out, 
being  the  picnic  and  a  lot  of  handshak- 
ing.—June  10,  1921. 


SEABORN  WRIGHT,  orator  and  "prohi." 
leader,  who  once  ran  for  Governor  and  was 
mentioned  for  President  on  dry  ticket. 


500     PEOPLE     "BAPTIZED"— The 

largest  "baptizing  by  immersion"  in  the 
history  of  Floyd  County  took  place  yes- 
terday afternoon  at  3  o'clock  at  Ar- 
muchee, 100  yards  below  the  bridge  over 
Armuchee  Creek  and  the  Summerville 
road.  Five  hundred,  more  or  less,  re- 
ceived the  heavenly  sacrament,  which 
penetrated  to  their  skins  and  poured  off 
their  bonnets  and  hats. 

The  occasion  was  the  scheduled  bap- 
tism of  14  candidates  for  admission  to 
the  Armuchee  Baptist  Church,  and  the 
fact  that  so  many  others  got  drenched 
was  due  entirely  to  a  sudden  rain. 

The  Rev.  Gordon  Ezzell,  pastor  of  the 
North  Broad  Baptist  Church,  also  of 
the  Armuchee  Church,  had  arranged  to 
submerge  the  following:  Mrs.  Cleve 
Salmon,  Miss  Lizzie  Graham,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Plant  and  their  mother,  Mrs.  Ea- 
gle, Hill  Yarbrough,  Clifford  and  Sel- 
man Johnson  and  Jim  Goodwin.  At  the 
water's  edge  Misses  Beatrice  and  Annie 
Holder,  Clara  Graham  and  Addie  May 
Salmon  asked  to  be  included. 

Leaders  of  the  church  attending  the 
candidates  began  singing  that  old 
hymn,  "When  We  Gather  at  the  River." 
The  clouds,  in  the  meantime,  had  been 
gathering,  but  very  cautiously,  and  only 
a  puny  sprinkle  gave  warning  of  the 
buckets  that  were  soon  to  fall.  The 
pastor  stood  firm,  the  candidates  for 
immersion  held  their  ground  and  the 
singers  chanted  on.  Only  a  few  on  the 
outer  edge  of  the  crowd  scampered 
away  to  the  bridge.  The  storm  broke. 
Most  of  the  crowd  remained  under  the 
trees.  A  few  ran  to  the  gin  house.  A 
couple  with  a  baby,  six  months  old, 
across  the  creek  from  the  most  of  the 
folks,  crept  into  a  dry  goods  box  that 
some  boys  had  set  in  the  bank  as  a 
"cave"  or  "dugout,"  and  they  didn't 
come  out  until  the  rain  had  stopped, 
nearly  an  hour  later. 

Gradually  those  under  the  trees 
broke  away  to  gin  or  bridge,  until  both 
places  of  refuge  were  well  filled.  The  gin 
house  was  so  full  that  the  overflow  ran 
to  the  bridge.  The  faces  of  some  of  the 
girls  lost  their  luster,  and  many  silk 
stockings  and  white  shoes  were  dyed 
with  the  red  old  mud  of  Georgia.  Hats 
were  a  sight.  Nearly  a  hundred  auto- 
mobiles and  conveyances  stood  in  two 
or  three  inches  of  water  near  the  gin. 


Miscellaneous — Items  From  the  Press 


503 


WHERE  THE  CROWD  SOUGHT  SHELTER. 

The  old  Armuchee  covered  bridge  (right),  below  which  the  baptizing  took  place.  The  old 
Buena  Vista  hotel,  which  stood  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Broad  Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  is 
shown    at    the    left.    The    small    frame    building    was    Daniel    R.    Mitchell's    law    office. 


Dr.  Ezzell  and  the  churchmen  held 
their  ground  and  were  soaked  thor- 
oughly. 

Half  the  crowd  hopped  into  convey- 
ances and  went  elsewhere.  The  other 
half  trooped  back  to  the  creek  with  the 
candidates  due  to  be  immersed.  They 
were  all  set  again  when  a  flash  of 
lightning  lit  up  the  sky  and  struck  a 
tree  near  the  bridge,  and  the  thunder 
roared  like  the  wrath  of  Old  Scratch. 
Nearly  half  of  those  remaining  went 
back  to  the  gin  house,  and  it  was  an- 
nounced that  the  ceremonies  would  be 
performed  next  Sunday  at  2:30,  provid- 
ed it  didn't  rain. 

The  Rev.  A.  V.  Carnes  a  little  later 
immersed  several  new  members  in 
Hackney's  pond,  Summerville  road,  near 
Big  Dry  Creek.  Members  of  this  party 
arriving  at  Armuchee  asked:  "Did  you 
have  any  rain  here?" 

And  the  answer  came  back:  "We 
didn't  have  anything  else." — Sept.  12, 
1921. 

COW  IN  "TANGLEFOOT  TRAP"— 
Mrs.  J.  D.  Clark  called  up  the  police  yes- 
terday and  told  them  a  cow  had  bogged 
up  in  a  hole  filled  with  tar  at  the  end  of 
the  North  Rome  car  line.  When  the  of- 
ficer arrived,  the  cow  and  the  tar  were 
gone.— Sept.  2,  1921. 

Policeman  Poole  was  painfully  hurt 
yesterday  afternoon  when  the  fire 
chief's  automobile  hit  him.  Mr.  Poole 
was  in  a  Ford  car  ahead  of  the  chief's 
car,  which  was  answering  a  call  to  the 
Rome  Oil  Mill,  and  fearing  a  collision 
from  behind,  Mr.  Poole  jumped  out  of 


the  Ford.  In  order  to  avoid  hitting  the 
Ford,  the  chief  turned  a.side  and  hit 
the  policeman.— Feb.  18,  1921. 

INJURED  IN  FALL— Mrs.  Fanny 
Nance,  of  South  Rome,  is  being  treated 
for  a  broken  or  badly  sprained  right 
arm  as  the  result  of  an  accident  Friday 
night  in  the  yard  of  her  home  after  a 
visit  to  neighbors  across  the  street. 

About  six  years  ago  Mrs.  Nance  fell 
and  broke  her  left  wrist,  and  four  years 
ago  an  automobile  ran  over  her  and 
broke  her  right  shoulder  and  dislocated 
her  left  hip.  Friends  and  relatives  have 
made  many  inquiries  about  her. — Dec. 
19,  1920. 

GARAGE  HIT  BY  LANDSLIDE— A 
landslide  not  quite  political  came  Wil- 
son M.  Hardy's  way  last  night  at  1 
o'clock  which  caused  him  to  bounce  out 
of  bed  in  a  hurry.  Bank  and  rock  wall 
on  the  old  Nicholas  J.  Bayard  lot.  just 
above  him  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Third  avenue  and  East  Fourth  street, 
loosened  by  the  heavy  rains,  came  slid- 
ing down  into  his  cement  garageway. 
part  of  it  falling  against  and  crushing 
an  edge  of  his  garage  and  Idocking  the 
removal  of  his  car  until  "Dr."  Will 
Mitchell  arrived  with  a  gang  of  men  and 
saved  the   situation. 

Several  tons  of  dirt  from  the  steep 
bank  came  down  with  a  five-foot  re- 
taining wall  and  made  a  nile  about  a 
foot  high  for  a  distance  of  2.t  feet,  the 
entire  length  of  the  garageway. 

The  highest  point  of  the  Imnk  is  sev- 
eral feet  higher  than  the  top  of  Mr. 
Hardv's  bungalow,  but  it  was  thought 


506 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"OBSEQUIES'     AT   THE  COURTHOUSE  OVER  A   KEG  OF   "LICKER." 


POURS  OUT  LIQUOR— City  Man- 
ager Sam  King  had  the  rare  pleasure 
last  night  of  pouring  out  a  gallon  of 
licker  at  the  police  station  which  had 
been  captured  at  the  home  of  Bill  Bal- 
lard, colored,  on  East  Third  street,  near 
the  railroad,  by  Revenue  Raider  Grover 
C.  Williams  and  Policemen  Jess  and 
Mell  Johnson.  Bill  was  landed  in  a 
cell.  I  ^' 

Mr.  King  poured  it  into  a  sink  which 
became  stopped  up  as  the  white  light- 
ning tried  to  escape  through  the  drain. 
He  could  onlv  sigh.  "Them  was  the 
happy  days."— Jan.  19,  1921. 

INTO  WATER  WAGON— Harv. 
Wood,  a  hefty  negro  ditch  digger  em- 
ployed by  the  city,  was  arrested  yester- 
day at  noon  on  West  Fifth  avenue  by 
Officer  Tolbert,  charged  with  plain 
drunkenness.  He  worked  hard  for  sev- 
eral hours,  but  got  too  close  to  some 
licker  and  fell  off  the  water  wagon,  hav- 
ing been  on  it  about  a  week. 

The  old  man  boarded  a  car  bound  for 
West  Rome  on  Second  avenue  and 
started  singing.  He  was  warned  at  the 
transfer  station  to  keep  quiet,  but  the 
licker  had  put  him  in  paradise,  and  so 
he  was  easy  for  the  police  to  catch.  It 
is  said  he  can  dig  a  lot  of  ditches  when 
he  leaves  whisky  alone,  which  he  doesn't 
do  about  the  same  time  each  Saturday. 
—Sept.  4,  1921. 

BOOTLEGGER  WARNED— Judge 
W.  J.  Nunnally  handed  out  Saturday  in 
City  Court  sentences  to  a  number  of 
persons  convicted  during  the  week.  Will 
Martin,  old  bootlegger,  was  fined  $100 
and  given  12  months  on  the  chaingang, 
but  sentence  was  suspended  pending 
good  behavior.  "If  you  are  caught  with 
a  bottle  on  your  hip,  or  whisky  on  your 
breath,  Will,  in  you  go,"  announced  the 


court.  "You  have  been  coming  up  here 
about  40  years,  it  seems,  and  I  have 
almost  given  up  hope  of  reforming  you. 
Last  time  you  told  me  you  were  going 
to  get  into  the  church.  I  hope  you  will 
reform  this  time."  Will  swore  by  the 
everlasting  devils  that  he  was  going  to 
straighten  up  and  be  a  man. — March 
20,  1921. 


FIERCE  RABBITS— A  rabbit  fights 
and  whips  a  hound  belonging  to  John 
Andrews,  farmer,  says  a  report  from 
Kingston,  North   Carolina. 

Andrews  says  the  rabbit  had  been 
grazing  around  a  moonshine  still. 

This  is  of  great  scientific  interest  to 
frequenters  of  back  rooms  and  cellars, 
where  they  sell  you  a  whisk  broom  with 
every  drink,  to  brush  yourself  off  when 
you  get  up. 

It  confirms  the  minstrel  gag  that 
"one  drink  of  white-mule  will  make  a 
rabbit  spit  in  a  bulldog's  eye." — Sept. 
2,  1921. 


A  QUEER  APPETITE— An  over- 
dose of  watermelon,  canned  fish  and 
corn  liquor  proved  more  serious  early 
this  morning  for  Henderson  Jackson, 
40,  than  the  usual  colored  folks'  relish 
of  catfish  and  ice  cream  might  have 
been. 

Henderson  kept  his  soft  drink  stand 
open  near  the  Fairbanks  plant  in  West 
Rome  Sunday  and  appeared  to  be  all 
right  up  to  10  o'clock  p.  m.  He  had 
eaten  some  watermelon  and  salmon.  At 
1  a.  m.  today  he  staggered  up  to  Annie 
Perkins'  home  nearby  and  complained 
of  pains  in  his  abdomen.  He  said  he 
thought  he  would  be  able  to  make  it 
home  soon.  He  never  got  away  from 
here,  although  Dr.  C.  I.  Gain  was 
called. 


c£  .(^..  4^^-^^J^ 


510 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"After  getting  a  stout  punch  in  the 
'slats'  or  the  nose,  a  boy  comes  up 
laughing,  and  everybody  laughs  with 
him.  It  is  seldom  anybody  gets  mad. 
The  exercise  is  good  for  the  boys,  and 
if  they  are  ever  called  upon  to  defend 
themselves,  they  can  do  a  good  job. 
The  boys  bring  their  girls  to  our  bouts; 
they  leave  oaths  outside  and  cigarettes 
at  home. 

"Rubbing  shoulders  is  the  best  thing 
in  the  world  for  boys.  Competition  puts 
them  on  the  same  plane.  They  learn 
to  win  through  merit,  and  this  encour- 
ages them  to  make  adequate  prepara- 
tion, and  to  be  prepared  always.  A  boy 
who  joins  in  with  the  bunch  makes  a 
better  citizen  than  he  who  keeps  aloof. 
He  develops  a  sense  of  humor,  of  give 
and  take,  that  is  helpful  throughout  his 

"Boys  who  engage  in  these  friendly 
little  bouts  do  not  go  around  spreading 
tales  and  scandal  about  their  compan- 
ions. They  are  too  busy  playing  the 
game  right  to  indulge  in  such." 

Lockers  for  the  gymnasium  are  due 
to  be  installed  this  week,  and  the  next 
thing,  Mr.  Joyner  hinted,  would  be  a 
Maple  Street  Athletic  Association  re- 
cruited from  the  boys  of  the  Anchor 
Duck  Mill.— Aug.  16,"  1921. 


SAKAH  .iOVcK  STEWART  and  Ben  Yan- 
cey's South  American  parrot,  "Polly,"  who 
is  a  great  pet  with  children  near  the 
Clock    Tower. 


HOUSEWIVES  SUFFER— J.  S.  Ri- 
der, manager  of  the  local  gas  plant, 
found  himself  an  unpopular  mortal  this 
morning  when  he  was  forced  to  cut  the 
gas  off  from  every  home,  office  and  shop 
in  Rome.  The  trouble  was  that  a  main 
under  the  plant  got  clogged  up  with 
tar  or  water,  or  both.  Housewives 
called  the  plant  from  so  many  sources 
that  the  office  man  left  the  telephone  re- 
ceiver off  the  hook  until  the  damage 
could  be  remedied  temporarily. — Nov.  2. 
1920. 

HIGHT'S  WIRELESS  MUSIC— 
Gordon  L.  Hight,  amateur  wireless  op- 
erator, entertained  his  friends  at  The 
News  office  and  a  good  many  others 
last  night  with  a  wireless  phone  concert, 
having  picked  up  a  "message"  out  of 
the  air  fi'om  Pittsburg  and  connected 
it  through  his  instrument  with  tele- 
phones around  Rome. — Nov.  21,  1920. 

BIBLE  READING  SET-BACK— De- 
claring the  resolutions  passed  by  the 
ministers  and  laymen  on  Bible  reading 
in  the  public  schools  to  be  camouflage, 
Rev.  H.  Fields  Saumenig,  rector  of  St. 
Peter's  Episcopal  Church,  Sunday  urg- 
ed his  communicants  to  oppose  the 
movement.  He  said  he  approved  read- 
ing and  prayer  in  principle,  but  was 
against  the  "unlimited  measure"  of  the 
proponents. — Dec.  6,  1920. 

YANCEY  PARROT  ON  HIKE— Ben 
Yancey's  parrot  "Polly"  felt  a  touch  of 
spring  Tuesday  and  went  flying  away 
from  his  adopted  home  on  East  Second 
street.  Tower  Hill.  He  flew  to  the  top 
of  an  oak  tree  in  the  yard  of  the  Cath- 
olic parsonage  on  East  First  street, 
and  there  wailed: 

"Polly  wants  a  cracker,  cracker,  chew 
tobacco!" 

Seeing  a  likely  perch  on  the  top  of 
St.  Peter's  Episcopal  Church,  he  flew 
there,  and  began  to  curse  frightfully. 
His  raucous  cries  brought  a  jaybird  to 
find  out  what  was  the  matter,  and  when 
the  jay  discovered  that  it  was  only  a 
feathered  biped  like  himself,  he  flew  at 
"Polly"  as  if  to  devour  him.  The  par- 
rot flung  out  a  long  wing,  and,  as  the 
small  boy  would  say,  "hit  him  on  the 
chin." 

"Polly"  is  a  South  American  bird  and 
has  a  tail  about  18  inches  long  and  a 
beautiful  coat  of  red  and  green  feath- 
ers. 

He  created  considerable  interest  dur- 
ing the  recent  World  War  by  perching 
on  the  end  of  a  large  American  flag 
which  flew  from  a  flagstaff  at  the  top 


Miscellaneous — Items  From  the  Press 


511 


of  the  Neely  School  on  Tower  Hill,  thus 
carrying  out  with  a  fine  relish  the  eagle- 
like symbolism  in  Old  Glory.  The  wind 
was  strong  enough  to  bear  "Polly"  at 
the  tip  end  of  the  huge  flag,  and  there 
he  clung,  shouting  "Over  the  top  and 
at  the  damned  Germans,  boys!"  until 
hunger  told  him  it  was  time  to  come 
down.— Mar.  17,  1921. 

FINDS  POSSUM  IN  TRAP— Sam 
Whitmire,  of  Everett  Springs,  is  lucky 
at  catching  'possums  now  and  then.  He 
was  coming  in  to  the  town  the  other 
day  and  wishing  he  had  one  to  take 
Mrs.  Robert  Battey.  Before  leaving, 
he  went  to  the  hen  house  to  gather  the 
eggs,  and  attached  to  a  steel  trap  which 
he  had  set  for  some  quadruped  that  had 
been  catching  his  chickens  he  found  a 
big  fat  'possum. 

Mr.  'Possum  had  been  caught  by  the 
left  hind  foot.  He  was  shoved  into  a 
crocus  sack  and  brought  to  town,  and 
served  by  Mrs.  Battey  with  his  best 
smile  on  and  potatoes  six  inches  high. — 
Jan.   10,   1921. 

LINDALE  HEN  BUSY— R.  C. 
Banks,  who  resides  near  Lindale,  is  the 
proud  possessor  of  a  hen — a  real  old- 
time  hen — that  is  worth  her  weight  in 
gold.  Banks  declared  that  she  is  lay- 
ing one  huge  eg^  each  day  in  the  week, 
not  resting  on  Sunday,  and  that  every 
egg  she  lays  has  two  yolks,  which  would 
make  her  laying  equal  to  two  eggs  a 
day.  At  this  rate,  at  the  present  price 
of  fresh  eggs,  she  would  lay  $50  worth 
of  eggs  in  twelve  months. — Tribune- 
Herald,  October  29,  1920. 

FOG  HINDERS  FIREMEN— The 
heaviest  fog  in  years  hung  over  Rome 
Monday  night  like  a  blanket  and  proved 
dangerous  for  vehicle  drivers  and  pe- 
destrians. It  was  possible  to  see  ahead 
only  about  50  feet,  and  automobile 
lights  proved  almost  useless.  Horns 
sounded  like  the  noise  makers  of  steam- 
ers stuck  in  fogs. 

At  10:02  p.  m.  the  fire  department 
answered  a  false  alarm  call  from  box 
14,  Fourth  Ward,  evidently  turned  in 
by  a  mischief  maker.  Through  the  fog 
the  chief's  car  and  the  wagons  plowed 
at  reduced  speed.  The  East  Rome  com- 
pany also  answered.  It  was  found  that 
the  glass  plate  over  the  key  to  the  box 
had  been  broken,  and  the  key  was  gone. 
So  were  the  practical  jokers. — Feb.  4, 
1921. 

INSECT  PLAGUE  HALTS  CARS— 
An  insect  plague  hit  Rome  for  a  few 


hours  Friday  night.  Although  less 
were  out  last  night,  they  could  not  bo 
counted  by  any  human  device. 

Romans  attempted  to  get  to  their 
homes  Friday  night  about  8:30  o'clock 
across  the  Second  avenue  bridge  span- 
ning the  Etowah  and  Oostanaula  Riv- 
ers, only  to  be  held  up  because  the  in- 
sects were  two  feet  thick  in  places.  One 
business  man's  automobile  was  stalled 
on  the  Etowah  bridge.  His  wheels  slid 
around  as  if  he  had  been  on  a  ball- 
room floor,  and  it  was  only  by  apply- 
ing a  generous  sprinkle  of  sand  that 
he  found  it  possible  to  continue  home. 

The  insects  swarmed  on  the  wind- 
shield of  another  young  citizen  so  he 
had  to  get  down  and  scrape  them  off 
with  a  monkey  wrench.  At  that  he  got 
plenty  of  them  in  his  ears,  eyes  and 
hair,  for  they  arose  at  his  approach. 

This  young  man  said  the  critters 
emitted  an  odor  as  of  stale  fish.  He 
ran  into  a  meat  market  for  some  air. 

The  insects  were  about  an  inch  long, 
with  wings  nearly  that  length,  and 
narrow,  black  bodies.  They  did  not 
bear  any  resemblance  to  anything 
worth  while,  but  appeared  to  be  de- 
void of  all  stingers.    They  congregated 


FRANCIS  MARION  FREEMAN,  of  "River- 
side." Etowah  river,  whose  home  was  a 
center  of  generous  hosi>itality  many  years. 


514 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


I  mi 


ROBERT  BATTEY  AS  A  DRUG  CLERK  IN  ROME. 

Dr.  Battey  went  into  business  with  his  brother,  Dr.  Geo.  M.  Battey,  at  No.  3  Exchange 
Hotel  Block,  and  was  a  pharmacist  nearly  ten  years  before  he  studied  surgery.  On  the  left 
is  Dr.  Wm.  Farell,  once  city  physician,  and  between  them  Dr.  Farell's  son,  Johnathan.  (From 
a   daguerreotype,   about    1848). 


on  the  streets  four  days.  Nearly  every- 
body is  included.  The  streets  are  said 
to  be  in  bad  condition,  particularly  in 
some  of  the  neighborhoods,  and  if 
everybody  will  work,  they  can  be  put  in 
shape  to  walk  and  ride  upon. 

However,  anybody  who  can't  afford 
to  work  for  a  dollar  a  day  will  plank 
down  $4  and  be  excused. — May  26, 
1921. 

A  POET'S  TRIBUTE  TO  THE 
COW— By  R.  S.  Kennard:  Little  do  we 
realize  the  debt  we  owe  to  the  cow. 
During  the  dark  ages  of  savagery  and 
barbarism,  we  find  her  early  ancestors 
natives  of  the  forests  of  the  old  world. 
As  the  bright  rays  of  civilization  pene- 
trated the  darkness  of  that  early  pe- 
riod, man  called  upon  the  cow,  and 
she  came  forth  from  her  seclusion  to 
share  in  the  efforts  that  gave  us  a 
greater  nation  and  more  enlightened 
people. 

In  1493,  when  Columbus  made  his 
second  voyage  to  America,  the  cow 
came  with  him.  Her  sons  helped  till 
the  soil  of  our  ancestors,  helped  clear 
dense  forests,  and  made  homes  possi- 
ble for  the  coming  generations — and 
when  the  tide  of  emigration  turned 
westward,  they  hauled  the  belongings 
)f  the  pioneer  across  the  sun-scorched 
plains  and  over  the  mountain  ranges  to 
the  homes  beyond.  Truly  the  cow  is 
man's  greatest  benefactor.  Hail,  wind, 
drought  and  floods  may  come,  destroy 
our  crops  and  banish  our  hopes,  but 
from   what   is   left,   the   cow   manufac- 


tures the  most  nourishing  and  life-sus- 
taining foods.  We  love  her  for  her 
docility,  her  beauty  and  her  usefulness. 
Her  loyalty  has  never  weakened  and 
should  misfortune  overtake  us,  as  we 
become  bowed  down  with  the  weight  of 
years,  we  know  that  in  the  cow  we  have 
a  friend  that  was  never  known  to  fal- 
ter. She  pays  the  debt.  She  saves 
the  home.— May  1,  1921. 

NECROLOGICAL— Frank  C.  Cald- 
well, aged  30  years,  whose  young  wife 
died  less  than  a  year  ago,  and 
whose  son  died  last  week,  passed  away 
early  this  morning  at  his  home,  No.  604 
East  Third  street,  after  a  short  illness 
with  pneumonia.  His  only  remaining 
child,  a  young  boy,  is  now  critically  ill 
with  the  same  disease. 

The  funeral,  which  will  occur  at  2 
o'clock  this  afternoon  from  the  resi- 
dence, will  be  conducted  by  Rev.  Mr, 
Nelson,  under  the  direction  of  the  local 
camp  of  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
of  which  deceased  was  a  member.  In- 
terment will  be  at  Antioch  Cemetery, 
where  the  wife  and  child  also  lie. 

Mr.  Caldwell  .was  an  honest,  indus- 
trious and  moral  young  man  whose 
passing  away  is  a  source  of  regret  to 
all  who  knew  him.— Nov.  24,  1920. 

FIRE  AND  RIDING  HABIT— Miss 
Ora  Belle  Updegrove  yesterday  donned 
a  habit  not  quite  as  extreme  as  the  gray 
check  riding  suit  she  wore  through  the 
streets  of  Rome  Friday  following  a  fire 


MARTHA  BURNETT   SPULLOCK,  daughter  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Jas. 
M.  Spullock,  in  her  day  one  of  the  most  beautiful  belles  in  Cherokee 
Georgia.   She   married   Willis   P.   Chisholm   and  went   to   live   in   Atlanta. 


518 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


FLOYD   COUNTY'S   FIRST  COURTHOUSE,    LIVINGSTON,    1833. 


"OLD   SETTLERS" 

Following  is  a  partial  list  of  "pioneers"  whose  names  appear  on  the  books  in 
the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  as  having  participated  in  transfers 
of  Rome  and  Floyd  County  real  estate  from  1833  through  1837.  Among  them  are 
the  ancestors  of  many  well-known  Georgians : 

1833-1835— J.  L.  Abraham,  A.  B.  Austin,  J.  B.  Arnold,  Mark  Ambrose,  J.  F.  Ab- 
ernathy,  A.  J.  Austin,  John  Bailey,  Nathan  Briton,  James  Belk,  Robert  Boyle,  Eze- 
kiel  Buffington,  Lewis  M.  Brantley,  John  Brewster,  E.  T.  Bush,  Jos.  G.  Blance,  John 
Brooks,  Jas.  H.  Bryan,  William  Blalock,  John  Baker,  Benjamin  Baker,  T.  Byrd, 
John  Barry,  A.  L.  Barry,  W.  B.  Cone,  John  Caldwell,  James  Cunningham,  J.  C. 
Coker,  John  Carmichael,  Jesse  W.  Cozzart,  W.  H.  Cleghorn,  Thos.  Camp,  Reuben 
Cone,  Thos.  W.  Connally,  H.  M.  Cunningham,  John  Copeland,  Henry  B.  Cone, 
Henry  Dillon,  Thos.  Dillard,  James  Donahoo,  Alvin  Dean,  D.  Dickson,  Norman 
Duffie,  W.  H.  Edwards,  Jas.  Eppinger,  James  Ellis,  J.  P.  Ellington,  Wm.  Ezzard, 
Tomlinson  Fort,  Wm.  Fish,  Jos.  Ford,  A.  B.  Griffin,  Benj.  Garrett,  W.  B.  Graves, 
Z.  B.  Hargrove,  P.  W.  Hemphill,  A.  T.  Harper,  H.  B.  Hathaway,  ■  .il.  Hale,  Josiah 
Horton,  Nathaniel  Harris,  K.  W.  Hargrove,  Wm.  Hardin,  Seaton  '■  .11,  Jas.  Hemp- 
hill, John  Harwell,  Thos.  H.  Hughes,  John  A.  Hughes,  Moses  Hendricks,  Alex 
Hawkins,  Thos.  Holland,  Theo  T.  Horseby,  Joab  Kendricks,  John  Humphries,  S.  J. 
Johnson,  T.  D.  Johnson,  John  A.  Jones,  Jesse  Johnson,  A.  H.  Johnson,  Berry  Jones, 
Thos.  G.  James,  Seaborn  Johnson,  Joseph  Johnson,  J.  W.  Jackson,  John  Jolly,  Jr., 
Thos.  B.  King,  Freeman  Kellogg,  Andrew  Kimberley,  Jas.  S.  King,  Francis  W. 
King,  Francis  Kirby,  Robt.  Knight,  Anson  Kimberly,  G.  W.  F.  Lamkin,  John  La- 
mar, B.  Lawrence,  Geo.  M.  Lavender,  Jas.  Lawrence,  Sarah  Leggett,  James 
Long,  Peter  Lamar,  Jesse  Lane,  Tice  Lowry,  Lewis  A.  L.  Lamkin,  Tb;  .  W.  A. 
Lumtix,  Pleasant  R.  Lyle,  J.  H.  Lumpkin,  Robt.  Ligon,  Setha  Moore,  -.1.  Mont- 
gomery, Geo.  Miller,  Mordecai  Myers,  David  Mimms,  Lelm  Milliga,  Pat  Marlow, 
Chas.  H.  McCall,  Shad  Morris,  Hudson  Moss,  F.  G.  Moss,  Elijah  Maddox,  Wm.  G. 
Morris,  Wright  Murph,  X.  G.  McFarland,  D.  R.  Mitchell,  John  W.  Martin,  Geo. 
Moore,  Robt.  Mitchell,  Jas.  A.  Nesbit,  P.  Nugent,  J.  M.  Norwood,  James  O'Bryan, 
Benj.  Odell,  Asa  Prior,  Wm.  T.  Price,  James  Price,  Drewery  Peoples,  M.  Pende- 
grass,  Chas.  Price,  Jacob  C.  Putnam,  George  Park,  John  L.  Ponder,  Jas.  Phillips, 
Saml.  T.  Payne,  Hugh  Quin,  J.  Richards,  W.  T.  Richards,  C.  P.  Richardson,  E.  G. 
Rogers,  Jos.  Rivers,  Jas.  Russell,  John  Rush,  Saml.  Roe,  Edwin  G.  Rogers,  Isham 
S.  Rainey,  Amos  G.  Robinson,  Robt.  Ralston,  Wm.  Smith,  Peter  Strickland,  Mor- 
gan H.  Snow,  Leastom  Snead,  Stephen  Smith,  Adam  G.  Safford,  Eralboa  Seymour, 
Wm.  R.  Smith,  W.  Shropshire,  Jas.  Sanborn,  John  Smith,  James  Scott,  Reuben  C. 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


519 


HOME  BUILT  BY  COL.  DANIEL  S.  PRINTUP  AT  707  BROAD  STREET. 


Shutre,  W.  C.  Street,  Jackson  Trout,  John  Townsend,  Thos.  Treadaway,  Tucbey 
F.  Thomas,  John  Trammell,  Wm.  Terrell,  Geo.  W.  Underwood,  Henry  Vincent,  Asa 
W.  Veal,  Aug.  N.  Verdery,  Math.  Varner,  Sr.,  N.  N.  Verdery,  A.  Weatherford, 
J.  B.  Williams,  Benj.  Watson,  Jos.  Watson,  George  Wood,  Robt.  Ware,  Wm.  H. 
Williamson,  James  Wells,  Jeremiah  Wptters.  Moses  Wright,  Norman  Wallace, 
Jos.  Watters,  Elisha  Yancey,  Joseph  York,  Danl.  Zuber,  Jas.  B.  Zachey,  N.  B. 
Felton,  Nathan  Maroney,  Joshua  Smith,  John  Dailey.  Jr.,  Edwin  Lattimer,  Lyman 
Sherwood,  Cranberry  Templeton,  Silas  Mercer,  Jr..  Wm.  Carlisle,  W.  M.  Clemons, 
Francis  Riviere,  E.  B.  Wallace,  Telfair  7osey,  Richmond  Holmes,  Thos.  Eason.  P. 
W.  Kimbrell,  S.  R.  Hargis,  Wm.  R.  Patton,  Wm.  P.  Kolb,  Jeremiah  Clarke,  Wm. 
Chestnutt,  F.  B.  Holliday,  Wm.  Todd,  W.  R.  Welborn,  John  B.  Harvey.  W.  Con- 
nor, Joshua  Humphries,  Sarah  Woodcock,  Eli  Ajor,  John  Cabbage,  Wm.  Seals, 
Z.  Carpenter,  Jas.  H.  Watts,  Jesse  Walker,  Pressley  Garner,  Ann  Smith,  Saml. 
Whitfield,  Jno.  Nablett.  Mary  Ford,  H.  Redingfield.  Jno.  J.  Averett,  H.  B.  Hill, 
Esther  Jepson,  Benj.  Jepson,  Reuben  Early,  Jno.  Sparrow,  Nancy  Yancey,  Am- 
brose Sander.s,  Wm.  S.  Booth,  J.  D.  Jourden,  Nath  Johnson,  Rhoda  Whidden.  Fi-r- 
riba  Freeman,  Jos.  Brantley,  Barnea  West,  Denny  Peeples,  Jas.  W.  Cooper.  L^^aac 
Roberts,  Major  Peace,  H.  P.  Brannon,  Simeon  Taylor.  Saml.  Wilkins,  .Mark  Wil- 
cox, Allen  Vanderford,  J.  C.  Campbell,  Henry  S.  Melton,  Littleton  Thomaston, 
Aaron  Cross,  John  Higgs,  C.  G.  Fleming,  Geo.  W.  Mcintosh,  Wm.  Hardin,  Wm, 
Young,  Julius  Clark,  Berry  Hob])s.  Eping  Harris.  C.  Garri.son,  Fountain  Wood, 
Jno.  Osteen,  John  Stewart,  Henry  T.  Brumby,  Isham  R.  Burkhalter,  A.  T.  Hardin, 
Danl.  Majors,  Wm.  Duke,  Wm.  Carroll,  Thos.  Pope,  Garrett  Hudman,  Seaborn  Hall. 
Seaborn  Nally,  Ausborn  Reeves,  Isaiah  Goulden,  Jas.  Monk.  Thos.  Edge,  Marquis 
Ambrose,  Luke  Johnson,  Absalom  Duncan^  John  R.  Jeter.  Wm.  Henderson.  Henry 
Monger,  Stephen  O.  Kelly','T^T)tmiompson,  Josh  Hatcheisiegnor,  Mary  Parish. 
Mary  Carter,  Gilford  Kent,  Hosea  Camp,  John  Buckner,  H.  V.  Hathaway,  Abel 
Lee,  Thos.  Dillard,  Jesse  Lipthrop,  Thos.  C.  Bolton,  Sampoa  Black.  Jno.  R.  Boon. 
Asa  Weaver,  Garrett  Hudinaw,  Seaborn  Delk.  Washington  Baker,  \.  D.  Woods, 
Vincent  Gordon,  Wm.  Truscott,  Jno.  Pedon,  Hollis  Cooley,  Wm.  D.  Hansell.  J.  Mc- 
Kinney,  Richard  Ferkinson,  Saml.  H.  Harrison.  Jos.  Bohan.  Asa  McLusky.  Jacob 
Coxe,  Jas.  C.  Grizzle,  Sion  Hall,  Jos.  Janson,  Mathew  Siglar,  G.  McFarland.  Wm. 
H.  Broach,  John  Kilgore,  J.  M.  Kilgore,  Nathan  Lewis,  Wm.  C.  Swindle,  Wm.  B. 
Hardison,  N.  Yancey,  John  Carlton,  Mary  Yates  and  Jesse  Lickroy. 


522 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  "LANDSLIDE"   NOT  QUITE  POLITICAL. 

Early  in  1921,  late  at  night,  a  part  of  the  old  Shorter  College  wall  gave  awayi 
and  crushed  Wilson  Hardy's  garage  like  an  egg-shell.  Mr.  Hardy's  friends  declared 
this   is   what    comes    of   owning   one   bank    and   living    next   to    another. 


students — Dick  Harrison,  B.  I.  Hughes,  Jr.,  John  Jervis,  T.  N.  Kennebrew,  E.  E. 
Lindsey,  James  Maddox,  R.  L.  Nichols,  A.  A.  Simonton,  Norris  N.  Smith,  Dr.  H. 
A.  Turner,  Geo.  P.  Weathers,  Joe  White  and  J.  Tim  Willis.  Students— R.  B. 
Betts,  R.  G.  Burkhalter,  S.  P.  Coalson,  James  D'Arcy,  B.  E.  HuflPaker,  J.  H.  Tay- 
lor and  J.  W.  Weems.  Other  Tech  men  in  Floyd  County — Quin  McArver,  Coosa; 
V.  M.  Davis,  Cave  Spring;  C.  H.  Edmondson  and  J.  W.  Houseal,  Lindale;  J.  T. 
Watters,  Hermitage. 


Home-Coming  Visitors,  Oct.  11-16,  1920— L.  W.  Arnold  and  wife  and  C.  K. 
Ayer,  Atlanta;  Elmo  Ballew,  Calhoun;  J.  M.  Brisendine,  Griffin;  B.  M.  Brewer 
and  wife,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.;  B.  S.  Earner,  Gainesville;  F.  F.  Berry,  Cambridge, 
Mass.;  George  Battey,  Jr.,  Dr.  H.  I.  Battey  and  H.  Branch,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  D.  C. 
Buell,  Nashville,  Tenn.;  J.  H.  Bradfield  and  Chas.  Berst,  Atlanta;  R.  G.  Black, 
Washington,  D.  C;  Miss  Amy  K.  Crook,  Bluffton,  Ala.;  Mrs.  S.  J.  Cobb,  Gads- 
den, Ala.;  Whit  Cooper,  Salem,  Oreg.;  J.  L.  Couch,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  B.  H.  Cannon, 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa;  W.  B.  Cody  and  Roy  Chamblee,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  J.  W.  Craw- 
ford, Dalton;  Mrs.  L.  A.  Crumley,  Miss  Lena  Clark  and  G.  B.  Carther,  Atlanta; 
Mrs.  J.  R.  DuBose,  Lorain,  O.;  J.  F.  Davis,  Gadsden,  Ala.;  Maj.  R.  C.  Eddy,  Sims- 
bury,  Conn.;  H.  A.  Ewing,  Atlanta;  Jay  Fowler,  Subligna;  Mrs.  F.  F.  Foster, 
Selma,  Ala.;  Jesse  Foster,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  A.  B.  Freeman,  New  Orleans,  La.;  Ward 
Greene  and  wife,  Miss  Mary  Glenn,  L.  C.  Goering,  Jr.,  J.  C.  Gentry  and  R.  L. 
Haire,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  H.  R.  Hume,  Cedar  Bluff,  Ala.;  Mrs.  R.  M.  Heptinstall, 
Lawton,  Okla.;  Mrs.  J.  M.  Hunt,  Jora  Harrison,  L  W.  Hill,  G.  W.  Hanson,  J.  N. 
Hull,  H.  S.  Hammett  and  Maj.  Baxter  Hunter,  Atlanta;  H.  B.  Harper,  Evansville, 
Ind.;  Mrs.  J.  H.  Hawkins,  Youngs;  P.  C.  Haire,  Greenville,  Ala.;  H.  R.  Hume, 
Cedar  Bluff,  Ala.;  Shelley  Ivey,  Shelley  Ivey,  Jr.,  Fred  Jones,  Lang  Jones  and 
John  Jentzen,  Atlanta;  K.  E.  Johnston,  Montpelier,  Vt.;  E.  M.  Jones,  Tampa,  Fla.; 
Steve  R.  Johnston,  Miss  Frances  Jones,  Miss  Lucille  Jones,  J.  L.  Key  and  A.  R. 
King,  Atlanta;  G.  E.  Kammerer,  Wilmington,  N.  C;  Mrs.  Howard  King,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.;  J.  C.  Landers,  Eastman;  H.  L.  Lansdell  and  wife,  Atlanta,  Ga. ; 
E.  A.  Leonard  and  wife,  Summerville;  J.  N.  Landers,  Atlanta;  W.  E.  Meredith, 
Doe  Run;  Gip  McWilliams,  Ooltewah,  Tenn.;  Mrs.  R.  M.  Martin,  Columbia,  Tenn.; 

A.  J.  Miller,  A.  H.  Martin  and  W.  F.  Moat,  Atlanta;  Mrs.  Clopton  Mitchell,  Chevy 
Chase,   Md.;   Andy   McElroy,   Atlanta;   J.   W.   McCord,   Tallahassee,   Fla.;   James 

B.  Nevin,  Atlanta;  Geo.  C.  Norton,  Nashville,  Tenn.;  R.  S.  Pringle,  W.  C.  Pierce, 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


523 


E.  A.  Randle,  J.  O.  Reynolds.  Hill  Shropshire,  Miss  Tommie  Strickland,  Joe 
Spiegelberg,  J.  R.  Seawright  and  I.  F.  Styron,  Atlanta;  Mrs,  Alvah  Stone,  Roan- 
oke, Va.;  Paul  Stevenson,  Mrs.  Jno.  E.  Smith,  Ralph  Smith  and  wife  and  Jno.  E. 
Smith,  Atlanta;  Miss  Margaret  Taylor  and  Miss  Frances  Taylor,  Bowling  Green 
Ky.;  Mrs.  J.  G.  Tracy,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.;  Mrs.  C.  C.  Turner,  L.  M.  Turner,  Jr., 
Cedartown;  Miss  Jessie  Turner,  J.  S.  Turner,  Lieut.  F.  B.  Teganer,  Ralph  Trate, 
Miss  Marion  Van  Dyke  and  H.  B.  Vaughan,  Atlanta;  Miss  Ora  White,  Subligna; 
Miss  Mary  White,  Atlanta;  A.  W.  Walton,  Decatur,  Ala.;  D.  R.  Wilder  and  B. 
Graham  West,  Atlanta. 


Rome  Volunteer  Fire  Department  Chiefs  from  Apr.  6,  1868— Jas.  Noble,  Jr., 
3  years;  Harry  A.  Hills,  3  years  (secretary  National  Fire  Chiefs'  Convention); 
Henry  A.  Smith,  3  years;  Richard  V.  Allen,  1  year;  Mulford  M.  Pepper,  1  year; 
Richard  V.  Allen,  2  years;  Wm.  M.  Towers,  1  year;  Mulford  M.  Pepper,  1  year; 
Louis  J.  Wagner,  3  years;  Wm.  W.  Seay,  2  years;  Wm.  H.  Steele,  2  years;  J.  D. 
Hanks,  2  years;  Thomas  J.  Cornelius,  2  years;  Joseph  B.  Owens,  1  year;  Wm.  J. 
Griffin,  1  year;  Arthur  M.  Word,  1  year;  P.  H.  Vandiver,  2  years;  Harry  C.  Har- 
rington, 7  years  with  Volunteers,  until  beginning  as  fully  paid  department  of  city 
(July  1,  1908)  ;   J.  Albert  Sharp,  Horace  L.   Taylor. 


Rainboiv  Steam  Fire  Engine  Co.  No.  1,  (organized  Apr.  6,  1868— list  from  1902 
to  1908).    Motto:  "When  duty  calls  us,  it  is  ours  to  respond." 

Honorary  Members:  Thomas  R.  Logan,  M.  D.  McOsker,  G.  H.  Rawlins,  Henry 

A.   Smith,   W.  P.  McLeod,  James  A.   Smith,   W.   H.   Steele,  Wm.   M.   Towers,   H. 
Yancey,  George  Ramey. 

Active  Members:  J.  D.  Hanks,  Pres. ;  Andrew  V.  Brown,  V.  P.;  Frank  J. 
Kane,  Sec'y;  J-  H.  Lanham,  Treas. ;  Tom  Caldwell,  1st  Director;  W.  E.  Bryan, 
2nd  Director;  R.  W.  Calloway,  3rd  Director;  John  Cantrell,  4th  Director;  Dr. 
R.  H.  Wicker,  Surgeon;  Jas.  McLeod  and  A.  W.  Davis,  Pipemen;  L.  A.  Helms 
and  G.  F.  Redden,  Axmen;  A.  M.  Word,  Delegate;  Jas.  M.  Lay,  Geo.  Ramey  and 
W.  M.  Towers,  Trustees;  James  M.  Dempsey,  Driver;  Gib  Austin,  Asst.  Driver; 
Walter  Quin,  John  Watson  and  R.  V.  Mitchell,  Finance  Committee;  J.  A.  Buf- 
fington,  A.  B.  McArver,  Wm.  May,  Jr.,  Joe  Johnson,  Frank  Holtzclaw,  W.  M. 
Lanham,  W.  J.  Atwood,  Eugene  Logan,  Tom  Tolbert,  Albert  Sharp,  George  Sharp, 
W.  L.  Tolbert,  Newt  Tolbert  and  A.  Randle. 

Floyd  County  World  War  Victims. — Capt.  Thomas  Edward  Grafton,  Lieut. 
Lofton  H.  Stamps,  Lieut.  Roy  Lanham,  Lieut.  A.  Walton  Shanklin,  Cadet  James 
Hugh  Webb,  Sgt.  Raymond  Lee  Johnson.  Julius  Clyde  Price  (U.  S.  N.),  Addis  E. 
Moore,  William  Joseph  Attaway,  George  M.  Fisher,  Allen  D'Arcy.  Carl  Davis, 
George  E.  Davis,  Clifford  Davis  Washington,  Penny  Spann  and  Albert  Wright, 
Rome;  Lester  Taylor,  Wax;  Quillian  Hayes,  Robert  J.  McClain.  Robert  J.  Stan- 
sell,  Archie    C.   Autrey,    Mikel    Whalem   Satterfield,   Porter    Williams,    Thomas   L, 


lUcstcnHBanh  (5airi\ia 

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•«ai««u>^.«n$Mi«.«aHM«n« 


ROME'S  OLDEST  BANK  NOTE.    (Courtesy  of  Chas.   J.   Warner.) 


526 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


DOCTORS  HONOR  ROME  SURGEON  WITH  SHAFT. 

On  Thursday,  April  5,  1921,  the  Medical  Association  of  the  State  of  Georgia  unveiled  a 
monument  at  City  Hall  park  to  the  late  Dr.  Robert  Battey,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  Rome. 
Dr.  Howard  A.  Kelly,  of  Baltimore,  delivered  the  principal  address,  and  the  monument  was 
accepted  for  the  city  by  E.  E.  Lindsey.  A  group  of  the  Seventh  District  Medical  Society, 
which    started    the    movement,    is    shown    above. 


Strange  and  Cundy  Bryson  will  be  among  the  Rome  boys  at  Emory, 
to  leave  about  the  24th. 


They  expect 


Albert  Swain  will  be  at  Mercer  and  William  Wimbish  will  go  to  Young-Harris. 

Miss  Laura  Weller  Graham  leaves  the  12th  for  Sweetbriar  College  in  Vir- 
ginia, Miss  Ora  Cole  the  following  day  for  Winston-Salem,  Miss  Kathleen  Bar- 
ron the  19th  to  Hollins  Institute  at  Hollins,  Va.;  Miss  Marshall  Norton,  the  18th, 
to  Sophie  Newcomb,  at  New  Orleans;  Miss  Mildred  McFall  to  Barnard  College, 
New  Yoi'k;  Miss  Pearl  Smith  will  return  to  Agnes  Scott;  Misses  Mildred  Wood, 
Virginia  Daniel,  Florence  Burney,  Katherine  Beysiegel,  Gertrude  and  Louise  De- 
Lay  will  again  enroll  at  G.  N.  I.  C.  at  Milledgeville. 

At  Wesleyan,  in  Macon,  will  be  Misses  Doris  Morris  and  Mary  and  Sarah  Wil- 
kerson. 

Miss  Louise  Orr  will  return  to  Bethel  College,  at  Hopkinsville,  Ky.,  and  Miss 
Katherine  Cox  will  again  be  at  Peabody,  in  Nashville. 

Misses  Bonnie  and  Grace  Hale  will  return  to  LaGrange  Female  College  at 
LaGrange. 

Misses  Mary  Harrison,  Mary  McKoy  and  Lila  Willingham  returned  Wednes- 
day to  Forsyth,  where  they  will  resume  their  work  at  Bessie  Tift. 

Among  the  Rome  girls  who  will  attend  Shorter  College  at  Rome  are  the  fol- 
lowing: Misses  Rebecca  Yeargan,  Virginia  Penn,  Patti  Berry,  Olyra  Horton, 
Ruby  Mae  Sherard,  Ruby  Mae  Ward,  Emma  Jane  Hanna,  Geraldine  McKenzie, 
Lillian  Venable,  Evelyn  Cantrell,  Mary  Warters,  May  Morton,  Elizabeth  Ram- 
cy,  Miriam  McConnell,  Minette  Weems,  Sarah  Glover,  Mabel  Owens,  Edith 
McKenzie  and  Isabel  Bross.— Sept.  9,  1921. 

Home-Comivcj  Queen  Entrants,  1921. —  Louise  Berry  (winner),  Betty  Betts, 
Tot  Moultrie,  Maynor  Montgomery,  Bobby  Daniel,  Ruby  Wilkerson,  Minette 
Weems,  Patti  B.  Berry,  Elise  Stamps,  Virginia  Dixon,  Annie  Mae  Bachman,  Diana 
Meyerhardt,  Louise  Shamblin,  Maybeth  Graham,  Lucille  Nicholson,  Maebeth 
Hagin,  Shelia  Roberts,  Eleanor  Graham,  Polly  McGill,  Eugenia  Malone,  Janice 
McCormack,  Goodwyn  Denny,  Josephine  Arrington,  Mary  Best,  Cobbie  Mae  Dean, 
Hazel  Blackstock,  Elizabeth  Bryan,  Jessie  Collier,  Beth  Turner,  Ruby  Wilson, 
Virginia   Mann,  Inez  Carter,  Mildred  Burney,  Willine  Roberts,  Katherine   Daniel, 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


527 


IMPROVING  THE  BICEPS   ON  TOWER   HILL. 

Prof.  E.  Montague  Gammon,  principal  of  the  Rome  High  School,  exercising  a  group  of 
his  charges  with  iron  dumb-bells,  about  1897.  Prof.  Gammon  was  the  "giant"  of  Rome  at 
this  time,  and  took  part  in  most  of  the  athletic  games  with  his  younger  brother,  Von  Al- 
bade    Gammon.      The    third    boy    in    the    picture    is    Dr.    Robert    O.    Simmons. 


Velma  Maxwell,  Blanche  Wilkins.  Julia  Pope  Smith,  Isabel  Bross,  Edith  INIcKen- 
zie,  Lee  Ella  Dean,  Mary  Emma  Saunders,  Evelyn  Harrington,  Miriam  McConnell, 
Verda  Broach,  Ruth  Colegate,  Mrs.  Kenneth  Hamilton,  Mrs.  Leo  F.  Hackett,  Mrs. 
Max  Kuttner,  Mrs.  Felton  Jones  and  Mrs.  Garden  Bunn. 

Rome  Chapter,  Shorter  College  Alumnae  AsfiociatioH,  1921 — Miss  Daisy  Allen. 
Mrs.  Leland  Angle,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Arrington,  Sr.,  Miss  Amelia  Berry,  Mrs.  Carl 
Betts,  Miss  Elizabeth  Betts,  Miss  Mary  Boyd,  Mrs.  Bestor  Brown,  Miss  Hattie 
Benjamin,  Mrs.  Josie  Hine  Boozer,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Cantrell,  Miss  Ethel  Cantrell,  Miss 
Eva  Cantrell,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Cooper,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Cooper,  Mrs.  Mark  Cooper.  Miss  Imo 
Coulter,  Miss  Gertrude  Cheney,  Miss  Jessie  Cheney,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Davis.  Miss  Cobbie 
Mae  Dean,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Denny",  Mrs.  Tom  Davison,  Mrs.  Paul  Doyal.  Miss  Moselle 
Eubanks,  Miss  Nellie  Vail  Eubanks,  Mrs.  Albert  Fahy.  Mrs.  Walter  Futrelle,  Mrs. 
Robt.  W.  Graves,  Mrs.  Mel  Gammon,  Mrs.  James  Glover,  Mrs.  John  M.  Graham, 
Mrs.  E.  P.  Grant,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Guest,  Mrs.  W.  B.  Hale,  Mrs.  Linton  Hamilton,  Miss 
Edith  Harvey.  Miss  Lillie  Hardin,  Miss  Elizabeth  Harris,  Mrs.  Ed.  Harris,  Mrs. 
Wm.  P.  Harbin,  Miss  Gussie  Henderson,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Hogg,  Miss  Sara  Hardy, 
Miss  Rosa  Hammond,  Miss  Ada  Jenkins,  Mrs.  C.  W.  King,  Miss  Elizabeth 
Knowles,  Mrs.  Will  Ledbetter,  Mrs.  John  Ledbetter.  Mrs.  Bessie  M.  Law- 
rence, Mrs.  E.  E.  Lindsey,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Lipscomb,  Mrs.  Ed.  Maddox,  Mrs.  F.  G. 
Merriam,  Mrs.  D.  A.  Moore,  Mrs.  A.  B.  S.  Moseley,  Miss  Maynor  Montgomery,  .Mis. 
Geo.  Miller,  Mrs.  Arthur  Milhollin,  Mrs.  Glover  McGhee,  Mrs.  Frank  McGhee, 
Mrs.  Pierce  McGhee,  Mrs.  Oscar  McWilliams.  Mrs.  Mark  McDonald, 
Mrs.  Luke  McDonald,  Miss  Lilly  Nunnally,  Mrs.  Pennington  Nixon,  Mrs. 
J.  B.  Owens,  Mrs.  J.  H.  O'Neill,  Miss  Leni  O'Neill,  Miss  Alice  Parks,  rs.  Joe  Pal- 
mer, Miss  Alida  Printup,  Mrs.  Ed.  Proctor,  Mrs.  C.  S.  Pruden.  Mrs.  G.  C.  Phillips. 
Mrs.  R.  O.  Pitts,  Jr.,  Miss  Miriam  Reynolds,  Miss  Gussie  Ross.  Mi.ss  ^hattie  Shoib- 
ley,  Mrs.  George  B.  Smith,  Miss  Florence  Smith.  Mrs.  C.  S.  Sparks,  Mrs.  Boiling 
Sullivan,  Miss  Lilly  Trawick,  Mrs.  E.  P.  Treadaway,  Mrs.  Clarence  Todd.  Mrs. 
Leonard  Todd,  Mrs.  Henry  A.  Turner,  Miss  Cordelia  P.  Veal.  Mrs.  A.  W.  Van 
Hoose,  Miss  Fannie  Wood",  Miss  Susie  Warlick,  Miss  Ruth  Watters.  Miss  Lilly 
Williamson,  Miss  Mary  Williamson,  Miss  Ethel  Wilker.'^on.  Miss  Eleanor  Wilcox. 
Mrs.  C.  J.  Wyatt,  Mrs.  William  Wyatt,  Mrs.  Leila  Hill  Wright,  Miss  :\l;iry  Julia 
Woodruff  and  Mrs.  Ben  C.  Yancey. 

Floijd  County  Road  Worl:  District  Committees,  1921  — Amuuiu'c,  Dr.  J.  H.  (nif- 
fin,  Kieffer  Lindsey,  J.  C.  Lovell;  Barker's.  J.  D.  Washington.  Ernest  Taylor.  J.  H. 
Orr;  Cave  Spring,  G.  W.  Williamson.  A.  J.  Spence.  C.  W.  Wright;  Chulio,  Sam 
R.  Ellis,  Smilev  Johnson,  Sr.,  J.  C.  Couch;  Etowah,  Kinney  Fmcher.  W.  G.  Kerce. 
Jno.  F.  Sproull;  Everett  Springs,  J.  H.  Barton.  S.  H.  Dew.  J.  C.  Everett;   Floyd 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


529 


J.  D.  Moreland,  W.  G.  McWilliams,  H.  W.  Morton,  Mahan  Co.,  McWillianis  &  Co 
Norton  Drug  Co.,  Paul  Nixon,  G.  C.  Phillips  Motor  Co.,  B.  F.  Quigg  Rome  Mfg' 
Co.,  J.  M.  Randall,  W.  S.  Rowell,  Rome  Coca-Cola  Co.,  Rome  Bakery  Co  Rome 
Farm  Equip.  Co.,  L.  W.  Rogers  Co..  Rome  Whistle  Bott.  Co.,  Rome  Ry.  &  Lt.  Co. 
Norris  N.  Smith  &  Co.,  S.  H.  Smith,  Standard  Oil  Co.,  Shorter  College,  Dr.  Geo  b' 
Smith,  Standard  Sewer  Pipe  Co.,  Dr.  R.  0.  Simmons,  W.  C.  Tucker,  u'tter-Johnson 
Co.,  Tony  Vincenzi.  Rev.  Jno.  H.  Wood,  Moses  Wright,  Dr.  Wm.  Winston,  Willing- 
ham,  Wright  &  Covington,  Atlantic  Ice  &  Coal  Corp..  B.  F.  Archer,  G.  H.  Albea, 
A.  S.  Burney,  Brittain  Bros.  Co.,  Bowie  Stove  Co.,  Battev  Mch.  Co.,  J.  S.  Bach- 
man,  W.  P.  Bradfield,  D.  A.  Boulgaris,  Chas.  Blackstock,  Commercial  Printing  Co., 
Consolidated  Groc.  Co.,  Culpepper-Storey  Co.,  C.  I.  Carey,  Leon  H.  Covington,  J.  B. 
Chidsey,  Sam  J.  Davis,  Rev.  E.  F.  Dempsey,  L.  A.  Dean,  Dr.  B.  V.  Elmore,  Fifth 
Ave.  Drug  Co..  Fidelity  Loan  &  Trust  Co.,  Graves-Harper  Co.,  W.  M.  Gammon  & 
Sons,  Ben  Gann,  Harper  Mfg.  Co.,  Hight  Access.  Co.,  Dr.  Chas.  Hamilton,  Hale 
Drug  Co.,  E.  A.  Heard,  Harper  Hamilton,  Hanks  Stove  &  Range  Co.,  Rev.  H.  F. 
Joyner,  Harry  Johnson,  Keith  &  Gray,  J.  Kuttner  &  Co.,  E.  E.  Lindsey,  E.  A. 
Leonard  Co.,  Gordon  Lee,  Merriam  Coal  Co.,  Maddox  &  Doyal.  W.  H.  Mitchell,  Dr. 
J.  T.  McCall,  Geo.  P.  Weathers,  Miller  Cash  Store,  Hugh  McCrary,  E.  J.  Moul- 
trie, James  Maddox,  Max  Meyerhardt,  National  City  Bank,  E.  H.  Norrell,  Parsons 
&  Ward,  Pete  Petropol,  Rome  Oil  Mill,  0.  R.  Ross,  Dr.  A.  F.  Routledge,  Rome 
Chero-Cola  Bott.  Co.,  Rome  News,  Rome  Supply  Co.,  B.  E.  Rakestraw  &  Co., 
L.  C.  Robertson,  Rome  Box  &  Mfg.  Co.,  Rome  Hosiery  Mills,  F.  L.  Sammons.  H.  H. 
Shackelton,  Stotts  Bros.,  Rev.  J.  E.  Sammons,  R.  C.  Sharp,  W.  T.  Sherard.  Stamps 
&  Co.,  John  T,  Taylor,  Updegrove  Mkt.  Assn.,  John  M.  Vandiver.  Walker  Elec.  & 
PL  Co.,  C.  0.  Walden,  Wyatt  Jewelry  Co.,  Hamilton  Yancey  L  Agy..  Geo.  B. 
Wood,  O.  P.  Willingham,  Young-Hamilton  Jewelry  Co.,  Dr.  R.  E.  Andrews,  As- 
rington-Buick  Co.,  J.  L.  Adams,  Thos.  Berry,  Bradfield  &  Striplin,  Hugh  H.  Best, 
J.  L.  Brannon  &  Co.,  J.  W.  Bryson,  Bartlett  Auto  E.  Co.,  Beard  &  Helton,  W.  H. 
Bennett,  Dr.  R.  P.  Cox,  R.  E.  Carter,  Citizens'  Bank,  Central  of  Ga.  Ry.,  Andrew 
A.  Cooper,  Curry-Arrington  Co.,  Daniel  Furniture  Co.,  Dempsey  &  Holloway, 
Etowah  Cooperage  Co.,  Exide  Battery  Service  Co.,  Floyd  County  Bank,  A.  R. 
Fouche,  Geston  Garner,  GrifRn-Cantrell  Hdwe.  Co.,  Holder  Coal  &  Lumber  Co., 
G.  H.  Hays,  W.  W.  Hawkins,  W.  T.  Huff,  Hill  &  Owens,  Howel  Cotton  Co.  of  Ga.. 
Geo.  W.  Hamby,  Hale-Brannon  Co.,  Jones  Poster  Adv.  Co.,  James  Supply  Co., 
Jas.  H.  Keown,  C.  J.  King  &  Starr,  Dr.  T.  E.  Lindsey,  A.  Lehmann,  Jr.,  Kieffer 
Lindsey,  McGhee  Cotton  Co.,  McWilliams  Feed  &  Groc.  Co.,  Paul  L  Morris,  Mar- 
shall Cigar  Co.,  E.  Pierce  McGhee,  Marshall  Mfg.  Co.,  Dr.  L.  F.  McKoy,  G.  H.  Mc- 
Rae,  McGhee  Tire  Co.,  McDonald  Furniture  Co.,  W.  J.  Nunnally,  Nixon  Hwde. 
Co.,  H.  B.  Parks  &  Co.,  Persinger  Co.,  Rome  Tribune-Herald,  Rome  Merc.  Co.. 
Rome  Furn.  Co.,  Geo.  S.  Reese,  R.  J.  Ragan,  Rome  Mch.  &  Fdry.  Co.,  Rabuzzi 
&  Thomas,  Rome  Stationery  Co.,  Rome  Laundry  Co.,  H.  T.  Reynolds,  Standard 
Marble  Co.,  Simpson  Groc.  Co.,  H.  A.  Spencer,  Southern  Bell  T.  &  T.  Co.,  Dr.  W. 
J.  Shaw,  Geo.  G.  Stiles,  Towers  &  Sullivan  Co.,  Third  Avenue  Hotel,  Dr.  F.  E. 
Vaissiere,  Thos.  Warters,  B.  E.  Welch,  R.  E.  Wilson,  Wyatt  Book  Store,  Dr.  J.  C. 
Watts  and  O.  Willingham. 


THE  HORSE   IN   THE  DAYS   OF   HIS   UNDISPUTED   RIGHT-OF-WAY. 

Memorial  Day  marshals,  snapped  on  the  old  Land  Comp.Tny  Bridijc  about  20  years  ago. 
From  left  to  right  the  riders  are  J.  H.  Camp,  Capt.  A.  B.  S.  Moselcy,  Col.  A.  B.  Montgomery, 
Capt.    Henry    S.    Lansdell,    W.    Addison    Knowlcs    and    Terrell    Speed,    "Coonskin    Statesman. 


530 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


TIDING  THE  FARMER  OVER  THE  CRISIS. 

The  pictures  above  show  scenes  at  Rome's  curb  market,  started  in  1921  by  the  Woman's 
Auxiliary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  with  Mrs.  Bessie  B.  Troutman  in  charge,  and  onat 
of  the  first  trading  meccas  in  Georgia  under  the  new  plan,  which  seeks  to  remove  the 
farmer  from  the  influence  of  exploiters  and  put  him  in  a  position  to  make  a  living  by  direct 
trading   at   a    fixed   price. 


Girl  Scout  Organization. — The  Rome  Council,  Girl  Scouts  of  America,  was 
organized  Nov.  11,  1921,  with  Mrs.  Howard  Hull  as  commissioner.  In  October, 
1922,  the  officers  were  as  follows:  Mrs.  W.  H.  Lewis,  commissioner;  Mrs.  J.  Paul 
Cooper,  deputy  commissioner;  Mrs.  Wm.  Winston,  deputy  commissioner;  Mrs. 
R.  L.  Wilson,  secretary;  Mrs.  S.  B.  Norton,  treasurer. 

The  Eecutive  Committee  was  made  up  of  the  officers  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  O'Neill 
and  Mrs.  C.  Bryant  Graves. 

In  1921  John  and  Will  Ledbetter,  representing  the  Cloudland  Park  Corpora, 
tion,  developers  of  the  mountain  resort  known  as  Cloudland,  Chattooga  County, 
gave  a  ten-acre  tract  of  land  to  the  Cherokee  Council  of  Boy  Scouts  at  Cloudland, 
for  camp  purposes.  They  also  presented  a  site  some  distance  away  from  the 
Boy  Scout  camp  for  the  girls'  summer  playground,  and  this  latter  is  now  known 
as  Camp  Juliette  Lowe,  after  the  Scout  leader  from  Savannah  by  that  name. 
Miss  Dorris  S.  Hough,  of  Southern  Regional  headquarters,  84  Marietta  Street, 
Atlanta,  is  in  charge.  Mrs.  J.  P.  Cooper,  Mrs.  J.  H.  O'Neill  and  Mrs.  W.  H. 
Lewis  represented  the  Rome  Council  in  the  negotiations  and  construction. 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


531 


A  few  shacks  were  built  by  the  boys  in  1921,  and  in  1922  others  were  added 
The  girls  have  an  assembly  hall,  40x72  feet.  The  grounds  of  each  camp  are  high 
and  healthful,  and  each  season  finds  larger  numbers  of  Scouts  attending  The 
length  of  stay  is  usually  two  weeks.  Ample  facilities  are  offered  for  bathing  and 
athletic  games,  in  addition  to  the  Scout  progi-ams. 

Rome  is  proud  of  the  second  girl  in  Georgia  to  receive  the  order  of  the 
Golden  Eaglet.     She  is  Virginia  Robert  Lipscomb,  of  Troop  2. 

The  eight  troops,  their  officers  and  members  follow: 

ROME   GIRL   SCOUT   TROOPS. 

Troop  1, — Mrs.  Julian  Reese,  captain  (Mrs.  Andrew  Cooper  resigned  in  Sep- 
tember, 1922)  ;  Ellen  Hagin,  lieutenant. 


Madeline  Peacock, 
Louise    Caldwell, 
Lucille    Scott, 
Frances  Bridgen, 
Mary  Hammer, 
Margaret  Landrell, 
Lulu   Schnedl, 
Elizabeth    Wilkins, 
Marguerite  McKenzie, 


Evelyn    McDonald, 
Louise   Harbour, 
Mary    Louise    Stillwell, 
Daisy  Harrington, 
Mildred    Tippen, 
Lillian    McCormack, 
Annie  Hicks, 
Juanita    Schnedl, 
Martha    White, 

Troop  2. — Mrs.  Mark  A.  Cooper,  captain;  Mrs.  Gordon  Hight  and  Mrs.  Dorris 
Morris,  lieutenants;  Virginia  Robert  Lipscomb    (the  Golden  Eaglet). 


Nellie    Cooley, 
Marion    Peacock, 
Annie  Harris, 
Evelyn    Copeland, 
Marguerite    Elmore, 
Isabel    Wilkins, 
Ollie    Drummond, 
Anna   L.   Venable, 
Janie  Shropshire. 


Florence    Morgan, 
Elizabeth  Morris, 
Juliet   Graves, 
Maynor    McWilliams, 
Elizabeth    McRae, 
Martha    Ledbetter, 
Margaret   Hardin, 
Media    Godwin, 
Ruth   McConnell, 
Sarah   Malone, 
Bessie    McConnell, 

Troop  3.— Mrs.   Will 
Margaret   Bryson, 
Mary  J.   Doyal, 
Ruth    Maddox, 
Mildred  Wilkerson, 
Myra  Daniel, 
Adelaide  Simpson, 
Elizabeth   Hand, 
Katherine  Phillips, 
Lucy  E.  Trammell, 
Rose  Williams, 


Olivia    Coalson, 
Dorothy  Stamps, 
Anna    King, 
Bonnie   Angle, 
Sinclair    Norton, 
Martha    Porter, 
Dorothy  Ledbetter, 
Cornelia    Littleton, 
Helen   McCloud, 
Sarah    Belle    Penrod, 
Katherine   Burney, 

Wimberly,  captain. 
Annette   Stroud, 
Dorothy    Harrison, 
Nell    Daniel, 
Frances  Adams, 
Mary  J.  Pyle, 
Willie    Waters, 
Leonora    Stone, 
Eunice   Stone, 
Lucy  E.  Coulter, 
Katherine   Allen, 


Troop  4. — Miss  Rae  Sheppard,  captain. 
Ruth   Mendelson,  Freda    Levinston, 

Rebecca  Mendelson,  Terba    Pinlchuck, 

Sadie    Sheppard,  Beulah  Mendelson, 

Lillie  Miller,  Mildred   Es.serman, 

Fagie  Esseniian, 


Elizabeth   Ward, 
Elizabeth   Barton, 
Joy    Shackelton, 
Anna  Lawrence, 
Marv  Bryan, 
Edith  Bryan, 
Elizabeth   Lipscomb, 
Nan   Elizabeth   Penn, 
Elizabeth  Warner, 
Dorothy    Holland, 
Eleanor    Lawrence. 


Katherine   Gann, 
Edith  Stroud. 
Frankie   Daniel, 
Dorothy  Trammell, 
Genevieve    Burke, 
Thelma   Davis, 
Imogene  Dempsey, 
Elizabeth  Daniel. 


Mendel]    Rothenburg, 
Celia  Lesser, 
Fannie    Shapiro, 
Edna  Esserman. 


Troop  5. — Miss  Louie  Crawford,  captain. 
Patti  W.  McGhee,  Mildred    Crawford, 

Mary    Harbin,  Fiances    Ledbetter, 

Martha   King,  Marjorie  Moi'eland, 

Ellen    Harvey,  Louise  Hardin. 

Louise    Smith,  Mary  L.   Slaton, 

Mattie  Wall  Glover, 

Troop  6. — Miss  Verda  Broach,  captain;  Miss  Diana  Meycrhardt,  first  lieuten- 
ant;   Miss  Louise   Shamblin,  second  lieutenant. 

Sarah  Rose,  Helen  Tate,  Louise  Loveless, 

Helen  Ellis,  Lena  Miller,  Ludie  Higgins, 


Christine    Frix, 
Jean    Landruni, 
lean    Hancock, 
Mae   K.    Ennis, 
Josephine    Brazelton. 


532 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Lulu   Stanley, 
Myrtle  Stone, 
Eunice   Fricks, 
Frances  Wunden, 


Adele  Lumpkin, 
Janie   Hill, 
Clara    Ramsey, 
Marlin    Beddin, 
Mabel    Brown, 


Troop  7. — Mrs.  James  O'Neill,  Jr.,  captain;  Miss 


Virginia   Moore, 
Agnes  Moss, 
Elizabeth   Wilkins, 
Amy  Lou  Lester, 
Irma  Farom, 
Augusta    Ragsdale, 
Louise  Johnson, 
Opal  Hill, 


Amy  Avery, 
Jewell   Lester, 
Ruby  Johnson, 
Mary  Broach, 
Rochelle  Stewart, 
Cleo  Moss, 
Susie    Arnold, 
Rowie  Ragsdale, 


Troop  8. — Macbeth  Hagin,  captain. 


Ida  Coalson, 
Margaret    Coalson, 
Margaret    Lansdell, 
Madeline  McConnell, 


Virginia    McConnell, 
Mildred  Tippin, 
Lois   Wallace, 
Daisy  M.  Price, 


Beatrice    Phillips, 
Jane  Tolbert, 
Susie  Tolbert, 
Louie  Brown. 


Goodwyn  Denny,  lieutenant. 

Adelene   Wright, 
Ruth  Coker, 
Alma  Bishop, 
Lillian  Fletcher, 
Cecelia  Kughlman, 
Gertrude   Shropshire, 
Anna   F.  Head, 
Louise  Sewell. 


Lucile  Dowman, 
Mary  A.  Davis, 
Nell'  Daniel. 


CHEROKEE    COUNCIL,   BOY    SCOUTS   OF   AMERICA. 

Officers  and  members  of  Council  (list  dated  June,  1922)  :  President,  Robt. 
W.  Graves;  first  vice-president,  Geston  Garner;  second  vice-president.  Rev.  Wal- 
lace Rogers;  third  vice-president,  James  Maddox;  fourth  vice-president,  L.  H. 
Covington;  commissioner,  H.  P.  Meikleham;  treasurer,  Julian  Gumming;  C.  B. 
Caperton,  Trion,  Chattooga  County  chairman;  Walter  Shaw,  LaFayette,  Walker 
County  chairman;  A.  L.  Henson,  Calhoun,  Gordon  County  chairman;  C.  L.  Vass, 
Cartersville,  Bartow  County  chairman;  Herbert  Judd,  Dalton,  Whitfield  County 
chairman;  G.  N.  Lemmon,  Marietta,  Cobb  County  chairman;  W.  W.  Mundy,  Ce- 
dartown,  Polk  County  chairman. 


Dr.  H.  F.  Saumenig, 
H.  T.   Reynolds, 
E.  Pierce  McGhee, 
Prof.   B.    F.    Quigg, 
R.    H.    Clagett, 
Dr.  C.  L.   Betts, 
Joe    Sulzbacher, 
H.  E.  Kelley, 
Isaac   May, 
W.    S.   Cothran, 
J.   N.    King, 
P.  H.  Doyal, 
J.  L.   Brannon, 
J.  M.  Graham, 
T.  J.  Simpson, 
H.  H.  Arrington, 
Wilson  Hardy, 
George  Nixon, 
S.  A.  Marshall, 
M.  S.  Lanier, 
B.  S.   Fahv, 
H.  J.  Arnold, 


W.  W.  Woodruff, 
G.  L.  Hight, 
J.  B.  Chidsey, 
Mather  Daniel, 
J.   W.  Quarles, 
T.  E.  Edwards, 
H.  F.  Yeargan, 
L.  B.  Gammon, 
S.  B.  Norton, 
C.  E.  McLin, 
J.  B.  Sullivan, 
N.  N.  Smith, 
Dr.   Geo.   B.   Smith, 
Graham   Wright, 
Hugh  McCrary, 
H.  L.  Lanham, 
Rev.  H.  F.  Joyner, 
J.  E.  Sammons, 
Rev.  E.  R.  Leyburn, 
Rev.  John  H.  Wood, 
Thos.    D.    Caldwell, 
Dr.  M.  M.  McCord, 


B.  C.  Yancey, 
R.  B.  Combs, 
J.  P.  Cooper, 
S.   H.  Smith, 
W.  C.  Rash, 

J.    H.   Townes, 
E.  P.  Grant, 
E.  P.  Harvey, 

C.  J.  Wyatt, 
John   C.  Glover, 
E.  L.  Wright, 
J.  M.  Harris, 
B.  S.  Tilly, 

A.  Lehman, 

A.  P.  Hardin, 
W.   O.  Parsons, 

B.  F.  Archer, 
J.  M.  Cooley, 

J.   F.   Carmany, 
S.  L.  Hancock, 
Homer  Davis. 


BOY   SCOUTS,   FLOYD    COUNTY,   JUNE,   1922 
Troop  1,  Rome. — Geston   Garner,   scoutmaster;    C.   N.   Featherston,  assistant. 


Ralph  Griffin, 
Joe    Stegall, 
Claude  Saunders, 
Cyril  Hull, 
Paul    Carmany, 


James   Hill, 
Ben  Grafton, 
James  Bryson, 
Riley    McKoy, 
Carl  Griffin, 
Clifford  Carmany, 


Hendree   Harrison, 
Frank  Anderson, 
Frank  Dobbins, 
Claude  White, 
Robert  Miller. 


mm    i 


ZACHARIAH    BRANSCOME    HARGROVE,    one   of   four    founders    of 
Rome  and  a  prominent  Cherokee  Georpria  pioneer.     He  sleeps  on  the 
peak    of    beautiful    Myrtle    Hill,    which    once  was  his  prized   possession. 


534 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Troop  2,  Rome. 

Hayne  Wicker, 
Burie  Sammons, 
L.  C.   Mitchell,  Jr., 
James    Whitehead, 
Clarence   Rash, 
Harbin  Holland, 
Robert  Wilkerson, 
Darrell  McKenzie, 
Malcolmn  Curdy, 

Troop  3,  Rome. — W.  J. 

John    Locklear, 
Clarence   Cowart, 
Alvin  Minis, 
Thos.  Spratling, 

Troop  4,  Rome. — Dr. 

William   Betts, 
Ellis    Hale, 
Edmund    Yeargan, 
Richard   Smith, 
Will  Cothran, 
William  Harbin, 
Lester   Harbin, 


-Ed.  L.  King,  scoutmaster;  J.  F. 

Tom    Harris, 
John  T.  Sessler, 
William    Treadaway, 
Wesley  Terrell, 
Blandford   Eubanks, 
Charles  Duncan, 
Howard  Painter, 
Wilbur   Culpepper, 
George   McGinnis, 

Marshall,  scoutmaster. 

John  Hames, 
Clyde  Locklear, 
Oliie  Cole, 
Kellett  Goodwin, 


Brooks,  assistant. 

William  A.  Brooks, 
Harry    Fricks, 
Hillyer  Johnson, 
Hendricks  Landers, 
Scab  Horton, 
William  Jones, 
Jack   Walker, 
Wallace  Tatum. 


Arthur  Ellison, 
Fred    Mathis, 
Alton   Cole, 
James  Locklear. 


Carl  L.  Betts,  scoutmaster;  P.  A.  Landers,  assistant. 


Wingfield    Glover, 
James  Glover, 
J.  D.  Bryan, 
Parks  Dodd, 
William  Gibbons, 
Alfred   Barron, 
William  Davis, 


John  Gumming, 
Jennings    Gordon, 
Maitland  Lawrence, 
Lang  Gammon, 
John    Maddox, 
Thomas    Strickland, 
Hamilton    Yancey. 


Troop   5,    Rome. 
sistant. 


-C.    Beecher    Funderburk,   scoutmaster,    W.    H.    Powers,   as- 


Leroy  Wright, 
Lewis  Davis, 
Lloyd  Wright, 
Alton  Floyd, 
Howard   Langston, 
Donald  Ragsdale, 
Herbert    Hardin, 


Hastings   Scoggins, 
Elvis  Kendrick, 
Willie  Kendrick, 
Donald  Hall, 
Ralph   Penn, 
Hugh  Green, 
Shaw   Hardin, 
Carl  Hammond, 


John  Penn, 
Bruce  Clement, 
Lewis  Dodson, 
Chas.    Akridge, 
Henry   Lovelace, 
Dean  Hall, 
Grafton    Copeland. 


Troop  6,  Rome. — Rev.  H.  F.  Joyner,  scoutmaster;   R.  H.  Elliott,  assistant. 


Hoyt  Cook, 
George  Reeves, 
Pi-eston   Blackwelder, 
Harry  Booz, 
Elbert  Sheldon, 
Marion  Free, 
Aubrey  Verner, 
Otis   Parsons, 


Edmund  O'Connor, 
I.   T.   O'Bryan, 
Joe  Branda, 
J.  Kenneth  Elliott, 
C.  H.  Booker, 
Robert  Wood, 
Cecil    Branda, 
Frank    Foster, 


Franks    Cabes, 
Paul  Hames 
John  Hames, 
Ernest  Bland, 
Hugh  Hitchcock, 
Burton  Collins, 
Claude  Shiflett. 


Troop    7,    Rome. — Jerome    C.    Henson,    scoutmaster;    Rev.    Jno    H.    Wood    as- 
sistant. 


R.  C.  Gilmer, 
James  Barton, 
J.  B.  Flemming, 
Clinton    Flemming. 
Victor  Vincenzi, 
Waring  Best, 

Troop  8,  Rome.—W.  J. 

John  House, 
Paul  Grimm, 
William    Holler, 
James  Carey, 
Julius    Cooley, 
Thomas  Warters, 
Walter  Jones, 
J.  W.  Whitehead,  Jr., 


J.  S.  Schnedl, 
Aubrey   McBrayer, 
Paul  Morris, 
Benj.   Archer, 
Robert  Stephens, 
Wm.    Montgomery, 

Carey,  scoutmaster;  Chas. 

Malcolm  Pyle, 
Marvin  House, 
G.   W.   Warren, 
Harold  Wallace, 
Ross  Montague, 
Ryan  Hicks, 
Copeland  Bridges, 
Roy  Knight, 
Ralph  Caldwell, 


John  Watson, 
Murrell    McGinnis, 
George  Nixon, 
George  Morrow, 
Gordon  Higgins. 

N.  Burks,  assistant. 

Charles    Landsell, 
Watson   Clement, 
Marshall  Griffin, 
George  Clement, 
James  Keown, 
Thos.  McKinney, 
Samuel   Vandiver, 
Charles  Franks. 


Miscellaneous — Lists 


535 


Troop  9,  Rome. — Jos.    H.   Lesser,   scoutmaster;    Hyman    Esserman,   assistant. 


Felix  Lesser, 
Alex    Pintchuck, 
Abe  Aronoff, 
Phillip    Friedman, 
Joe  Esserman, 


Moses  Esserman, 
Isadore  Levy, 
Ben  Esserman, 
Frank  Lesser, 
Herman  Lesser, 


Ike  Pintchuck, 
Alex.  Levison, 
Harry  Essern\an, 
David    Freedman, 
Lazarus  Levy. 


Troop  10,  Ro)iie. — Jno.  K.   Hardin,  scoutmaster;   W.  E.  Dunwoody,  assistant. 


Edward  Gaines, 
George  Jones, 
Linton  Broach, 
Luther    Wacaster, 
John  W.  Hardin, 


Eugene  McCurry, 
Lawrence   Barnett, 
Ralph  Drummond, 
John   Smith, 
Lindsey  Ford, 


Troop  11,  Rome. — Frank   McLeod,  scoutmaster. 


Robert  Mixon, 
Morris    Keener, 
Melvin  Fuller, 
Bud  Keys, 
Hugh   Lanham, 
John    Williamson, 


Huston    Patterson, 
Pat  Gentry, 
William   Allen, 
Burk  Floyd, 
Embree  Walden, 
Henry  Stone, 
Fred  Mixon, 


Lawrence   Wilkins, 
Varnell    Littlejohn, 
Herbert  Barton, 
John  Smith, 
Paul  Lackey. 


Vandiver    Reed, 
Shaion  Williams, 
James  Tutton, 
Homer  Masters, 
Jack  Permenter, 
Lawrence  Wilkins. 


Troop  12,  Ro)ne. — L.  A.  Farr,  scoutmaster;  W.  E.  Lunijikin,  assistant. 


Olin  A.  Deitz, 
S.  Leroy  Hancock, 
Elmer   Cooper, 
Hubert    Langston, 
Clyde  Langston, 
Ed.  Dobson, 
Wade  Conn, 


Troop  13,  Rome.—F,.  F. 

James  W.  Whatley, 
William  Fain, 
Cecil  White, 
Ronald  Padgett, 
Thomas    Davis, 
Edwin  Fain, 
Guy   Davis, 
Johnnie  Beam, 
Harry  Davis, 

Troop  14,  Rome. — Wm.   B.  Broach,  scoutmaster. 
Walter  Camp,  John  Bennett, 


Wafford  Farr, 
Wallace    Cooper, 
Ray  Holland, 
W.'C.  Dobson, 
Clarke  Landers, 
Eddie   Conn, 
Herbert  Conn, 
Allen  Partee, 

Padgett,  scoutmaster; 

William  Ward, 
Delsar   Barber, 
Winford    Rush, 
Ralph  Perry, 
Millard   M.   Fincher, 
Robt.    Billingsley, 
William    McCary, 
Howard   Rush, 
Raymond  Stephens, 


Holmes  Smith,  Jr., 
Kerner  Primm, 


Allen    Hammond, 
Coley  Harvey, 


Webb  Roberts, 
Lytill  Dobson, 
Fred  Henson, 
Eshin  Henson, 
Walter  McCreary, 
William  Saul, 
Shaw  White. 


S.  L.  Rush,  assistant. 

Edmund  Horton, 
Henley    Floyd, 
Tennis  Light, 
Samuel  Cowan, 
Charles  Hall. 
Reece    Dempsev, 
Carl    White, 
Hugh  White. 
Winthrop   Murchist)n. 


Rali)h  McCord. 
.Alfred  Spears. 
Victor  Yeai-gan. 


The  departure  of  Rev.  Geo.  E.  Bennett  in  the  summer  of  1;>12'J  for  Florida 
left  a  vacancy  in  the  Scout  executive's  ofTice  which  was  filled  by  the  selection  of 
W.  A.  Dobson;  and  the  death  Sunday,  Sept.  24,  1922,  of  Robt.  W.  (Jraves.  presi- 
dent of  the  Cherokee  Council,  caused  a  vacancy  in  that  position.  Mr.  (J raves  was 
51  years  old.     He  was  buried  Tuesday,  Sept.  26,  in  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery.  Rome. 


Troop  1,  Lindale. — 

Robert  Hill, 
Charles   MacDonald, 
Forrest  Porter, 
Grady  Rogers, 
Harry   Davidson, 
Melvin  Pool, 
Athos   Pool, 


Roy  Roach, 
Darnell    Richardson, 
Wyatt   Wallace. 
John  B.  Satterfield. 
Clarence    Bowman, 
Harry   Marion, 
Paul  J.  Marion, 
Will  Ed.  Hopkins, 


Rosser  Wallace, 
Richard    Beam. 
Beit   Bruce, 
Clilford  Tyson. 
Charles  McCarson,  Jr. 
Roscoe  Reynolds, 
Roy  Coggins. 


536 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Troop  2,  Lindale. — 

Harry  Loyd, 
Lonnie    Coley, 
Glen    Baker, 
Howard    West, 
Harrv   P"'oss, 
Richard    Smith, 
Fred    Smith, 
George    Morris, 


Troop  3,  Lindale. — 

Harold  Crow, 
Elmer  Spratling, 
Wallace  Rogers, 
Mark  Webb, 
James  Erwin, 
Victor   Schram, 
Arvil    Schram, 
Clifford  Merony, 
Eugene  Williams, 
Wm.   Thomason, 
Overton  Tyson, 

Troop  4,  Lindale. — 

Henry  Autrey, 
Wm.  Clinton, 
Huston    Hendricks, 
Robt.   Padgett, 
John  Bagley, 
Roy  Baker, 
Bill  Wynn, 
Harry  Stagg, 
Clarence   Padgett, 
Marshall  Turley, 

Troop  1,  Cave  Spri)ig. 

R.  W.  Fincher, 
Otis  Grimes, 
Earl  Wilson, 
John  Pruitt, 
Samuel  Parres, 


Nixon  Webb, 
Clayton    White, 
Philip   Duckett, 
Claude    Beam, 
Robt.   Green, 
Elmer   Holsomback, 
Leonard   Holsomback, 
Keith    Humphrey, 
Bill  Jones, 


Homer   Smith, 
Grady    Shields, 
Robt.   Stephens, 
Lonnie  Roberts, 
David  New, 
Cecil  Looney, 
Lawrence   Jackson, 
Henry  Henderson, 
Gwinie  Grogan, 
J.  T.  Gravett, 
Reuben   Fields, 


Claude  Eaton, 
Clyde  Watson, 
Henry  Neal, 
Walter   Green, 
Wm.  Watson, 
James  Reed, 
Thos.    Howe, 
Lamar  Burns, 
Dewey  Patterson, 
J.  P.  "Melton, 
Leroy  Watson, 


Bill    Montgomery, 
Ellis  Casey, 
Marshall  Berry, 
William  Spence, 
Bennie    Jessmith, 
George   Lou   Albea, 


Wesley  Lewis, 
Henry   Parker, 
Edell    Evans, 
Lewis  Baker, 
Ben   Godfrey, 
Joe   Roberts, 
Floyd   Bell, 
Barnett  Barton. 


Ted.   Christian, 
Jefferson    Bramlett, 
L.  T.  Bannister, 
Clyde  Cox,  _ 
Wesley  Lewis, 
Leslie  Lenning, 
John   Fulton, 
Will  E.  Hopkins, 
Paul  Ray, 
Ernest  Mathis. 


Alvin  Gaddy, 
Roy  Lanham, 
Detroy  Bell, 
T.  J.  Craton, 
T.  J.  Eubanks, 
Burley  Eaton, 
Donald  Callaway, 
Grady  Williams, 
Henry  Wynn, 
Lawrence  Dillingham. 


A.  J.  Casey,  Jr., 
Weldon  Griffith, 
Isaac  Sewell, 
Duel    Wilson, 
Louie  Casey. 


GOING  SNAKE'S  ADVENTURE. 
— In  a  memorial  to  Congress  and  Pres- 
ident Jackson,  John  Ross  and  his  as- 
sociates recited  that  the  arrangements 
made  by  the  Government  agents  for 
the  July,  1835,  council  at  Running 
Waters  (Rome),  were  entirely  inad- 
equate. The  Indians  were  quartered 
ill  a  wood  convenient  to  the  council 
ground;  they  slept  on  the  earth,  and 
their  horses  were  tethered  nearby. 
Going  Snake  was  there.  He  was  the 
speaker  of  the  Cherokee  National 
Council  and  one  of  Ross'  right-hand 
men.  His  son,  it  will  be  recalled,  was 
occupying  a  "'berth"  in  the  log  cabin 
at  Spring  Place  when  John  Howard 
Payne  and  Ross  arrived  there  as  pris- 
oners. 


Going  Snake's  horse  got  loose  and 
stepped  on  his  head  while  he  slept. 
The  chief's  injuries  were  thought  to 
have  been  serious,  but  he  stayed  on 
his  feet  and  in  a  short  while  came 
around  all  right. 


DOLLARS  AND  IDEAS.— Mrs. 
Simpson  Fouche  Magruder  expressed 
a  helpful  thought  at  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  banquet  Jan.  1,  1921,  at  the 
Armstrong  Hotel  when  she  declared: 
"If  I  have  a  dollar  and  you  have  a 
dollar,  and  we  swap,  each  of  us  still 
has  only  a  dollar;  but  if  I  have  an 
idea  and  you  have  an  idea,  and  we 
exchange,  each  of  us  has  two  ideas 
which  may  lead  to  something  worth 
while." 


Life  in  the  Districts 


Pinson. 

By  Major  Tom  Noodle. 
(Tribune-Herald,  Nov.  24,  1920) 

Low-priced  cotton  is  putting  a  crimp 
in  most  people's  programs.  I  am  like 
an  old  man  I  boarded  with  once.  He 
always  carried  his  family  to  the  circus, 
and  one  fall  he  had  no  money  and  they 
were  greatly  upset  over  not  being  able 
to  see  the  show.  However,  the  last 
morning  he  found  his  cow  had  broken 
her  neck.  He  rushed  to  the  house  and 
told  his  wife  that  providence  was  with 
them,  to  get  ready,  he  would  sell  the 
cow  hide  and  take  in  the  show  after 
all.  It  seems  I  am  lucky.  I  planted  for 
a  bale  of  cotton,  but  the  weevils  caused 
me  to  miss  it;  therefore  I  have  no  bale 
for  cheap  price. 

I  went  to  church  Sunday  afternoon 
and  came  home  and  found  the  old  cow 
out  and  gone.  She  was  located  in  a 
neighbor's  garden.  She  put  me  to  a 
nice  trip  across  plowed  ground  on  my 
way  home.  I  beefed  the  calf  the  other 
day.  The  cow  has  not  found  it  out 
yet.  I  am  afraid  to  tell  her  about  it. 
That  cow  puzzles  me  at  times.  She 
often  refuses  to  let  the  milk  flow.  I 
pull  and  squeeze,  but  get  nothing  but 
a  thin  "speen"  in  the  bucket  till  she 
consents  to  give  it  down,  and  now  on  a 
cold  morning  that  little  "speen"  is  no 
attractive  sound.  I  am  glad  that  cow 
is  no  twin. 

Several  killed  hogs  last  week. 

Henry  Johnston  and  family,  of  Rome, 
were  here  last  Sunday. 

Arthur  Thedford  was  here  last  week. 

Most  everybody  out  this  way  is  fat 
and  saucy. 

(Won't  you  invite  us  out  to  dinner^ 
Major  Noodle?  We  of  the  city  must  eat 
now  and  then! — Author.) 

School  begins  next  Monday. 

Things  are  getting  cheaper.  I  hear 
that  silk  and  whisky  are  off  a  lot 
Land  seems  to  be  selling  lower  and 
cattle  and  stock  are  cheap.  Diamonds 
are  off  a  little,  so  is  radium.  Cotton 
sure  is.  Coal,  eggs,  foodstuff  and  fruit 
are  not.  Politics  is  off.  Taxes 
are  not.  Money  is  timid.  Tramps  are 
increasing.  Too  many  people  are  go- 
ing to  town.  Wages  will  be  cheap  if 
you  don't  look  out.  Because  of  one 
bad  year  on  the  farm  is  no  reason  to 
quit.  Call  the  farmer  an  "opulent 
cuss"  if  you  desire,  but  what  business 


or  manufacture  is  expected  to  go  on 
sellmg  below  cost  of  production?  There 
IS  a  silver  lining,  however.  Better 
market  conditions,  facilities  and  organ- 
ization for  farmers  will  and  must  come 
or  blooie! 

One  of  the  best  ways  for  farmers  to 
economize  I  find  is  to  make  their  syrup 
thick  and  put  it  in  jugs.  Onlv  a  little 
will  run  out  during  cold  weather.  I  am 
trying  that  plan.  It  certainly  works. 
A  gallon  will  outlast  two  in  buckets. 
There  are  many  ways  to  save  if  you 
will  only  think  them  out.  One's  wife 
will  not  eat  so  much  if  one  will  have 
her  teeth  pulled.  I  offer  that  sugges- 
tion. It  will  work  out  nicely.  It  will 
help  greatly  to  work,  save  and  carry  on. 

By    Major    Tom    Noodle. 
(Rome    News,    Sept.    13,    1921) 
Busy    times.       Fodder-pulling,    hay- 
making and   sirup-making  on  hand  all 
at  once. 

Edgar  Sanders  and  bride  spent  last 
week  with  their  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
E.   S.   Sanders. 


.lO.S.  WATTKR.S,  state  son.Mtor  who  viponuisly 
fouKht  the  so-called  "lire-eaters,"  or  men 
who    wanted    the    Civil    War    in    l.<!50. 


538 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Mrs.  W.  T.  Garden  is  convalescing 
after  a   serious  illness  of  three  weeks. 

Some  road-working  been  done  and 
some  yet  to  be  done. 

Sam  Davis  was  out  this  way  Thurs- 
day. 

Cotton  picking  in  full  blast.  If  kept 
up  with,  the  present  crop  may  be  gath- 
ered in  September.  The  yield  will  be 
about  half. 

Phew!  Hot  weather  makes  you 
sweat  and  fret  but  have  to  work.  Light 
showers  intersperse  the  torrid  term, 
however. 

Will  the  disarmament  conference 
interfere    with    courting? 

Mrs.  Cora  Hopkins'  baby  was  quite 
sick  last  week. 

Hugh  Sanders  and  Miss  Minnie  It- 
son  were  quietly  married  Sunday  at 
Plainville,  Esq.  W.  M.  Miller  officiat- 
ing.     Congratulations. 

Do  they  eat  ham  at  Hamburg  ^nd 
liver  at  Liverpool?  Do  they  wash  at 
Washington  and  roam  at  Rome? 

If  weeds  were  cultivated,  would  they 
be  hard  to  get  a  stand  like  cultivated 
plants? 

Chickens  are  the  dickens — if  they 
belong  to  neighbors  and  often  if  they 


are  your  own.  They  scratch  up  what 
you  plant,  eat  what  comes  up  and 
then  try  to  get  the  rest  of  it  when  it 
ripens.  They  begin  on  the  fruit  soon 
after  it  blooms  and  continue  till  it  is 
gone.  They  eat  up  all  outdoors,  come 
into  the  house  to  devour  and  rob  the 
stock  of  their  meals.  They  eat  any- 
thing and  everything.  One  time  I 
went  to  sleep  out  on  the  porch  and 
they  tried  to  peck  out  my  teeth,  and 
one  lighted  on  the  stove  and  began 
eating  fried  corn  that  was  cooking. 
They  are  sights.  They  are  pretty  good 
eats,  however,  when  cooked  right. 

Will  Gaines,  Sr.,  who  recently  broke 
his  arm  playing  ball,  is  doing  as  well 
as   could   be  expected. 


(Sept.  19,  1921) 

Nice  rain  Sunday.  Good  deal  of  hay 
down,  but  it  was  needed  on  pastures 
and    gardens. 

Rev,  J.  L.  Hodges  was  called  as 
pastor  of  Enon  Church  Saturday  for 
another    year. 

Rev.  J.  N.  Hightower  filled  Rev.  Mr. 
Hodges'  appointment  at  Enon  Satur- 
day and  Sunday. 

Odis  Drummonds  and  family,  of 
Rome,  visited  his  father  and  family 
Sunday. 

J.  W.  Sisk  and  wife,  O.  L.  Floyd, 
wife  and  son,  of  Plainville,  visited  rel- 
atives here   Sunday  afternoon. 

I  do  not  believe  a  hen  can  reason, 
for  if  she  could  she  would  not  set  on 
a  door  knob  in  the  nest  till  she  raised 
blood  blisters  on  her  bosom. 

It  is  funny  to  see  a  dog  laugh.  He 
just  wags  his  tail. 

A  mule  carries  his  defense  in  the 
rear  and  fights  backwards,  but  it  is  ef- 
fective. 

If  the  eating  end  of  a  cow  is  pro- 
vided for,  the  milking  end  will  take 
care  of  itself. 

One  time  one  of  my  children  was 
sick  at  night.  To  be  on  the  safe  side 
I  gave  it  castor  oil.  Next  morning  I 
found  a  sore  toe  was  the  trouble. 

It  takes  corn  to  curl  a  pig's  tail. 


COL.  J.  G.  YEISER,  in  his  uniform  of  the 
Mexican  War.  Col.  Yeiser  also  fought  with 
distinction    in    the    war    of    1861-1865. 


(Feb.    6,    1922) 

Will  Johnson,  who  moved  across  the 
river  Christmas,  has  moved  back  to  this 
side, 

Mrs.  Wiley  Davis  is  on  the  sick  list. 

Mrs.  Lizzie  Frix  came  up  from  Rome 
Thursday  to  visit  her  children  and 
parents. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


539 


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540 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


W.  E.  Walters  and  Mrs.  J.  G.  What- 
ley  attended  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Net- 
tie Milner  in  Atlanta  last  week. 

School  at  Enon  is  overflowing. 

Several  farmers  lately  had  their  sor- 
ghum seed  and  soy  beans  threshed. 

The  old  churn  runs  the  old  cat  out 
of  the  chimney  corner  these  days. 

Old  Man  Winter  has  not  swatted  all 
the  flies  yet;  so  it  must  be  the  same 
with  the  boll  weevils.  Cut  your  cotton 
acreage. 

I  once  heard  a  fellow  say  that  there 
were  only  two  classes  of  people — the 
caught  and  the  uncaught.  Court  pro- 
ceedings reveal  that  there  is  some 
truth  to  the  statement. 

Miss  Oline  Arnold  gave  a  singing 
Sunday  night  and  Oren  Dodd  gave  a 
singing  Sunday  afternoon. 

Bush  Arbor. 

(Dec.  28,  1920) 

Mrs.  G.  A.  Cantrell  spent  one  night 
last  week  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Will  Knight. 

P.  M.  Foster  has  vacated  his  school 
at  Foster's  academy  until  January  10, 
1921. 


H.  A.  Swinford,  who  is  at  work  in 
Lindale,  spent  the  holidays  with  hi^ 
family  here. 

Mrs.  C.  A.  Cantrell  and  Mrs.  Will 
Knight  had  dinner  Sunday  with  J.  P. 
Swinford,  of  West  Point. 

Ira  Thrasher,  of  Anniston,  is  here 
visiting  his  uncle,  H.  A.   Swinford. 

P.  W.  Pew  has  moved  to  the  home- 
stead of  Miss  Bulah  Thomas,  of  Rome. 


JAS.  B.  NEVIN,  one  of  Rome's  most  brilliant 
sons,  snapped  at  his  desk  as  editor  of  The 
Atlanta    Georgian   and    American. 


(Jan.  27,   1921) 

Ed  Swinford  and  Jesse  Cantrell,  of 
West  Rome,  had  dinner  with  James 
A.    Cantrell    and    family. 

Mrs.  Georgia  Hart  is  still  unimprov- 
ed, confined  in  bed. 

H.  A.  Swinford  has  gone  to  Annis- 
ton to  secure  work. 

The  Bush  Arbor  singing  society  met 
in  their  regular  monthly  singing  Sun- 
day  afternoon. 

(Feb.  2,  1921) 

H.  A.  Swinford  has  returned  from 
Anniston,  where  he  went  to  secure 
work.  He  reports  a  very  dull  place 
there. 

J.  A.  Elrod  has  moved  from  Mr.  J. 
T.  Bryant's  farm  to  Mr.  Wm.  Par- 
ker's farm. 

Mesdames  G.  A.  Cantrell  and  Stella 
Blackwelder  visited  Mrs.  Kate  Swin- 
ford   and    family    last    week. 

Will  Knight  was  in  Rome  last  week 
on  business. 

Mrs.  Gladys  Phillips  and  children, 
of  Anniston,  while  here  on  an  extend- 
ed visit  to  her  mother,  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Swinford,  spent  Friday  night  with  her 
aunt,  Mrs.  G.  A.  Cantrell. 

(Feb.   15,    1921) 

Mrs.  Mattie  Sharp  is  reported  very 
feeble  at  present. 

P.  W.  Pew  intends  to  move  to  J.  B. 
Williams'   farm   at   Livingston. 

The  high  water  has  stopped  all  traf- 
fic on  the  road  here.  Also  U.  S.  mail 
and    school   children. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  A.  Swinford  had 
dinner  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jas.  A.  Can- 
trell   Friday. 

(Apr.  5,  1821) 

John  Warnack,  of  Lindale,  was  here 
last  week  looking  after  the  finny 
tribe. 

Several  of  the  music  people  attend- 
ed the  singing  at  Livingston  Sunday 
afternoon. 


^^     ^   Ut,^c/^ 


542 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


1  -1  ^^ 


THE  OLD  ROME  FEMALE  COLLEGE. 

The  Eighth  Avenue  institution  was  established  about  1850  by  Col.  Simpson  Fouche,  who 
was  soon  succeeded  by  Rev.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  M.  Caldwell.  Here  the  first  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wil- 
son was  taught,  with  numerous  young  women  of  the  South.  The  building  was  later  used 
as  the  Holmes  sanitarium,  and  eventually  burned  down.  It  was  located  where  the  A.  S. 
Burney   home   now  stands. 


(May   12,   1921) 

Mrs.  Lois  Hill  has  gone  to  Anniston, 
Ala.,  for  a  position. 

There  was  a  large  number  of  people 
at  Bush  Arbor  last  Friday  who  cleaned 
up  the  cemetery  in  good  order. 

Jesse  Cantrell,  of  Rome,  spent  Sun- 
day night  with  his  parents,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jas.  A.   Cantrell. 

The  farmers  are  having  to  plant  their 
cotton  over.  The  cold  weather  was  the 
cause  for  the  poor  stand  of  the  first 
planting. 

(July  7,    1921) 

Dr.  H.  A.  Turner,  of  Rome,  was  in 
our    midst    last   week. 

A  storm  passed  through  here  last 
Saturday  afternoon.  It  blew  the  roof 
off  of  Will  Knight's  barn. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Will  Knight  and  chil- 
dren spent  the  week-end  with  the  lat- 
ter's  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  Can- 
trell. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  M.  Cantrell,  of  near 
Canton,  Ga..  are  visiting  his  parents, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  Cantrell. 

Last  week  was  the  hottest  weather 
this  summer.  The  thermometer  was  at 
100  degrees  three  days  in  the  shade. 

Gus  Glozier,  with  a  fishing  party  from 


Lindale,  are  on  a  fishing  spree  here. 

Jesse  Cantrell  and  brothers,  Earl, 
Raymond,  Dewey  and  Willie,  were  in 
Rome  the  Fourth  to  see  the  fun. 

Jas.  A.  Cantrell  and  family  had  as 
their  guests  for  dinner  Sunday  Will 
Knight  and  family  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dewey  Cantrell.  After  dinner  the 
party  received  a  nice  ice  cream  repast 
and  then  motored  to  the  lock  and  dam 
for  pleasure. 

Will  Knight  and  Dewey  Cantrell  were 
in  Rome  last  week  on  legal  business. 

During  the  rain  storm  one  day  last 
week  the  lightning  set  fire  to  some 
fodder  in  W.  J.  Carter's  barn,  but  he 
was  quick  enough  to  put  it  out. 

Kieffer  Lindsey  and  his  staff  of  Rome 
were  here  making  some  surveys  on  the 
public  road  last  week. 

The  county  chaingang  is  going  to 
take  camp  here — near  the  Foster  Acad- 
emy school  house. 

H.  A.  Swinford,  of  Anniston,  is  here 
visiting  his  family. 

Rev.  S.  H.  Pendley,  of  Cave  Spring, 
preached  at  Bush  Arbor  last  Satur- 
day. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Smith  and  son,  Cheney,  of 
Silver  Creek,  had  dinner  last  Saturday 
with  J.  W.  Keith. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


543 


Arthur  Hunt,  of  Summerville,  wor- 
shipped at  Bush  Arbor   Sunday. 

Rev.  S.  H.  Pendley  and  C.  L.  Casey, 
of  Cave  Spring,  had  dinner  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jas.  A.  Cantrell  Saturday. 
They  are  students  of  the  Hearn  Acad- 
emy. 

(Sept.   7,   1921) 

The  inad  dogs  are  causing  a  great 
excitement  around  here.  They  have 
bit  Mrs.  C.  McDaniel,  also  a  little  boy 
at  Buck  Lemming's.  One  dog  was 
killed   Sunday. 

Messrs.  J.  T.  Spann  and  B.  M.  Barna 
attended  the  dedication  of  the  new 
house  of  worship  at  Pleasant  Hope 
Baptist  Church. 

W.  J.  Carter's  little  child  was  bit- 
ten by  a  snake  Sunday  morning. 

Centred  Grove. 

(Jan.   27,  1921) 

One  of  the  things  which  we  have 
been  hoping  for  has  come  to  pass. 
There  is  a  new  bridge  across  Cooper 
creek  where  the  ford  was.  The  fill  is 
high  enough  that  travel  need  not  be 
stopped  during  a  flood. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  C.  Moon  and  son, 
Robert,    have    returned    from    a    visit 


with  Mr.  Moon's  two  brothers  near 
Tampa,  Fla.  They  report  vegetables 
and  fruit  flourishing,  and  beautiful, 
sunny  weather,  but  prefer  to  live  in 
Floyd  County,  Georgia. 

Horace  King  has  moved  his  family 
into  one  of  the  houses  on  the  Butler 
farm. 

C.  Reese  and  family  are  living  on 
the  farm  formerly  owned  by  J.  L.  Ped- 
dycourt. 

Mr.  Hubbard,  from  Rome,  is  occupy- 
ing the  McGinnis  place  on  Central 
Grove   road. 

Miss  Grace  Anderson,  home  demon- 
stration agent,  spent  Thursday  after- 
noon and  night  with  the  W.  A.  Little- 
john   family. 

Dr.  Chimene,  county  health  officer, 
visited  Central  Grove  school  Monday 
and  examined  the  pupils. 


(Feb.  3,  1921) 
H.  O.   Littlejohn  has  become  posses- 
sor of   a   young  mule. 

(Apr.  27,  1921) 

All   last  week  the  pupils   at   Central 

Grove    school    spent    their    spare    time 

making    a    flower    garden    back    of    the 

school    house.     Jack    Beard    plowed    the 


THE  OLD  ROBT.  BATTEY   HOME   ON   FIRST   AVENUE. 


544 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"THORNWOOD,"    OLD   HOME  OF  COL.   ALFRED   SHORTER. 


land,  which  was  then  laid  off  in  beds, 
each  of  which  was  in  charge  of  a 
group  of  children.  There  was  consid- 
erable competition  among  the  groups 
arranging  the  plants  to  make  the  pret- 
tiest bed,  for  which  a  prize  is  offered. 
Plans  were  laid  to  keep  up  the  work 
John,  chairman  of  the  Woman's  Branch 
of  the  Farm  Bureau,  and  Mrs.  H.  O. 
Littlejohn,  chairman  of  the  Beauti,- 
fication  Committee,  are  supervising  the 
work. 

Friday  was  the  last  day  of  the 
school  term  at  Central  Grove.  Al- 
though the  day  was  rainy,  the  pupils 
had  a  good  time.  There  was  a  contest 
in  running  and  jumping,  in  charge  of 
O.  L.  Titrud.  After  lunch  the  children 
played  games  and  had  a  general  good 
time  before  parting  for  the  long  vaca- 
tion. 

Those  who  attended  school  regularly 
during  the  term  made  good  progress 
and  the  patrons  are  all  pleased  with 
the  good  work  of  the  teacher.  Miss 
Kate  Morrison. 


Hattie  Price,  Clara  Hogan,  Helen 
Camp,  Bessie  Lee  Hopkins,  Felton 
Beard,  Clyde  Titrud  and  Lon  Thomp- 
son were  the  winners  in  the  races. 

Mr.  Fulcher  was  in  the  path  of  the 
tornado  last  week  and  had  his  buggy 
and   harness  badly  damaged. 

Mrs.  H.  O.  Littlejohn  and  Mrs.  0.  L. 
Titrud  visited  the  Berry  School  for 
Girls  Wednesday. 

The  little  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cliff  Hughes  has  been  quite  ill. 


Mrs.  Rip  Payne  and  children  have 
been  visiting  their  relatives,  the 
Hughes,  this   past  week. 

Mrs.  W.  A.  Littlejohn  and  Madge 
made  a  week-end  visit  with  the  for- 
mer's parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beard,  at 
Silver  Creek.  Mr.  Littlejohn  and  Lois 
visited  there  Sunday  and  brought  them 
home. 

Elbert  Beard  is  working  at  Pine- 
haven  this  summer.  He  has  joined  the 
Corn  Club,  and  Clyde  Titrud  has  joined 
the  Calf  Club. 

Charlie  Thompson  and  Milton  Brown 
are  working  at  Gore. 

Sam  McClung  is  working  at  the  stone 
quarry  in  Rome. 


(Jan.  18,  1921) 

F.  C.  Moon  and  family  are  enjoying 
a  visit  with  Mr.  Moon's  two  brothers, 
who  live  near  Tampa,  Fla. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Harris  and  niece, 
May  Bell,  are  living  at  the  Moon  resi- 
dence during  their  absence. 

C.  L  Butler  has  bought  the  farm  he 
once  owned  from  Mr.  Crumley,  and  ex- 
pects to  move  back  some  time  during 
the  year. 

Charlie  Thompson  has  moved  his 
family  into  Mr.  Butler's  house  for  the 
winter. 

Charlie  Fowler  and  family  have 
rented  from  Ed.  Beard  and  are  now  liv- 
ing in  this  settlement  again. 

Bill  Hogan  has  moved  his  familv  to 
a  house  on  the  Beard  place. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


545 


Floyd  Springs. 

(Feb.  13,  1921) 

Miss  Edna  Holsonback  is  on  the  sick 
list  with  the  chicken  pox. 

The  school  at  this  place  is  progress- 
ing fine  under  Misses  Barton  and  Cleo 
Whisenant. 

Miss  Amie  Jackson  is  on  the  sick  list 
at  this  writing. 

(Mar.   30,  1921) 

All  farmers  are  busy  plowing  and 
planting  corn.  Gardens  are  looking 
fine.  Everybody  will  soon  have  some- 
thing to  eat  at  home. 

Miss  Cora  Whistnant  was  Miss  Lil- 
lie  Boatfield's  guest  Sunday. 

Miss  Lillie  Boatfield,  Mrs.  Gussie 
Boatfield  and  Mrs.  Cora  Whisenant 
motored  to  Rome  Sunday  afternoon. 


Wayside. 

(Jan.  27.  1921) 

The  box  supper  at  Wayside  school 
house  has  been  postponed  until  Feb- 
ruary 12.  Every  one  is  cordially  in- 
vited. 

Misses  Autha  Hopkins  and  Agnes 
Barnes  were  pleasant  guests  of  Misses 
Grace  and  Ozella  Byars  Sunday. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarence  Rogers  spent 
the  week-end  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam 
Bing. 


(Feb.  18,  1921) 

Aunt  Betsy  Carnes,  of  Barnsley,  is 
seriously  ill  at  this  writing. 

The  many  friends  of  Mrs.  Mittie 
Taylor  will  rejoice  to  know  that  her 
bone-felon  is   improving  nicely. 

J.  V.  Kerce  got  hurt  hauling  cross- 
ties  last  week. 

E.  N.  Moat  is  on  the  sick  list. 

Mrs.  Jim  Bing  was  the  pleasant  guest 
of  Mrs.  Bill  Reeves  Sunday. 


(May  12,  1921) 
We  appreciate  these  beautiful  warm 
days  after  so  much  Jack  Frost  and  cold 
north  wind.  It  makes  us  think  we  are 
soon  to  say  "good-bye  lettuce  and 
turnip  greens  and  welcome  tomatoes 
and  snap  beans." 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamp  McClain  an- 
nounce the  birth  of  a  son  born  last 
Friday.  The  baby  has  been  named 
William   Thomas. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bill  Hice  visited  rela- 
tives at  this  place  last  Sunday. 

Several  of  our  young  people  attend- 
ed service  at  Barnsley  Chapel  last  Sun- 
day. 

We  rejoice  that  the  whooping  cough 
epidemic  in  this  section  has  about  sub- 
sided. Its  excuse  for  doing  so  is  that 
it  has  served  them  all. 

Early. 

(Apr.  5,  1921) 

Mrs.  J.  I.  Early  and  Sybil  motored  to 
Rome  Tuesday. 

Mrs.  Lois  Hall  is  the  proud  mother 
of  a  fine  bouncing  baby  boy. 

C.  A.  Hall  was  in  Rome  Thursday  on 
business. 


THE^lTNTFiY 
prflLOSOPHQl 

MA.I.  CHAS.  H.  SMITH  appeared  under  the 
above  caption  for  many  years  as  a  contribu- 
tor   to    The   Atlanta    Constitution. 


546 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Mrs.  C.  A.  J.  Ware  was  the  guest 
of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Nannie  Hall,  last 
week. 

G.  B.  Good  and  J.  I.  Early  made  a 
flying  trip  to  Rome  Friday  afternoon. 

Miss  Beth  Bridges  has  accepted  a 
position  with  the  Georgia  School  for 
the  Deaf. 

Dr.  Garner  was  in  town  Wednesday 
on  business. 

Van  Hall  was  the  guest  of  his  father, 
Lon  Hall,  last  week. 

Utopia. 

(May  16,   1921) 
The   farmers   are   very  busy   getting 


their  crops  planted  this  pretty 
weather. 

R.  E.  Holsonback  motored  to  Rome 
Saturday  morning  on  business. 

The  many  friends  of  Miss  Mattie 
Barnett  are  sorry  to  hear  of  her  se- 
rious   illness. 


(Sept.   9,   1921) 

A  large  crowd  attended  the  singing 
at  this  place  Sunday  afternoon. 

Rev.  Green  spent  the  day  with  Mar- 
vin Owens,   Sunday. 

Azmon  Mills  was  the  guest  of  Arte- 
mus   Barton   Saturday  night. 


FIVE  ROMANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS. 

Top  left  to  light,  DeWitt  Clinton  Hargrove,  who  was  killed  at  the  First  Battle  of  Manas- 
sas as  a  member  of  the  Rome  Light  Guards;  Henry  W.  Dean,  father  of  Linton  A.,  H.  A. 
and  J.  Ed.  Dean;  Dr.  George  M.  Battey,  pharmacist  and  physician;  Zachariah  B.  Hargrove, 
Jr.,  mayor  of  Rome  in  1869;  Wm.  Hemphill  Jones,  son  of  Walton  H.  Jones  and  husband  of 
Mrs.  Flora   McAfee  Jones. 


cteKiA^l 


548 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  DISTINGUISHED  VISITOR  AND   HIS  SECRETARY. 

Alexander  H.  Stephens  (at  bottom)  visited  Rome  in  the  fall  of  1860  and  was  introduced 
the  next  day  at  a  Floyd  Springs  barbecue  speaking  by  Judge  Augustus  R.  Wright.  At  another 
time  he  was  the  guest  of  C.  G.  Samuel  at  101  Second  Avenue.  His  private  secretary  during 
the  Civil  War  was  Col.  Wm.  H.  Hidell  (at  top),  lawyer,  who  bought  The  Courier  from  Capt. 
Dwinell.      Frank    W.    Copeland    now    owns    the    Hidell    home    in    North    Rome. 


Miss  Edna  Holsonback  was  Miss  Ag- 
nes Davis'  guest  Sunday. 

The  ice  cream  party  given  by  Misses 
Marie  and  Janie  Barton  Saturday  was 
highly  enjoyed  by  a  large  crowd. 

Everett  Springs. 

(Mar.  14.  1921) 
Prof.  T.  E.  Perry,  principal  of  the 
school,  is  justly  proud  of  the  record 
made  so  far  this  year.  Seventy-five 
pupils  are  enrolled  and  the  attendance 
has  been  excellent. 

Prof.  Perry's  hobby  is  mathematics, 
and  the  pupils  in  the  higher  grades 
have  made  great  progress  in  this 
study. 

Mrs.  Ina  White,  of  John's  Creek 
Valley,  is  entitled  to  rank  with  farm 
supervisors,  if  results  count.    Her  gar- 


den is  acknowledged  to  be  the  finest 
in  the  vicinity.  English  peas,  beets, 
onions  and  lettuce  are  far  above  the 
ground  and  long  rows  of  perfect  cab- 
bage  are  beginning  to  head. 

The  younger  set  had  a  candy  pulling 
at  the  home  of  Marcus  Burns. 

Miss  Gilla  Landrum  is  in  charge  of 
the  school  and  her  pupils  are  devoted 
to  her.  She  is  always  alert  and  enthu- 
siastic. Her  department  is  particularly 
elated  because  through  their  efforts  a 
very  fine  portrait  of  President  Wilson 
has  been  secured  for  the  school  and 
they  are  expecting  its  arrival  daily. 

Dr.  Chas.  McArthur  is  making  an 
enviable  reputation  in  surgery.  He 
performed  a  major  operation  on  Mrs. 
Geo.  Deason  last  Monday.  Dr.  Russell, 
of  Rome,  assisted,  and  Mrs.  McAr- 
thur, who  is  a  graduate  nurse,  admin- 
istered the  anesthetic. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


549 


There  are  over  150  bales  of  cotton 
in  the  valley.  The  farmers  are  hold- 
ing it,  hoping  for  a  better  price. 

DeWitt  Dew  will  leave  this  week 
for  Bristol,  Tenn.  He  will  travel  for 
the  Barrow-Scott  Milling  Co.,  selling 
Supreme  Loaf  Flour. 

Oscar  Patterson,  of  this  valley, 
ranked  second  in  a  class  of  34  who 
stood  examinations  at  the  Rome  Post- 
office  for  carrier  and  clerical  posi- 
tions. 

Probably  this  item  belongs  in  your 
exchange  column:  Mr.  Tump  Holson- 
back  wishes  to  swap  eight  drakes  for 
laying  ducks. 

Mrs.  John  Pettitt  continues  critical- 
ly ill  at  her  home  in  the  Pocket. 

Miss  Josie  Touchstone,  from  the 
Bend  of  the  River,  is  visiting  her  sis- 
ter,  Mrs.   Price  Christian. 


(Mar.   27,   1921) 

Easter  week — beginning  the  spirit- 
ual New  Year. 

Aside  from  the  Sunday  School,  con- 
ducted by  a  few  faithful  members  of 
the  congregation,  there  have  been  no 
regular  services  in  the  Baptist  Church 
since  last  October. 

The    pastor.    Rev.    Hightower,    broke 


his   leg   and    it   was    impossible   to    se- 
cure a  substitute  for  him,  or  it. 


(May  31,  1921) 

In  a  straw  ballot  taken  at  Whit- 
mire's  Store,  Saturday  night,  among 
registered  voters,  the  result  was  16  to 
1  in  favor  of  the  issue  of  road  bonds  in 
Floyd  County. 

Farmer  Lincolnfeldt  went  to  Calhoun 
last  week  and  sold  a  load  of  produce, 
and  while  on  the  way  home  after  night 
he  was  held  up  in  Rocky  Creek  Valley, 
tied  and  gagged  and  robbed  of  his  cash 
— $38.50.  He  believes  he  knows  who 
got  his  money. 

J.  C.  Everett  has  the  largest  onions 
in  the  valley,  and  J.  Mitt  White  the 
finest  field  of  growing  watermelon 
vines. 

Christian  Bros,  are  to  reopen  their 
grocery  store  at  Everett  Springs  about 
June  1,  having  compromised  with  their 
creditors. 

Everett  Springs  has  another  grocery 
store,  opened  by  J.  A.  Lynch,  who  was 
in  business  here  years  ago. 

Judge  John  W.  Maddox  has  been  in- 
vited to  come  here  at  4  p.  m.,  Saturday, 
June  4,  to  address  the  natives  on  the 
road  bond   question.     All  of  the  voters 


IT  MAY  NOT  BE  "HANTED."  BUT  LOOKS  THE  PART. 

The  abandoned  Lewis  D.  Burwell  house  near  the  Seventh  Avenue  cemetery  is  a 
finely  built  place,  but  ghost  stories  connected  with  it  make  superstitious  neighbor* 
stay  away  at  dark.  Judge  Burwell  was  hung  up  in  1864  by  Colquitt's  Scouts,  who 
got  his  money,  but  he  was  not  on  this  placa  at  the  time.  The  site  has  been  sug- 
gested for  a  city  school  and  park  connecting  with  other  city  property— Ft.  Jackson 
and    the    Seventh    Avenue    cemetery.      The    owner    is    an    old    Roman,    John    Montgomery. 


550 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


have  agi-eed  to  take  a  half-holiday  to 
hear  him. 

Two  weeks  ago  a  record  assembly 
welcomed  Dr.  Hodges,  of  Rome,  and 
this  Sunday  practically  the  entire  Val- 
ley came  to  greet  Rev.  Culpepper.  He 
had  ministered  to  this  congregation 
years  ago  and  is  held  in  sincerest  love 
and  respect. 

Now  come  glad  tidings  indeed — Mr. 
Hightower  is  well  and  will  preach  our 
Easter  sermon.  The  people  are  de- 
lighted and  are  planning  for  serious 
church  work  in  future. 

The  Methodist  Church  has  been  do- 
ing double  duty  during  this  period 
and  a  feeling  of  neighborly  (Chris- 
tian) good  fellowship  has  resulted  from 
a  seeming  affliction. 

Despite  the  hard  times,  we  of  Ever- 
ett Springs  have  much  to  be  grateful 
for  in  running  up  our  blessings. 

The  farmers  and  their  families  are 
intensely  interested  in  the  Curb  Mar- 
ket, and  much  earnest  thought  and  dis- 
cussion are  devoted  to  the  project.  But, 
on  all  sides  objections  are  made  to  the 
plans  of  holding  it  indoors  or  on  Broad 
street.     There  must  be  ample  space  for 


it 


*■  i 


wagons  to  line  up  and  for  crowds  to 
move  freely  among  them.  Just  a  hint  to 
prove  we  are  studying  the  field. 

The  school  children  are  enjoying  an 
egg  hunt.  Instead  of  daring  Death  by 
the  consumption  of  untold  quantities  of 
hard-boiled  eggs,  the  children  have 
brought  dozens  of  laid-fresh-today  eggs 
that  will  be  hidden  in  every  conceivable 
nook  and  cranny  of  the  big  school 
yard.  Then  the  hunt,  and  when  un- 
covered again  the  children  will  form 
in  line  and  march  to  the  stores,  where 
the  eggs  will  be  exchanged  for  candy, 
cakes,  soda  pop  and  chewing  gum. 

There  is  a  new  baby  in  the  home  of 
Mr.  Hughes,  a  boy. 

A  big  crowd  enjoyed  a  sacred  musi- 
cal at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Levi 
Hidler  Sunday  night. 

Sidney  Drew  was  here  this  week. 
His  home  is  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  but  he 
comes  every  few  weeks  to  inspect  his 
large  plantation.  He  is  enthusiastic- 
ally welcomed,  for  his  own  sake  prin- 
cipally, and  then  because  his  pay  roll 
is  large  and  real  money  accompanies 
him. 


A  BATTLE  TRENCH,  thrown  up  by  "Reb- 
els" or  "Yanks"  between  Fort  Jackson  (wa- 
terworks) and  the  old  Seventh  avenue  cem- 
etery. 


Cedartown. 

(Mar.  27,  1921) 

Mrs.  R.  0.  Pitts,  Jr.,  and  young  son. 
Robt.  Ill,  have  returned  from  a  visit 
in    Rome. 

Mrs.  W.  O.  Robinson,  who  has  been 
visiting  Mr,  and  Mrs.  F.  D.  Noble,  re- 
turned to  her  home  in  Anniston  last 
Friday. 

Mrs.  Carl  Pickett  entertained  infor- 
mally at  a  delightful  luncheon  on  Fri- 
day. Covers  were  marked  for  Mrs,  C. 
C.  Bunn,  Mrs,  T.  B,  Munroe,  Mrs.  H. 
H.  Hogg,  Mrs.  R.  O.  Pitts,  Jr.,  Mrs.  R. 
A.  Adams. 

Capt.  J.  A,  Peek  is  the  guest  of  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  C.  R.  Brown,  in  Atco. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alonzo  Richardson,  of 
Atlanta,  were  the  week-end  guests  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  Adamson. 

Guy  Ritchie,  of  Commerce,  was  here 
over  Sunday. 

Chas.  Adamson,  Jr.,  and  Liddell  Tur- 
ner spent  Wednesday  in  Rome. 

Miss  Frances  Wood  was  home  from 
Shorter  College  the  first  of  the  week. 

The  Kiwanis  Club  enjoyed  their 
weekly  luncheon  held  Friday  at  the 
Wayside  Inn.  Senator  W.  J.  Harris, 
an  honorary  member,  and  Prof.  J.  C. 
Harris,  of  Cave  Spring,  made  inter- 
esting talks. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


551 


The  members  of  the  Cedartown  Club 
are  looking  forward  to  the  Fancy 
Dress  Ball  to  be  given  on  April  1.  Prizes 
will  be  given  for  the  best  costumes. 
The  judges  have  not  been  announced  as 

yet. 

Hon.  L.  S.  Ledbetter  has  bought  the 
Beasley  place  on  College  street  and 
will  begin  remodeling  it  at  an  early 
date. 


(Apr.  3,  1921) 

Congressman  Gordon  Lee  was  here 
Friday  morning  en  route  to  Newnan. 

Miss  Laura  Belle  Brewster,  of  Shor- 
ter College,  is  spending  the  week-end 
with  relatives  here. 

Miss  Rea  King,  of  Atlanta,  is  the 
guest  of  her  sister,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Porter. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  D.  Noble  spent 
Thursday  in  Rome  as  the  guests  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Roy  Berry. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Homer  Watkins  are 
remodeling  their  home  on  College 
street. 


Miss  Christine  Smith,  of  England, 
who  has  been  visiting  her  cousins.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  William  Parker,  left  Satur- 
day for  a  visit  to  Mrs.  W.  H.  Hall,  in 
Yalaba,  Fla. 

The  Fancy  Dress  Ball  given  at  the 
Cedartown  Club  rooms  Friday  evening 
was  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  of  the 
season.  A  number  of  pretty  costumes 
were  worn  and  many  visitors  from 
Rome,  Cartersville  and  Atlanta  added 
to  the  gaiety  of  the  occasion. 

Mrs.  Edgar  Stubbs,  of  Atlanta,  and 
Mrs.  Hal  Bowie,  of  Rome,  are  expected 
to  arrive  Tuesday  and  be  the  guests 
of  Mrs.  A.  W.  Stubbs. 

Mrs.  C.  C.  Bunn  returned  Friday 
after  a  few  days'  visit  to  her  mother, 
Mrs.  Annie  F.  Johnson,  in  Rome. 

Mrs.  H.  H.  Hogg,  Mrs.  John  Black- 
well,  Mrs.  R.  0.  Pitts,  Jr.,  returned 
the  last  of  the  week  after  a  short  visit 
to  relatives  in  Rome. 

Mrs.  O.  D.  Bartlett  returned  to 
Rome  last  Sunday  after  a  visit  to  her 
parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  K.  Fielder. 


NOW  SERVING  GEORGIA   IN   CONGRESS. 


Gordon    Lee     (left)     represents    the    Seventh    District    in    the    House    and    W.ti.    J,    H«rri;^  i. 
rgia's    senii 
rlie    Hight 
ris   is  a   br 
he    clerked    se\ 


ts     the    ;5evenin     uisirici     in     im-     ....".-.^     ■■■•-      ----.      _ 

Georgia's   senior   in    the   Senate.      Mr.   Lee   is    not    a    "-»*-«-'-•  ..'^^^'ir^.l^    -.'"r^Z."'-       M- 
Charlie    Hight    and    has    been    such    a    frequent    sojourner    th.^t    h.s       .idopl.on    ,'*/;,"]P   _    ^    ^„„ 

Harris    is   a 


ht    and    has    been    sucn    a    ireque...    s^j«...... u„    „  rii.P    of  the    f.ict    th.it    .■^^    .t    hoy 

brother   of   Prof.  J.   C.   Harris,   and    .s   »«»"-"  ^^^.^^V       hI  went    away    and    finally 

several    months    at    a    grocery    stone    on    Second    Avenue.      nc  weni  y 

landed    at    the   peak    in   Washington. 


552 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


W.  K.  Fielder  spent  Tuesday  in  An- 
niston. 

J.  W.  Houseal,  of  Lindale,  spent  Sun- 
day here. 

Summerville. 

(May  2,  1921) 

Miss  Essie  Martin  spent  the  week- 
end with  relatives  in  Broomtown  Val- 
ley. 

Miss  Eleanor  Wilson,  of  Cedar  Bluff, 
Ala.,  is  visiting  her  sister,  Miss  Fran- 
ces Wilson,  who  is  critically  ill. 

Misses  Mattie  Green  and  Margaret 
Myers,  who  are  teaching  in  the  Lindale 
sciaool.  spent  the  week-end  with  their 
parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  T.  Myers. 

Miss  Mary  Cordle  spent  Sunday  with 
Mrs.  Bob  McWhorter  at  Menlo. 

Burrell  Simmons  spent  Sunday  in 
Trion  with  his  sister,  Miss  Ethel  Sim- 
mons. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Cleghorn  and  chil- 
dren spent  Thursday  in  Rome. 

Coosa. 

(Jan.  27,  1921) 
Jake    Hooker    and    Billie    Spinks,    of 
Atlanta,   spent  the  week-end   with    Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Kinnie  Vann. 


MRS.  NAOMI  PRISCILLA  BALE,  Rome's 
beloved  "Grandma  Georgy,"  whose  pen  has 
made    Romans    venerate   their   town. 


PALEMON  J.  KING,  an  old-fashioned  school 
teacher  who  believed  that  spare  rods  meant 
spoiled   children,    and    acted   accordingly. 


W.  M.  McCurry  was  visiting  friends 
at  Dalton  Sunday. 

William  Wimbish  and  Martin 
D'Arcy,  of  Rome,  were  at  Coosa  Sat- 
urday on  a  hunting  trip. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ben  Vann  and  chil- 
dren, of  Bush  Creek,  were  the  guests 
Sunday  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  O.  Wea- 
ver. 

Arthur  Lloyd  is  attending  court  in 
Rome  this  week. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joe  Lumpkin  are  ex- 
pected home  from  New  Orleans  Thurs- 
day, and  will  be  with  Cicero  Evans  for 
several  days  before  going  to  their 
home  in  Virginia. 

Mt.  Alto. 

(Apr.  20,  1921) 

The  little  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dock 
Alexander  was  badly  burned  Friday 
afternoon. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnie  Salmon  were 
the  guests  of  Ed.  Salmon  and  family 
at  Armuchee,  Sunday. 

Miss  Minnie  Watson  was  the  guest  of 
Mrs.  Ruth  Salmon  Thursday  afternoon. 

Grady  Holland  was  in  Rome  Mon- 
day on  business. 


Life  In  the  Districts 


553 


A  HOME  ONCE  VANN'S  VALLEY'S  PRIDE. 

Cave  Spring  road  residence  built  about  1840  by  Gen.  Jas.  Hemphill,  state  senator  and 
militia  officer  who  helped  remove  the  Indians.  Gen.  Hemphill  sold  it  to  Wm.  Montgomery 
and  moved  to  Mississippi  in  1846.  Note  the  unique  entrance,  entirely  open,  and  the  winding 
hardwood  stairway;  this  arrangement  has  been  changed.  Ten  large  and  beautiful  cedars  grace 
the    front    yard. 


Misses  Maud,  Cora  and  Effie  Holla- 
way  were  the  pleasant  guests  of  Miss 
Nola    Alexander   Sunday    afternoon. 

Wesley  Dillard  was  at  the  home  of 
B.    F.    Watson's,    Sunday. 

Lindale. 

(Tribune-Herald,  Dec.  25,  1920) 

There  will  be  no  issue  of  The  Trib- 
une-Herald tomorrow,  therefore  no  pa- 
per can  be  delivered  in  Lindale. 

Mrs.  C.  E.  League  left  yesterday  for 
a  visit  to  her  mother  at  Trion.  She  will 
be  gone  a  week. 

Mrs.  C.  Irby,  of  Kingston,  after  a 
brief  visit  to  her  daughter,  Mrs.  C. 
L.  Bradley,  returned  home  yesterday. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seab  Bryant  and  chil- 
dren, of  Columbus.  Ga.,  and  Clifford 
Bryant,  of  Gordon,  Ga.,  are  guests 
of  their  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Bryant. 

Mr.  T.  Mungall  and  daughter,  Miss 
Martha  Mungall,  of  Pell  City,  Ala.,  are 
guests  of  his  son,  A.  W.  Mungall.  for 
the  holidays. 


Mrs.  J.  H.  Anderson  was  removed 
from  her  home  at  117  Park  avenue 
yesterday  to  the  Frances  Berrien  Hos- 
pital  for  treatment. 

T.  N.  Holsomback,  of  Wyatt,  La., 
was  a  recent  guest  of  T.  P.  Fitzpat- 
rick. 

Mrs.  H.  S.  Clinton  is  .•seriously  ill 
at  her  home  in  Boozeville. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Hayes,  of  Trion, 
are  the  guests  of  liis  motlicr,  Mrs.  C. 
S.  Hayes,  during  the  holidays. 

Foster's  Mill. 

(May   12,  1921) 

The  people  of  this  place  are  busy 
farming. 

There  will  be  an  all-day  .singing  at 
Cedar  Creek  Baptist  Church  the  .sec- 
ond Sunday  in  June.  Everybody  i.<i 
invited  to  come  and  bring  well-fillod 
baskets  and   spend  the  day. 

Mrs.  Berta  McGhee  spent  last  week 
with  her  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E. 
Vann,  of  near  Cave  Springs. 


554 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  GEM  IN  NATURE'S  FIRMAMENT. 

Cave  Spring  is  admitted  by  poets,  writers  and  admirers  everywhere  to  be  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  spots  in  the  United  States.  The  views  carry  us  to  Woodstock  Lake  and  the 
Episcopal  church,  with  both  of  which  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Theodosius  Bartow  and  their  son,  Col. 
Francis  S.  Bartow,  were  connected;  the  Alexander  Thornton  Harper  home;  the  ancient  Baptist 
church,  and  the  marvalous  cave,  from  which  gush  nearly  3,500,000  gallons  of  crystal  pure< 
water  daily. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam  Steed  took  dinner 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dan  House  Sun- 
day. 

Rockmart. 

(Mar.  22,  1921. 
The  farmers  of  this  place  are  very 
busy    turning    their    land    for    another 
crop. 

Miss  Marion  Smith  spent  Thursday 
afternoon  with  Miss  Mary  Morgan. 

Miss  Mattie  Lou  Gann  has  been  on 
the  sick  list  but  is  better  now. 


Miss  Jennie  Bee  Carter  and  Sam 
Finch  are  married. 

Miss  Zelma  Allgood  has  returned  to 
her  home  in  Rockmart  after  spending 
a  few  days  in  Atlanta. 

Miss  Marie  Carpenter  is  on  the  sick 
list  now. 


Armuchee. 

(Tribune-Herald,  Apr.  13,  1921) 
Miss     Annie     Louise     Rush    was    a 
charming   hostess    Wednesday   evening 
when    she    entertained    about   forty   of 


Life  In  the  Districts 


555 


ONE  OF  ROME'S  EARLY  MAYORS  AND  HIS  WIFE. 

Nathan  Yarbrough  was  mayor  of  Rome  in  1852;  some  say  he  was  the  first  mayor.  At 
any  rate,  he  wasn't  satisfied,  so  after  the  war  he  was  made  sheriff.  He  was  a  short,  red- 
headed man,  and  a  terror  to  lawbreakers.  He  moved  to  Texas  and  eventually  died  there.  His 
wife  is   shown  by  his   side. 


her  friends  in  honor  of  her  sixteenth 
birthday  anniversary  at  the  home  of  her 
sister,  Mrs.  Barnett  Rice.  Honeysuck- 
les and  roses  were  used  in  an  artistic 
effect  as  decorations.  Music  and  games 
were  the  diversions  of  the  evening  and 
at  a  late  hour  an  ice  course  was  served. 
The  many  beautiful  presents  received 
denoted  the  popularity  of  the  young 
hostess. 

Rev.  Mr.  Stuart  will  preach  at  the 
Methodist  Church  Sunday  morning  at 
11  o'clock  and  his  subject  is  "Mother, 
Home  and  Heaven."  Special  music  will 
be  an  enjoyable  feature  also.  The  mem- 
bers of  both  the  Baptist  churches  as 
well  as  the  Methodist  are  most  cordially 
invited. 

Mrs.  Jabe  Hendricks  is  the  guest  for 
a  fortnight  of  her  sister,  Mrs.  Scab 
Evans. 

Mrs.  W.  G.  Scoggin  and  Mrs.  John 
W.  Salmon  were  guests  of  Mrs.  Scab 
Terry  Saturday. 

Mrs.  George  Shouse  and  sons.  Willie 
and  Tom.  were  guests  of  relatives  near 
Trion  Sunday. 

Cave  Spring. 

(Tribune-Herald,  Apr.  28,  1921) 
The  passing  of  the  old  Carroll  home- 
stead, which  was  completely    destroyed 


by  fire  a  few  days  ago,  removes  an- 
other link  in  the  chain  which  bound  the 
Cave  Spring  of  the  present  to  that 
other  Cave  Spring  of  ante-bellum  days. 
In  the  olden  days  this  splendid  south- 
ern home  was  a  noted  center  of  social 
life  and  gaiety,  sheltering  dozens  of 
guests  in  its  large  high  ceiling  rooms, 
with  that  hospitality  known  so  well  to 
the  Old  South. 

During  the  past  few  years,  since 
Mrs.  John  Hill,  nee  Miss  Ann  Carroll, 
took  up  her  permanent  residence  in 
Atlanta,  the  place  has  had  other  occu- 
pants, but  it  was  still  owned  by  the 
family  until  last  year,  when  it  was  pur- 
chased by  Hearn  Academy.  At  the 
time  of  the  fire  it  was  occupied  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Harris  and  the  family  of  a  student 
minister. 

The  many  friends  of  Harold  Wil- 
liams will  l>e  very  sorry  to  learn  that 
he  has  not  been  improving  satisfac- 
torily during  the  past  few  days.  Mr. 
Williams  has  been  critically  ill  with 
pneumonia. 

The  teachers  of  the  Georgia  School 
for  the  Deaf  enjoyed  a  little  outing  at 
Woodstock  Lake  Tuesday  afternoon. 

Mrs.  James  Perry  entertained  a  few 
friends  at  a  bridge  party  Wednesday 
afternoon  at  her  beautiful  home,  "Sun- 
shine." 


556 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


WHY  CAVE  SPRINGERS  LOVE  THEIR  TOWN. 

love  ^f"' ^' r^''''^^^''  °""  ^^''^  °'  Dartmouth:  "It  is  a  small  college,  but  there  are  those  who 
sJain  P.rrb  ^?f  r*"'"^  'f  also  small.  The  picture  at  the  top  is  "Sunshine,"  built  by,  Robt. 
C^lJu  Perry,  of  Germantown,  Pa  a  descendant  of  Commodore  Oliver  H.  Perry;  Big  Cedar 
also   .Presented  """^  ''^'    ^"'^    ^^"    ^""''     '^'"'^'^^^^^     U -year-old    Babylonian     willow    are 


T^oetry 


THE    VALES    OF    ROME. 
By  Frank  L.  Stanton. 
No  cold  and  crumbling  arches — 

The  frolic  of  the  Fates; 
No    senatorial    marches 

Through   the  lion-guarded    gates; 
No  Caesar's  glittering  legions, 

Whose  eagles  crown  its  dome, 
But   Love,    in    Love's   own    regions, — 

The  violet  vales  of  Rome ! 

There  rise  the  dark,  blue  mountains. 

Where  clouds  are  fair  and  fleet; 
There  leap  the  living  fountains. 

There  sing  the  rivers  sweet! 
There   morning  breaks   in   showers 

Of  light  and  silver  foam, 
And  from   their    airy  towers 

Smile  stormless  stars  on   Rome ! 

And   there   gay  birds   are  winging 

Their  wild  and  wondrous  flight; 
The   splendid   day   dies   singing 

A    dream    song   to    the   night; 
And  Love's  sweet  voices  calling 

Love's   weary  wanderers   home, 
In  golden  music  falling 

'Thrill  all  the  vales  of  Rome. 

That  love  which  woos  and  wonders 

Far  from  the  wreck  and   strife, 
Is  echoed  in  the  thunders 

And  tempests  of  my  life, 
And  answers,  "Love,   I   hear  thee, 

O'er  the  seas  of  storm  and  foam; 
Thy  lover's  steps  draw  near  thee, — 

Ring  sweet,   ye  bells  of   Rome!" 


RETROSPECTIVE. 
By  Montyomery  M.  Folsom. 
I  watch  the  sunshine  slowly  ebb 

Along  the  shores  of  day. 
And  winter  weaves  a  silver  web 

On  the  hillsides  far  away. 
Above  my  head  there  shines  afar 

Heaven's  softly  beaming  eyes. 
But  Oh,   my   God,   I   miss  the  star 

That  illumed   my    paradise! 

One  summer  morn  when  field  and  wood 

Were  promiseful  and  green, 
Far  off  the  blue  Cohuttas  stood, 

Oostanaula  rolled  between ; 
On   this   same  spot   I  met  my  love 

And  held  her  hand  in  mine, 
And    all    the    earth    and    heaven    above 

O'erflowed  with  light  divine! 

In  whispered   accents   breathed   low 
I    pledged   my   solemn   vow; 

And   would   to    heaven    that   she   might 
know 
How    much    I   miss   her  now ! 


I  loved  as  few  have  loved  with  all 

Of  heart's  devotion  free ; 
She  held  my  very  soul  in  thrall, 

I  knew  that  she   loved  me! 

What  recks  the  dull  routine  of  life 

If  wrong  may  Christ  forgive? 
The  joy  is  not  worth  half  the  strife 

To  simply  breathe  and  live! 
Poor   erring  creature,  this   my  prayer, 

To  heaven  my  only  plea. 
That  in  that  blissful   region   there 

My   love   may   be   with    me! 


"LOVE    ME    AND  THE   HAT   IS 

THINE." 

By    Frank    L.   Stanton. 

Each  eve  she  meets  me  at  the  gate — 

Her  brow    has   roses   on    it; 
And   for   one   kiss   she  gives  me   eight. 
(That  means  an  Easter  bonnet!) 

Each  dish  that  most  delights  my  eyes 

The  table  has  upon   it; 
And    "Dear,    try    this    and    this!"    she 
cries. 

(That  means   an    Easter  bonnet!) 

My   slippers  always   are   in   sight, 
My   smoking  cap,  I   don   it; 

She  strokes  my  hair;  "You're  tired  to- 
night !" 
(That   means   an    Easter  bonnet!) 

Such   kind    attention!      Never  saw 
The   like!      Heaven's  blessing   on   it; 

God    praise    both    wife    and    mother-in- 
law! 
(I'll  BUY  that  Easter  bonnet!) 


UNDER  THE  SPELL  OF   SUMMER. 

By    Montgonm^/    M.    Fohotn,    in     The 

Rome   TribKnc,  Ahnat    1895. 

Sweet   solitude 

Of  field  and  wood, 
Free  from  all  worldly  '""I't"  ""^^  cankcM-, 

On    yon    bright    sky 

The  light  clouds  lie 
Like    fair    dream     freighted     shipd    at 
anchor. 

And   soon   to  sail 

With  favoring  gale 
To  ports  beyond   the  gates  of  even 

Where  bloom  the  flowers 

.•\mi    rise    the  towers 
Reflected  in  the  sunset  heaven. 

The  south  wind  sighs 
Low   lullal>ies. 
The  day  seems  fill'd  with  love  unspok'n, 
And  pours  its  balm 


558 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


CATHOLIC  PARSONAGE,  ONCE  HOME  OF  MONTGOMERY  M.  FOLSOM. 


Of  summer  calm 
In  this  sad  heart  so  bruised  and  bro- 
ken! 

Through  arches  green 
With    summer   sheen 
Their     gay    festoons     the    wild    vines 
wreathing 

In  every  breeze 
That    stirs    the    trees 
The  still  small  voice  of  God  is  breath- 
ing! 

Oh,  love,  if  thou 

Wert  with  me  now 
To  add  thy  presence  to  my  vision, 

My    wondering    eyes 

Might  realize 
The    poet's    fondly    dreamed    Elysian! 

Still    incomplete 

This  rare  retreat 
Though  all  the  arts  of  earth  contended 

To    add    their    grace 

Since  in  thy  face 
All  life  and  light  and  love  are  blended! 


RUSTICATING. 

I  wish  you  could  be  out  here  with 
me  for  a  day,  dear. 

It  is  so  sweet  and  pleasant  to  be 
away  from  the  busy  din  of  the  city. 

The  restful  sighs  of  the  summer 
wind  among  the  trees  and  the  show- 
ers of  sunshine  flood  the  weird  trunks 
of  the  stately  oaks. 

Then  there  are  birds  and  bees  and 
blossoms,  and  all  complete  to  fill  the 
world  with  summer  dreams. 


It  seems  to  me  that  if  you  were  here 
I  could  dream  away  the  hours  in  sweet 
content,  but,   alas!   you  are  elsewhere. 

There  are  four  young  mockingbirds 
here  whom  I  have  made  friends  with 
already. 

I  have  asked  them  many  things  and 
in  their  way  they  have  told  me  and 
they  are  very  cheerful  and  comfort- 
ing. 

Then  out  yonder  where  the  orchard 
trees  are  fluttering  their  bannerets  in 
the  breezes,  there  is  a  royal  singer. 

And  when  she  is  at  her  best  she  re- 
minds me  of  you. 


There  are  nooks  and  corners  among 
the  somber  cedars  and  the  waving 
altheas,  crimson  and  purple  with  bloom, 
like  the  refined  hues  of  an  old  maid's 
cheek,  and  I  have  counted  half  a  dozen 
sorts  of  birds  that  join  in  the  most 
delightful  melodies  at  sundown  time. 

You  know  I  never  see  the  sun  set  in 
glory  upon  the  western  hills  but  I 
think   of   you. 


I  saw  a  brown  thrush  slipping  along 
the  Cherokee  rose  hedge  today — the 
sly  old  poacher — and  as  I  attempted 
to  get  a  better  view,  a  drab-colored 
cedar  bird  with  shining  eyes  fluttered 
up  from  the  path  and  accosted  me  pet- 
ulantly. 

But  they  will  soon  know  me  better 
and   then  they  will  permit  me  to  pass 


^l^i-M-yC^ 


3 


560 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


unheeded,    knowing   that    I    would    not 
harm  them  for  worlds. 


I  have  been  sitting  out  on  the  green 
grass,  all  alone,  watching  the  sun  go 
down  beyond  the  ranges  of  old  Lav- 
ender. 

Oh,  how  gloriously  beautiful  is  the 
prospect.  The  amethystine  dyes  of  the 
bright  blue  heavens  are  blended  with 
the  purple  hues  of  the  distant  peaks, 
and  God's  own  sunshine  enriches  the 
landscape  and  the  changeful  clouds 
afloat  in  seas  of  splendor  indescribable. 


I  have  been  so  weak  and  ill  that  I 
have  almost  lost  heart.  "Cerebro-Spi- 
nal,"  the  doctors  call  it,  but  it  comes 
nearer  being  heart  break. 

Rest  was  never  sweeter  to  me  than 
it  has  been  here.  In  the  songs  of  the 
soothing  winds  it  seems  to  me  that  I 
can  hear  the  still,  small  voice  of  God 
bidding  me  look  up  and  be  brave  and 
strong  to  endure. 


You  have  often  chided  me  gently, 
dear,  for  being  so  weak  and  despond- 
ent, but  you  never  realized  how  fierce 
was   the  battle   that   raged   within   me. 

For  your  sake  I  have  accomplished 
many  things,  and  the  same  holy  inspi- 
ration shall  bear  my  spirit  up  until  I 
stand  upon  the  shore  of  yon  myste- 
rious river. 


Work  is  restful  when  it  is  not  filled 
with    anxiety   and    foreboding. 

It  is  the  worry  that  kills.  When  you 
know  that  your  strength  is  failing  and 
your  labor  accumulating,  then  is  when 
despondency  and  gloom  overwhelm  the 
soul. 


MY    MOTHER   IN    HEAVEN. 
By  Montgomery  M.  Folsom. 
(Republished  by  request  of  a   Tribune 
reader. ) 

Shines  the  green  upon  the  willow 
And  the  sheen  upon  the  billow 


HENRY  W.  GRADY  AND  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PLAY. 

The  late  Joel  Chandler  Harris  ("Uncle  Remus")  once  went  unannounced  to  Rome! 
to  see  his  friend  Grady.  He  was  directed  by  the  office  boy  to  the  circus,  where 
he  found  Mr.  Grady  riding  a  "flying  Jenny."  The  ride  over,  the  young  scribe 
rushed    to    Mr.    Harris    and    embraced    him    fondly. 


Miscellaneous — Poetry 


561 


With  the  limning  of  the  rainbow  on  the 
spray, 
Now  amid  life's   dark   afflictions 
Come   the    cheering   benedictions 

Of  thy  spirit  up  in  Heaven  far  away. 

Unrelenting  gales   have   driven 
This   frail   bark  from  out  the   haven 
Where  'twas  sheltered  when  the  dark- 
ness fell  that  day, 
Yet  among  the  shadows  groping 
I  am  seeking  thee  and  hoping 
For    thy   welcome    up    in    Heaven    far 
away. 

Nevermore   shall   feet  unheeding 
Trample  on  the  heart  that's  bleeding 
When    the    sunburst    of   that    presence 
sheds  its  ray 
On  the  path  that  1  have  trodden, 
With  salt  views  of  sorrows  sodden 
And   I  reach  that  restful   Heaven   fai 
away. 

Well  thou  kennest  every  weakness 
Of  my  heart,  the  dreary  bleakness 
Of  my  life  and  anguish   stricken  as   I 
pray. 
Every  tear-bedimmed  confession 
Through  thy  blessed  intercession 
Reaches  Him  who  reigns  in  Heaven  far 
away. 


THE  TWO  GATES. 

Brj  G.  S.  Kinard. 

In    the   far    away   east   is   a   beautiful 

gate; 

We  call  it  the  gate  of  the  morn; 

It  opens,  and  through  it,  in  royal  estate, 

Comes  the  king  of  the  day  just  born. 

In   the  far   away  west   is   a   beautiful 
gate; 
We  call  it  the  gate  of  the  eve; 
It  opens,  and  through  it,  'mid  shadows 
of  fate. 
The  king  of  the  day  takes  his  leave. 

Both  gates,  far  away  in  the  east  and 
the  west. 
Are  closed  by  the  goddess  of  night; 
Above    them    she    hovers,    with     star- 
sprinkled   breast, 
'Mid   the    stars  with   their  twinkling 
light. 

And  the  starlets  are  saying,  to  comfort 
our  hearts: 
"The  king  of  the  day  still  lives; 
From  his  course  through  the  gates  he 
never  departs; 
We    shine     with     the     light     that    he 
gives!" 

As  pilgrims,  we  pass  on  our  way,  like 
the  sun; 
We  enter  the  morn-gate  ait  birth,   , 


Go  out  by  the  eve-gate  at  death,  and 
are  done 
With   the  course  of   our   life   on   the 
earth. 

But  the  gates  are  not  closed  by  the  god- 
dess of  night 
That  sits  at  the  end  of  the  way; 
They  are  shut  by  the  hand  of  an  angel 
of  light, 
And  he  leads  to  the  perfect  day. 


ODE  TO  BIG  SHANTY    (Kennesaw.) 

By  an  ainonymous  writer,  probably 
Chas.  H.  Smith,  in  The  Rome  Tri- 
Weekly  Courier,  Feb.  9,  18G0.  Writ- 
ten in  memory  of  a  half  dollar  in- 
vested— and  lost. 

All  hail  to  ye.  Big  Shanty,  hail! 
Ye  offspring  of  the  big  Black  Cat! 
Ye  eminent  appintment  of  Spikey  John, 
By  and  with  tho  advice  and  consent  of 

Joe,  the  Senate! 
How  ye  did  kill  up  "Fletcher" 
And  shake  the  dew  drops  off  of 
Dr.  Thompson's  mane! 

How  ye  doth  git  a  half  dollar 
With  an   eagle  on   it,   and   give  a   pas- 
senger 
No  chicken  back ! 

Oh,  whar  did  ye  hatch  that  little  shanty 
What's  nursed  by  Mr.  Hilburn; 
And  will  the  progeny  be  like  its  great 
ancestor? 

Whar    did    ye    git   that    kind    of    tabol 

cloth 
What  lasts  so  long  without  washin'? 
It  may  be  water's  scarce,  and  soap 
In  yore   free-stone   country. 
Whar  did  ye  buy  yore  ioe 
To   put   around   yore  coffy   pot 
And  keep  yore  coffy  cold? 

Oh,  whar,  tell  me  whar,  has  yore  Kal- 

orie  gone 
When  I  tuck  supper  with  ye? 
Oh,  hail.  Big  Shanty,  hail   agin! 
Could    ye    tell    me    whar    ye    buy    suh 

strong  kologne 
To    odorize    them    darkies    what    hands 
Them  sassengers  unto  the  passengers! 

Did   ye   import   your   knives   and   forks 

from   Greece; 
What   makes   their   handles  greasy? 
\m\  tell  us  whar  ye  got  yore  'S  elcfnnl 
Wiiat  steps  on   pies  and  things    (pi/.en 

things) 
,\nd  makes  'em  so  flat! 

Ye  object  of  commiseration! 

Ye   stationary  beggar! 

What  gi-eat   misfortune   did   hefall 


562 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


That  so  many  people  daily  does  give 
Yer  a  half  dollar  out  of  charity? 

Maybe  ye  was  shipwrecked 

Or  maybe  old  Versuvious 

Run  down  its  red  hot  gravy 

Upon  yore  little  town! 

Or  mavbe  ye  was  gored  by  the  Pope's 

bull 
In  Italy    or  some  such  like! 

Great    Big    Shanty,    ye    state    institu- 

shoon 
Ye  publik  work,  ye  metropolitan  hotel! 
Ye   speculator   upon  appetite !      In   yer 

brief  history 
Does  ye  ever  remember  to  have  fed  the 

same  man  twice? 
If    so,    alas!    for    Paradise    was    never 

made  for  fools ! 


OOSTANAULA,  WHISPERING 
WATER. 
By  Elinor  Van  Dozier  Allen. 
Oo^tanaula,  whispering  water, 
As  upon  your  brink  I  stand, 
Comes  the   gentle   murmur,    murmur 

Of  your  lapping  on  the  sand. 
Come  the  lisping,  whispering  voices, 
Where  your  ripples  kiss  the  land. 

Oostanaula,  whispering  water, 
What  is  this  you  speak  so  low? 

Where  the  willows  gently  quiver, 
And   the  water   lilies   grow, 

Where  the  sun  and  shadows  mingle 
As   you   softly,  softly  flow? 

Oostanaula,  whispering  water. 
Did  you  catch  the  morning  breeze 

Where  the  throstle  sings  his  love-song 
To  his  mate  among  the  trees? 

Did    you    hear   the    droning   work-song 
Of  the  honey-gathering  bees? 

Up  and  down  the  hills  and  valleys, 
Where  the  waters  dash  and  roar. 

Have    you    heard    the    mountain    folk- 
songs 
Echo  back,  and  yearn  for  more — • 

Heart-songs  of  the  lads  and  lassies. 
Home-songs  loved  in  days  of  yore? 

Oostanaula,   whispering  water, 

In  the  years  of  long  ago 
Did  some  Indian  maiden  linger 

Where   the   muscadine  does   grow; 
Did  you  hear  her  swarthy  lover 

Galling  to  her  soft  and  low? 

Oostanaula,  whispering  water, 
You  have  heard  them  every  one, 

Heard  the  songs  of  love  and  gladness, 
Where  your  silver  waters  run; 

And  you'll  bear  them  on  your  bosom 
'Till  your  earthly  course  is  done! 


OOSTANAULA.* 
By   Lollie   Belle   Wylie. 

O,  beautiful   river. 
The  moonbeams  aquiver. 

Lie  palpitant  now  on  thy  bosom  so  fair, 
And  through  the  tall  rushes. 
And    dew-scented    bushes 

Dim  mist-shapes  arise  like  wraiths  on 
the  air. 

O,    silver,   still   river. 
Flowing  onward  forever. 
Breathing  heavenly   harmonies   out   on 
the  night. 

Each  musical  number 
Awakes  my  soul-slumber. 
To    quick    revelation    of    Heaven    and 
Light. 

O,  mystical  river. 
When  soul-life  shall  sever. 
From  flesh  of  the  Adam-Dream,  seraphs 
divine. 

From    sphere   far-celestial. 
May  come  sphere  terrestrial 
Just    to    resolve    my    glad    spirit    with 
thine! 


THE    HUCKLEBERRY    PICNIC. 

(An  old  Virginia  animal  song,  as  played 
on  the  guitar  and  sung  by  E.  L. 
Wright,  headmaster  of  Darlington 
School,  to  the  delight  of  many  young 
Romans.) 
I  looked  down  the  river  'bout  the  crack 

of  day, 
I  heard  a  big  commotion  'bout  a   mile 

away ; 
The    critters    from   the    fields    and   the 

forests  had  come, 
All   had  collected   for   to   have   a   little 

fun; 
'Twas  the  badger  and  the  bear,  the  fox 

and  the  hare, 
The  otter  and  the  coon,  the  mink  and 

baboon. 
The    'possum    and    the    kangaroo,    the 

wolf  and  weasel,  too; 
The  monkey  and  the  owl  were  a-settin' 

up   a  howl ! 

Chorus : 

"Come  jine  the  huckleberry  picnic, 
'Tis  gwine  to  take  place  today; 

I'm  on  the  committee  for  to  'vite  you  all, 
But  I  ain't  got  long  to  stay!" 

'Long  about  noon  the  table  was  set. — 
They    brought    out    to    eat    everything 

they  could   get; 
The    badger    and    the    bear    took    hash 

Francaise, 

*Whispering    Water. 


jQllJVlcXixJ/ 


564 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE  STEAMER  "CHEROKEE"  "MAKING  KNOTS." 

This  picture  was  taken  as  the  First  Methodist  Church  Sunday  School  members 
were  on  their  annual  picnic  down  the  Coosa  in  June,  1921.  Behind  the  speedy 
"Cherokee"  sputtered  the  Boy  Scout  Motor  Boat,  which  gave  the  "big  wagon"  a  hot 
race    coming    back    to    Rome,    and    kicked    some    salty    spray    on    her    noble    bow. 


The  fox  and  the  hare  took  consomme; 

The  otter  and  the  coon  took  simmons 
a-la-frost, 

The  mink  and  baboon  took  fish  cream 
sauce. 

The  mule  had  a  fit  and  the  ground- 
hog died, 

And  all  were  chuck  full  when  the 
hyena   cried : 

Choriis 

Buffalo  and  hogs  hollered  "Right  hand 

across!" 
Jenny    and    Jack    hollered    "Left    hand 

back!" 
It  looked   sorter   strange   in  the   ladies' 

change 
To  see  the  nanny  goat  swapping  places 

with   the  shoat; 
They  tried  to  "grand  change"  over  and 

again, 
But  a  little  cur  pup  kep'  a-mixin'  'em 

up, 
'Bout  to  be  a  fight  in  the  "ladies  to  the 

right," 
When  the  cats  began  to  bawl,  "Prome- 
nade all!" 

Chorus 

'Long    about    night    the    varmints    took 

sick. 
Sent  for   the  old   snake   doctor   mighty 

quick, 


Like   the   railroad   cars   his   wings   did 

hum ; 
The    varmints    all    hollered,    "Yon    he 

come!" 
Started    for    to    open    the    head    of   the 

boss, 
When  the  varmints  all  hollered,  "Hold 

on.  Boss! 
It  ain't  no  use  to  do  like  dat. 
Dat  ain't  de  place  whar  de  misery's  at!" 

Choi'iis 

Tied  the  tail  of  the  monkey  with  a  rope, 

Looked  down  his  throat  with  a  micro- 
scope ; 

You  just  ought  to  seen  that  monkey's 
tail — 

'Clare  'fore  goodness  it  turned  right 
pale! 

Rubbed  it  and  he  rubbed  it,  but  'twant 
no  use. 

So  he  greased  it  all  over  with  pokeberry 
juice. 

When   that  ugly  monkey  up   and   died, 

He  turned  right  over  and  softly 
sighed: 

Cho7ms 

Animals    went    down    the    river    for    to 

bathe, 
Just  couldn't  make  the  baboon  behave; 
When  it  came  time  to  look  for  a  towel, 
They    had    to    wipe    off    on    the    little 

screech  owl. 


Miscellaneous — Poetry 


565 


SAM  P.  JONES  AND  HIS  ROME  SANCTUARIES. 

The  great  evangelist  came  to  Rome  about  187S  from  the  Van  Wert  (Polk  County)  cir- 
cuit, and  spent  two  stormy  years,  in  which  he  had  Trinity  Methodist  church  (at  the  bot- 
tom, then  known  as  the  Second)  and  two  churches  in  the  country.  He  built  the  original 
church,  part  of  which  is  now  a  residence  next  to  the  Second  Christian  on  W.  Fifth  Avenue. 
The  other  house,   at  733   Avenue   A,  was   his   home. 


The  screech  owl  screeched  and  the  bull- 
frog hopped, 

The  tadpole  wiggled  and  the  terrapin 
flopped, 

The  monkey  he  then   run  out  and  hid, 

The  elephant  spied  him  and  said,  "O, 
you  kid!" 

THE     SWEETNESS     OF     SORROW. 

By  Col.   B.   F.   Sawyer. 

(From    The   Rome    Georgian,    May    28, 

1898.) 

Cheer  up,  cheer  up,  thou  fainting  heart, 

Put  off   thy   sad   repining; 
The    darkest    cloud    that    ever    lowered 

Must  have  its  silver   lining! 

And  every  bitter  has  its  sweet, — 
The  bitterest  the  sweetest, — 

For   deepest   sorrows   always   make 
Their    after-joys    completest. 

The  heavy  load,  the  bitter  cup, 
Are  oft  in   memory  given; 


Even  death   itself  is  but  the  gate 
That  opens  up  to  Heaven. 

Then  let  us  gather  faith   and   hope 
From  life's  unfailing  crosses. 

Nor  idly  hope  to  reap  a  gain 
Without  its  price  of  losses! 


A  FRIEND. 
By  Alfred  AnioUl. 
A  fiicnd   is  one  who's  lived  a  while 

And  learned  a  world  of  stuff; 
Who  smiles  a  kind  of  patient  smile 
Though    things  be  smooth   or   rough. 

A  friend  is  one  who's  tried  you  out ; 

Who's  heard  your  every  plan; 
Knows    all    your     weakness     and    your 
doubt. 

And  says,  "I  like  that  man." 

A  friend  is  one  who  knows  your  faults, 

Yet  doesn't  hide  his  own; 
Who'd  rather  walk  with  one  who  halts 

Than   plod  along  alone. 


566 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


BALLAD     OF      FERDINAND     DeSOTO 


By  George  Magruder  Battey,  Jr. 


Decorations  by  Frank  L.  Stanton,  Jr. 


When  Ferdinand  DeSoto  went  to  Rome  in  search  of  gold, 
He  never  thought  to  make  a  name  like  pirate  chiefs  of  old, 
But  rather  hoped  to  gather  pelf  from  far-off  hills  and  near. 
And  divvy  with  his  hard-up  king — he  was  no  profiteer! 

No  doubt  he  would  have  got  away  in  handsome  style  with  this 
Except  he  thought  that  fire  and  sword  were  not  so  far  amiss 
And  Gent  of  Elvas,  taking  notes,  not  heard  all  Ferdie  said 
And  writ  the  story  out  in  Spain  long  after  Ferd  was  dead. 

Now,  harking  back  a  span  or  so,  we  find  Ferd  in  Peru, 
A-fighting  for  the  native  spoils — in  Nicaragua,  too — 
So  when  he  took  himself  back  home,  a  pretty  maiden  there 
Thought  Ferdie  was  the  bravest  man  in  Spain  or  anywhere. 

Yet  Isabella's  dad  was  rich  and  Ferdie's  dad  was  poor; 
The  king  took  Ferdie's  share  of  gold  and  loudly  called  for  more. 
Here  Isabella  proved  her  worth — she  married  Ferdinand, 
Forsook  her  dad  and  all  his  wealth  for  Ferdie's  horny  hand. 

Away  they  went  in  rocking  ships,  stopped  on  a  lonely  isle. 
Proceeded  on  their  honeymoon,  the  journey  seemed  a  mile — 
'Till  Cuba's  pearly  shore  loomed  up,  Havana  on  the  bow. 
And  Ferd  reviewed  his  motley  crew  from  soldier  down  to  sow. 

In  town  they  rented  cozy  flat  that  gave  them  latitude 
For  all  the  charms  of  wedded  life,  their  souls  with  love  imbued; 
But  Ferdinand  was  wise  enough  to  know  it  couldn't  last. 
And  so  he  piped  to  Isabelle  that  time  for  love  was  past. 

"Oh,  Ferdinand,  you  cannot  go  and  leave  me  lonely  here 
With  perfect  strangers,  out  of  funds!"  she  wailed  into  his  ear. 
But  Ferdinand  was  adamant;  "You  do  not  vote,"  quoth  he, — 
"My  orders  say  to  Florida  to  see  what  I  can  see." 

He  took  his  leave  of  Isabelle  and  promised  soon  return; 
She  sobbed  aloud,  disconsolate;  her  heart  with  grief  did  burn. 
Six  hundred  of  this  little  band,  some  wearing  coats  of  mail, 
A  lot  of  horses,  pigs  and  food,  but  not  a  wife  set  sail. 

Interpreters  there  were  a  few,  some  priests  and  sailor  men, 
A  doctor,  prophet  and  a  wag  to  cheer  them  now  and  then; 
The  chroniclers  formed  quite  a  train,  a  cannoneer  had  piece 
To  thunder  through  the  country-side  that  red-skin  war  must  cease. 

Some  muskets,  lances,  spears  and  shot  they  bore  in  proud  array, 
A  banner  by  DeSoto  planned,  fierce  bloodhounds,  meat  and  hay. 
In  Florida  they  landed  well,  at  Tampa,  in  a  calm; 
DeSoto  lifted  up  his  voice,  the  chorus  sang  a  psalm. 

From  inland  quite  a  distance  came  Juan  Ortiz,  Spanish  lad. 

Left  with  the  savage  years  before  by  Narvaez  the  Bad. 

Ten  Indians  with  Juan  were  took  by  Baltasar  and  men. 

To  camp  brought  in  that  they  might  guide  DeSoto  through  the  fen. 


Miscellaneous — Poetry 


567 


Before  the  troop  began  its  march  from  Tampa  up  the  coast, 
DeSoto  sent  a  lengthy  note  to  Santiago  host 
Of  townsmen  and  their  magistrate  to  tell  them  how  he  lit. 
But  loving  news  to  Isabelle  he  failed  to  send  a  bit. 

Now,  lots  of  fights  DeSoto  had  with  red-skins  bold  and  gory. 
His  exploits  made  his  little  band  far-famed  in  song  and  story. 
He  came  to  Cutifachiqui,  Savannah  River  city, 
And  how  he  grubbed  in  sepulchres — Egad,  it  was  a  pity! 

The  Princess  Cuti  gave  him  drink,  a  regal  string  of  pearls, 

Threw  up  a  piny  barricade  around  the  tribal  girls; 

Then  handed  Ferd  his  feathered  hat,  and  prayed  he  would  not  hurry; 

"If  I  could  think  YOU  would  not  go,"  said  Ferdie,  "I  should  worry!" 

So  saying  Ferd  put  tenderly  iron  band  upon  her  neck; 

"I  guess  we'll  travel  safely  now  or  all  bite  dust,  by  heck!" 

He  let  her  bear  a  box  of  gems,  not  wishing  to  be  rude. 

And  planned  to  get  them  when  she  left — with  tale  of  solitude. 

But  Cutifachiqui  was  wise,  and  wisely  built,  was  good; 
She  took  the  pearls  and  Soto's  ring,  escaped  into  the  wood; 
Poor  Ferd  could  ill  have  turned  around  to  chase  her  in  the  night; 
He  thought  of  'Bella's  sacrifice,  but  still  he  didn't  write. 

Nacoochee  Valley  broke  ahead,  Gray  Yonah  called  them  on, 
Lorenzo,  Soto's  cavalier,  went  searching  after  corn. 
But  found  fair  Echoee,  the  wife  of  savage  Chief  Tee-halp, 
Who  hacked  Lorenzo  on  the  bean  and  snipt  Garillo's  scalp. 

"All  roads  from  here,"  the  chief  did  grunt,  "lead  o'er  the  hills  to  Rome!" 
"That's  Eldorado!"  Soto  cried.  "Let's  find  our  happy  home!" 
Meanwile,  glum  Isabella  wept,  her  grief  she  did  confess. 
And  would  have  writ  a  lot  except  for  Ferdie's  vague  address. 

Chiaha,  site  of  Rome,  was  reached  by  dashing  Soto's  men; 
They  found  a  lot  of  salty  dope  for  Gent  of  Elvas'  pen. 
Pearl  hunt  along  the  Coosa  took  with  forty  red-skins  brave, 
Louis  Bravo  shot  old  Mateos  at  entrance  to  the  cave. 

Silvestre,  Villalobos  fared  to  Chisca,  seeking  gold; 
They  stalked  back  in  a  week  or  so,  in  rags,  downcast  and  cold. 
When  Soto  asked  for  30  squaws  to  join  his  hapless  band, 
The  chief  wrote  out  a  double  cross  on  Oostanaula  sand. 

Away  they  trudged  to  Cosa  next— no  Eldorado  found. 
But  poisoned  dart  of  Cherokee  put  Spaniards  in  the  ground. 
Strong  heart  kept  Soto  on  the  mark  to  cop  the  king  some  dough; 
Neglected  'Bella  languished  still  a  thousand  miles  below. 

At  last  DeSoto  crossed  a  stream  full  dark  and  deep  and  wide, 
And  with  the  fever  in  his  blood  one  day  he  up  and  died; 
His  bones  found  welcome  resting  place  beneath  the  waters  cold. 
But  never  did  he  sip  content  from  Midas    cup  of  gold. 

The  faithful  Isabella,  too,  explored  the  other  shore 
With  broken  heart  still  full  of  love  for  Soto  evermore. 
Quite  possfbly  both  might  have  lived  a  humlred  >-ars  and  nine. 
If  Soto  in  his  frenzied  quest  had  penned  her  just  a  line. 


568  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

ROME  IN  1934— A  DREAM. 

Oh.  noblo  Roman,  let  us  trip  to  good  year  Thirty-four, 
Which  witnesseth  100  years  have  srone  on  here  before. 
Sinee  Rome  became  a  husky  babe  and  now  is  called  a  town; 
Up  goes  the  curtain  on  a  scene  of  passing  great  renown: 

One  hundred  thousand  folks  there  be  and  happily  reside 
For  quite  a  distance  'round  the  clock  within  our  limits  wide; 
Fair  Chattanooga  keeps  an  eye  on  Rome's  expanding  chest, 
Atlanta  girds  her  loins  to  fight,  and  so  do  all  the  rest. 

In  every  ward  we  have  a  park  where  children  play  and  grow  — 
Red-blooded  life  is  everywhere:   the  folks  aren't  dying  so! 
The  sexton's  looking  for  a  job  as  keeper  of  the  log 
That  tells  how  Romans  live  and  love  but  slip  no  mortal  cog. 

The  city  swimming  pool  is  built,  the  market  owns  its  home; 
Things  "generally  are  looking  up  in  ancient  modern  Rome! 
Around  for  miles  is  boulevard  that  hits  the  mountain  tops 
And  jumps  the  rivers  seven  times — Egad,  it  never  st<)ps! 

The  Berry  School  has  built  a  shaft  to  doughty  Cherokee 

Consisting  of  a  model  course  in  beads  and  basketry; 

And  Shorter  College  now  has  oaks  instead  of  trees  austere. 

Which  give  the  scholars  welcome  shade  and  make  them  dream  while  here. 

The  little  czars  that  reigned  in  state  on  seven  hills  of  yore 

Are  chumming  with  the  rest  of  us:  they're  haughty  nevermore! 

The  schools  are  adequate  at  last  and  every  child  is  in; 

^liss  Spain  yells  through  a  megaphone  and  Langley  sees  them  win. 

The  Fair  is  run  by  ^Iv.  Bush  and  mighty  Fair  it  seems; 
The  aeroplanes  are  hauling  freight,  the  sun  looks  down  and  beams. 
The  river  banks  have  had  a  shave,  mosquitoes  gone  from  here, 
All  undesirables  have  quit;  the  bootleg  sheds  a  tear. 

John  Berry  in  the  suburbs  lives — he's  moved  his  plant  to  Wax, 
His  hosiery  is  still  the  rage — to  Rome  he  pays  his  tax. 
Judge  Wright  has  gone  to  Washington  to  get  some  things  for  Rome; 
The  farmers  keep  on  digging  deep  in  Floyd  County's  loam. 

The  President  and  Cabinet  on  Lavender  have  perch; 
They  ponder  o'er  the  nation's  weal,  and  come  to  Rome  to  church. 
The  diplomats  of  other  lands  troop  here  with  open  purse. 
The  shark  of  yesterday  has  left,  some  other  field  to  curse. 

And  how  has  Rome  attained  to  this — by  finding  pot  of  gold 
In  Alto's  top  or  miser's  hoard  or  anything  of  old? 
Ah.  no,  my  friend,  the  Rome  we  love  received  belated  start 
By  tapping  of  the  gold  that  lies  in  every  Roman  heart! 

LOVE'S  KISS  THE  SWEETEST. 
By   Phil   Glenn   Byrd 
in   The   Hustler   of   Rome,   Jan.    15,    1895. 

The  pure  kiss  of  friendship  that  falls  from  the  lips 

Of  a  girl  is  as  precious  as  gems  of  the  realm. 
Like  the  signals  exchanged  in  the  passing  of  ships; 

"All  is  well.     There's  no  fear,  for  a  man's  at  the  helm!" 

But  when  the  caress  kindles  passion's  wild  fire. 

There  is  danger  ahead,  there's  the  squall  and  the  reef 
In  the  waters  forbidden,  'round  the  Isle  of  Desire, 
And  the  craft  that  would  land  is  indeed  doomed  to  grief. 

Yet  the  best  of  them  all  is  the  clinging  caress. 
When  a  soul  meets  a  soul  and  in  lover-like  bliss. 

In  the  language  of  eyes  plight  the  truth  they  confess. 
As  thev  seal  the  sweet  vows  in  a  Love's  deathless  kiss! 


570 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


PSYCHE'S  MIRROR  AT  ROME.    (Now  Turn  the  Book  Upside  Down.) 


THE   RIVERS   OF   CHEROKEE     GEORGIA. 
By  Ernest  Neal. 

Have  you  heard  of  the  land  of  the  Cherokees, 
With  its  wonderful  streams  and  beautiful  trees, 
Of  its  flowers  abloom  and  the  wild  perfume 
That  floated  like  myrrh  on  the  evening  breeze? 

Have  you  heard  of  Echota,  the  capital  town, 
And  the  brave  old  chief  with  feathery  crown? 
Of  the  warrior  band  and  the  pow-wow  grand. 
In  the  light  of  the  moon  when  the  sun  went  down? 

Far  away  in  the  past  this  quaint  land  lies, 
And  around  it  the  mists  obscure  arise; 
It  is  only  in  dreams  we  hear  shrill  screams 
Of  the  eagles  afloat  in  their  native  skies. 

But  the  rivers  glide  on  in  rhythmical  flow 
Through  fields  of  today  that  grew  maize  long  ago. 
The  slow  Connasauga,  the  clear  Oostanaula — 
Like  their  musical  names — gurgle  soft  and  low. 

In  the  laugh  of  the  ripples  of  sweet  Salacoa, 

In  the  fall  of  the  current  of  silvery  Toccoa, 

In  the  roar  of  Tallulah  and  the  splash  of  Yahoola 

Are  the  weird  and  sad  notes  of  an  unwritten  lore. 

And  we  list  to  the  song  of  the  sad  Etowah — 

In  his  voice  is  a  sob,  a  refrain  from  afar — 

While  the  rough  Chattahoochee  makes  love  to  Nachooochee 

In  the  shade  of  the  vale  of  the  Evening  Star. 

From  the  gold-bearing  mountains  comes  rich  Chestatee 
Through  the  vales  to  the  west  flows  Coosawattee; 
In  their  music  shall  roll  the  Indian  soul 
As  long  as  his  rivers  flow  into  the  sea ! 


Miscellaneous — Poetry  571 

SUBMERGENCE  OF  THE   SHORTER  "PERISCOPE." 

(From  The  Rome  News,  Jan.  9,  1921.) 

Two  months  ago  The  Periscope  for  Shorter  girls  was  full  of  dope,  ground  out 
by  Senior  Class  so  wise,  concerning  pretty  hills  and  skies,  philosophy  on  how  to 
live,  study,  work  and  gladly  give;  replete  with  health  and  beauty  hints,  fine  art 
in  rouge  and  fleshy  tints,  and  brimming  o'er  with  snappy  ads  and  warnings  not 
to  break  their  Dads. 

Alas;  though  Periscopes  may  skim  the  placid  seas  of  joy  and  whim,  they  also 
now  and  then  submerge  (hark  to  the  Seniors'  mournful  dirge!)  ;  and  this  one 
truly  dropped  from  sight  completely  as  it  could  one  night.  The  reason  why;  the 
censor  took  a  more  than  friendly,  passing  look  at  what  the  Seniors  wished  to  tell 
within  that  periscopean  shell,  and  so  the  sad-eyed  Seniors  swore  of  Periscopes 
they'd  have  no  more. 

Alumnae  now  will  try  their  hand  to  make  subscribers  understand  just  why  for 
such  a  lengthy  time  they've  missed  their  prose  and  jokes  and  rhyme.  Eventually 
the  Freshmen  brave  will  take  the  helm  and  try  to  save  this  pleasing  vehicle 
the  fate  of  steaming  deep  and  slow  and  late.  The  teachers  long  ago  have  fled  to  tall 
uncut  with  aching  head,  lest  torpedo  should  hit  His  Nibs  between  his  first  and 
second  ribs.  In  dreams  we  hear  the  Freshmen  shout  as  censor  tries  to  cut  it  out: 

"Please  buy  the  verdant  Periscope  and  get  the  latest  Shorter  dope!" 


THE  UNBECKONED  HEART. 

By  Montgomery  M.  Folsom. 
(From  Tribune,  Nov.  15,  1896.) 

Convinced  at  last,  and  I  have  striven  so  long 
To  win  and  keep  you,  all  my  powers  of  song 

And  sentiment  and  pure  ideals,  too, 

Have  I  exerted,  sweetheart,  just  for  you. 

Sweetheart!  Ah!  did  I  use  that  sacred  word? 

'Tis  long,  so  long,  ah  me!  since  I  have  heard 
From  those  dear  lips  the  thrilling  accents  sweet 

That  gladdest  echoes  in  my  heart  repeat! 

I  will  not  chide  you.  I  have  learned  to  bear 
Through  long  gi'ay  days  of  deepening  despair 

The  burdens  of  indifference  and  wrong, — 

The  faith  once  placed  in  you  has  made  me  strong! 

This  is  the  last  remonstrance  I  shall  make 

Who  sacrificed  so  much;  my  heart  may  ache 
But  though  my  love  and  labor  all  are  vain, 
For  your  dear  sake  I'd  do  as  much  again! 

'Tis  sad  to  be  deceived,  I  must  confess, 
And  yet  I  love  you  in  my  loneliness! 
'Twas  not  ephemeral,  this  love  of  mine. 
But  lasting  as  eternity  divine! 

The  chords  are  mute  you  woke  within  my  soul. 

And  ne'er  again  shall  those  sweet  dream  bells  toll; 
To  you  I  gave  my  full  heart  harvest  store, — 
And  fallow  shall  it  stay  forever  more ! 


THE  JAYBIRD'S  RETORT. 
(An  old  jingle  sung  by  small  boys  in  1895.) 

Jaybird  sittin'  on  a  hickory  limb.— 
He  winked  at  me  and  I  winked  at  hini; 

Picked  up  a  rock  and  hit  him  on  tlio  cliin; 
He  said,  "Little  boy,  don't  you  do  that  again!' 


572 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


POVERTY  HALL    (Southwest  Corner  of  Third  Avenue  and  E.   First  Street.) 


THE  POVERTY  HALL  BOYS. 

Oh,  who  does  not  with  joy  recall 
The  noble  boys  of  Poverty  Hall, 
Full  panoplied  in  manly  pride, 
With  naught  but  poverty  to  hide? 

Theirs  not  to  dodge  the  sheriff's  men, 
Theirs  but  to  say,  "Please'  call  again!" 
Theirs  but  to  pluck  a  summer  rose, 
And  go  the  way  the  lover  goes ! 

Oh,  time  will  bless  them  every  one. 
As  maids  in  every  clime  have  done ! 
High  up  or  with  no  funds  at  all, — 
Heroic  knights  of  Poverty  Hall ! 

THE  WEALTH  OF  POVERTY  HALL 

Oh,  how  can  time  or  weather  dim 
The  glory  and  the  joy  of  him 

Who  lived  in  Poverty  Hall? 
Full  courtly,  kind,  immaculate. 
With  many  dates,  and  never  late. 

Though   pressed  against  the  wall! 

A  red  carnation  in  his  coat, 

A  thousand  letters  fondly  wrote, — 

Perfumed  his  handkerchief; 
Fared    bravely    forth    as    moon    shone 

bright. 
With  banjo  tunes  lost  in  the  night. 

And  often  came  to  grief! 

His  plaint  he  piped  into  her  ear, — 
Forsooth,  she  showed  a  little  fear. — 

At  party  or  at  ball; 
"Fair  maid  of  Rome,  please  take  my  life. 
My    everything, — just    be    my    wife, — 

And  live  in   Poverty  Hall!" 


Some   maids    succumbed   and   some  did 

not. 
Love  lingered    on;    the   chase   was   hot, 

And  many  took  a  fall; 
Great  in   the   present   be   the  men 
Who    hoped    and    fought    and    perished 
then 
As  the  Boys  of  Poverty  Hall! 


Twenty-one  of  the  original  Poverty 
Hall  boys,  as  recalled  by  one  of  the  sur- 
vivors: Jas.  Creswell  Sproull,  B.  Tolly 
Haynes,  William  L.  McKee.  Jas.  Neph- 
ew King,  Harry  P.  Weatherly,  Samuel 
L.  Crook,  Ellery  A.  Johnson,  C.  S. 
("Tap")  Sparks,  William  A.  McGhee, 
Samuel  S.  King,  Harry  Page  Johnson, 
Wade  Cothran  Sproull^  Hunter  H.  Mc- 
Clure,  Claude  B.  Hargrove,  Fleetwood 
Lester,  Morton  R.  Emmons,  Edward  S. 
Emmons.  Charles  N.  Patterson,  Craw- 
ford W.  Wingfield,  Nat  Trout,  and 
George  McManigal. 


LYRIC  OF  THE  OOSTANAULA. 

(June    1,   1921.) 

June  trips  in  quite  blithesomely, 

Speckled   trout  is  king, 
Lads  are  bathing  in  the  creeks, — 

What  a  heap  to  bring! 

Hurry,  hurry,  carpenter, — 

Speed  our  craft  along! 
Let  the  heavy  winter  hearts 

Sing  our  boating  song! 


574 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ROME. 
By  Montgomery  M.  Folsom. 

Guarded  by  thy  mighty  mountains 

Softly  toned  by  sun  and  shade, 
Watered  in  thy  flowing  fountains 

Flashing  through  each  glen  and  glade 
Twined  amid  thy  winding  rivers, 

Mirrored  by  their  shining  foam, 
Where  thy  glowing  splendor  quivers, 

Standest  thou,  imperial   Rome! 

Pictured  plains   and  verdant  valleys 

Flushed  with  glorious  harvest  hopes, 
Blithe  the  balmy  breeze  that  dallies 

On  thy  bloom-embroidered  slopes; 
Opulent  with    promise   springing 

From  the  freshly-furrowed  loam. 
Jubilant  the  joy  bells  ringing 

On  thy  hills,  resplendent   Rome! 

Other  lands  may  boast  their  trophies, 

Vacuous  vagaries  of  art, 
Nature  needs   no   straining  strophes 

To  reveal  thy  golden  heart; 
And  indelibly  recorded 

In  each  love-illumined  tome. 
Free  from  every  instinct  sordid 

Shines  thy  story,  radiant  Rome! 

Fertile  fields   and  frowsy  fallows. 
Breezy  banks  where  violets  blow. 


JACK  D.  M'CARTNEY,  of  Savannah,  whose 
lyrics  and  journalistic  quips  entertained  Ro- 
mans   for   more   than   a  decade. 


Fragfrant  flags  and  musky  mallows 
Framed  in  drowsy  deeps  below; 

Shadowy    woodlands,    history    haunted. 
Where     each     fancied     nymph     and 
gnome 

Long  thy  varied  charms  have  daunted, 
Rome,  incomparable  Rome! 

There    may    each   wayfaring    stranger, 

Free   as   falls  the   summer   dew 
Menaced  by   no   dread  or   danger. 

Find  a  welcome  warm  and  true; 
Free  to  share  in  all  thy  treasures 

And  to  find  in  thee  a  home. 
Peace  pursue   and   plenteous  pleasures 

In   thy   precincts,  prosperous   Rome! 

Sturdy   sons    and    star-eyed    daughters 

Blend  their  songs  of  hope  and  joy. 
Sweet  as  sound  of  falling  waters 

Busied  with  each  sweet  employ; 
Peace  and  plenty  reign  around  thee. 

Potent  progress  gilds  each  dome 
Where  thy  stalwart  sons  have  crowned 
thee 

Realmed  in  riches,  regal  Rome! 


LOWLAND    PHILOSOPHY. 

By  The  Canoe  Man. 
(From  The  Rome  News,  Feb.  10,  1921; 

inspired  by   the    high  water.) 
Said  the  sage,  "You  can't  have  rivers 
three 
That  wind  in  silver  threads, 
Without  some  water  now  and  then 
That  leaves  the  river  beds!" 

Said  the  Roman  of  the  lowland  sweep, 
"When  freshets  come, — who  cares? 

We  simply  shut  the  front  door  fast 
And  move  our  things  upstairs!" 

BRICK,  BRICK,  BRICK! 

Brick,  brick,  brick 

On  thy  warm  gray  landscape,  Rome, 
And  I  would  that  my  tongue  could  utter 

The  thoughts  of  the  ideal  home! 

O,  well  for  the  fisherman's  boy 

And  well  for  the  shop-keeper's,  too, 

O,  well  for  the  man  who  doesn't  care 
But  not  so  well  for  YOU ! 

And  the  motor  boats  go  on 
To  their  cozy  mooring  place, 

But    O,   for   the    touch    of    an    artist's 
hand 
On  this   God-given  place! 

Brick,   brick,   brick 

On   Broad  and  highest  hill. 
But  the  tender  grace  of  a  load  of  stone 

May  come  to  soothe  us  still ! 


Miscellaneous — ^Poetry 


575 


576 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


HOUSE  PARTY  DAYS  AT  POPE'S  FERRY. 

A  group  at  the  Troutman  place,  on  the  Oostanaula,  which  includes  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Marcellus  L.  Troutman,  Henry,  Baldwin  and  Grace  Troutman,  Mrs.  Mary  B.  King, 
Linton  C.  Hopkins  and  Miss  Maggie  Foote,  of  Atlanta,  and  the  Lustrat  girls  of 
Athens,    formerly   of   Rome.      The   dwelling   was   destroyed    by   fire   in    1921. 


LITTLE     HANDS    THAT    MOTHER 

LOVES. 

By   Frank   L.    Stanton. 

Little  hands   whose   work   is   o'er, 
Tired   hands   that   toil   no   more. 
Tender   little   hands  that  rest 
Folded    on    the    sinless   breast — 
Bending  o'er  them  mother  stands, 
Kisses  still  these  little  hands. 

God,  who  ever  does  the  best, 
Crossed  them  there  and  bade  them    rest, 
Would    He   then   these   hands    condemn 
With    a    mother's   kiss   on    them 
When     they've     crossed     the     burning 

sands? 
Mother  loved  those  little  hands! 

Mother  loved  them  in  the  past, 
Mother's    kiss   was   on   them    last; 
Little   hands,  beneath   the   sod, 
Take  a  mother's  kiss  to  God! 
Waft   it  o'er   the   troubled   lands, — 
Little  snow-white  angel  hands! 

CAPTIVE   WATER   LILIES. 

Montgomery  M.  Folsom 

(In  The  Rome  Tribune  Nov.  7,  1896.) 

Wide  eyed  and  golden  hearted 
Ye  peep  through  lattice  bars; 

Far  from  your  sisters  parted 
Spirits  of   stolen  stars. 

Not  where  the  soft  waves  tumble 

Along  the  marshy  glen ; 
But  near  the  roar  and  rumble 

And  hurrying  feet  of  men. 

Born    where  the   rushes   bending 
To  hear  the   reed  birds   sing; 


Where  wayward  winds  are  wending 
The  heron  plumes  her  wing. 

Your  heavenly  kin  half  hiding 
Peep  at  the  blushing  dawn; 

When  the  Lord  of  day  comes  striding 
Through  crimson  curtains  drawn. 

How  can  ye  bloom  so  blithely 
Amid  this  groan  and   grind? 

How  can  you  float  so  lithely 
In  this  cold  close  confined? 

No  humming  birds  shall  kiss  you 

On    flashing  wings   aglide; 
The  western   winds  will  miss  you 

When   falls  the   eventide. 
Pale  prisoners !  In  wonder 

Ye   gaze    through    darkened    bars 
From  life  and  light  asunder; 

Wan   wraiths   of   fallen   stars! 

THE    GRASSHOPPER'S    REVENGE. 

News  Item. — A  St.  Louis  paper  says 
the  grasshoppers  have  eaten  up  the 
entire  tobacco  crop  of  Franklin  county, 
Missouri,  and  the  last  that  was  heard 
from  them  they  were  seated  on  the 
street  corners,  begging  every  man  that 
passed  for  a  chew. — Rome  Tri-Weekly 
Courier,  1860. 

A  locust  with  a  gauzy  wing, 
Orthopterous  and  full  of  vim, 

Met  sad  mishap  one  summer  day — 
A  man  with  quid  spat  juice  on  him! 

Enraged,  the  locust  flew  ahead 

And  spat  right  in  the  bad  man's  eye, 

Then   perched  upon   a  limb  and  yelled, 
"You  may  can  squirt,  but  you  can't 
fly!" 


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A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


JOHN    WISDOM'S    RIDE. 
By  George  M.  Battey,  Jr. 

Listen,  O,  Romans,  and  you  shall  hear 
Of  a  midnight  ride — not  Paul  Revere — 
But  John  H.  Wisdom,  Roman  true; 
There's  scarce  a  poet  who  dares  to  do 
Him  justice  on   this   mundane   sphere! 

He   yelled  to   a   friend,   "The   Yankees 

march 
From  Gadsden;  Rome  to  take  by  night! 
My  steed  is  old,  my  throat  does  parch. 
But  I  will  bear  the  beacon  light 
That  all  the  countryside  may  see 
What   dangers   lurking  near  there  be; 
I'll  sound  the  note  of  shrill  alarm 
From  town  to  town  and  farm  to  farm, 
That  Rome  and  all  may  up  and  arm!" 

Then   said   adieu   to  Coosa's  shore 
And    whipped    his    charger    more    and 

more, 
'Till  buggy  creaked   and  jerked   along 
Like  unpoetic,   mournful  song; 
Hoke's    Bluff   he   passed   with   piercing 

shout, 
At  Gnatville  horse's  strength  gave  out, 
And  handsome  Widow  Hanks  did  pout 
At  lending  pony  young  and  small. 
To  take  John  on  to  Goshen  Hall. 


JNO.  H.  WISDOM,  Rome  stage  coach  driver, 
who  rode  67  miles  like  Paul  Revere  to  warn 
Romans  of  Streight's  approach  in   1863. 


But  pony's  lameness  proved  severe: 
With    stubborn    "plug"    John    hit    the 

trail; 
Five    miles    they    thumped    the   beaten 

track 
And  met  old  Farmer  Johnson  near; 
Two  steeds  espied,  then  told  his  tale, — 
The  son  rode  one  to  bring  them  back. 

Full  forty  miles  were  left  to  go, 
'Twas  seven  then  and  dark  the  night; 
Like  wild  birds  in  a  sudden  flight 
The   horses    raced,   their   nostrils   red; 
The  riders  rushed  to  halt  the  blow 
Intended  for  the  star  so  bright 
That     shone     above     the     Southland's 
dead. 

Now,     Wisdom     once     the     stage     had 

manned 
From  Rome  to  Alabama  town; 
Spring  Garden  put  him  well  adown 
The  pike  he  oft  had  traveled  o'er. 
Eleven  miles  to  preacher's  home 
And  fresher  horse;   the  boy  returned; 
'Twas  not  so  very  far  to  Rome, — 
John's  bump  of  indignation  burned. 
This  latest  horse  was  likewise  old. 
But  put  him  to  the  Georgia  line, — 
There  groaned   in   pain   and   could  not 

go 
And  died,  no  doubt,  for  all  I  know. 
So  John  did  spur  himself  again 
And  rapped  with  pistol  butt  on  door: 
The  farmer   answered  with  a  scold, 
"You  can't  take  nary  horse  of  mine!" 

Not  far  ahead  he  got  a  steed, 
Passed    Cave   Spring   like    a    lightning 

streak, 
Heard  "Halt!"  a  musket  shot  or  so, — 
Just  kept  on  riding,  did  not  speak; 
Vann's  Valley  reached  in  cloud  of  dust, 
Then  cast  aside  another  horse, 
And  buckled  saddle  on  a  mule 
With  spirits  high,  without  remorse. 
No    telephone   from   west    to    east. 
No  train  to  bear  the  message  grim. 
But  get  the  warning  there  he  must, 
And  Rome  was  just  an  hour  from  him; 
Once   charger    stumbled    to    his    knees. 
The  rider  hit  the  rocky  road: 
'Twas  but  a  trifle;  up  came  John, 
Still  more  his  faithful  mount  to  goad. 

Meanwhile,   unknown  to  John,  the  foe 
Across  the  Coosa  raced  for  Rome; 
Two  hundred,  if  they  sacked  the  town. 
Could    have    some    gold    and    then    go 

home. 
With  Captain  Russell  at  their  head 
This  troop  would  win  or  join  the  dead; 
And  also,  back  of  Russell  came 
Streight's    main   command,   full    sorely 

stung 
By  Forrest's  hornets,   tired  but  game. 


Miscellaneous — Poetry 


579 


A  COUNTRY  PLACE  NOTED  FOR  ITS  HOSPITALITY. 

Here  are  shown  some  congenial  parties  at  "Riverside,"  the  home  of  Francis  Marion 
Freeman,  at  Freeman's  Ferry,  Etowah  River.  Under  the  spreading  mulberry  tree  arc  Robt. 
W.  Graves  and  his  wife,  who  was  then  Miss  Juliet  Howel,  and  Ed.  Maddox  and  Misis  Sub 
F'reeman.  Col.  Freeman  entertained  Benj.  H.  Hill  here  late  in  1860  when  the  statesman  came 
to  Rome  to  make  a  political   speech.      Other  noted  Georgians   were   hiii   guests   at    various   timrs. 


'Twas  early  morn  by  Tower  clock 
When    bridge    at    Rome    John    dashed 

across; 
He  heard  no  bleating  of  the  flock 
Or  twitter  of  birds  among  the  trees, 
But  snores  of  Romans  filled  the  breeze, 
Blowing  over  the  river  moss; 
"To  arms,  to  arms!"  he  cried  with  glee, 
"And  if  you  have  not  arms,  then  flee! 
Under  the  sloping  banks,   away!" 
The  church  bells  rang  out  on  the  air, 
Then    princely   John    sank    in    a    chair 
And  a  lovely  maiden  stroked  his  hair. 

You  know  the  rest.  In  the  books  you've 
read 


How   at   dawn    Streight's    motley    cnnv 

looked  down 
A  cannon's  mouth,  squir'l  guns  and  all. 
And  swore  they  couldn't  take  the  town, 
And    Forrest,   pushing   on    behind. 
With     force     one-third     as     large     a.s 

Streight 
Nabbed  the  bunch  near  the  city's  watery 

gate. 

Thus  ends  our  tale  of  Honest  Jnhn ; 

Pray  let  his  fame  spread  far  and 
near, 

For  he  could  ride  with  the  best  of  them. 

And  so  could  the  patriot  Paul  Re- 
vere ! 


580  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

SIDNEY  LANIER. 

By  Montgomery  M.  Folsom. 

(From  The  Rome  Tribune,  May  1,  1895;  dedicated  to  the  Lanier  Circle  of  Rome 
and  read  at  the  anniversary  meeting  by  the  president,  Rev.  A.  J.  Battle.) 

He  caught  the  lisp  of  lowly  wings  in  shadowy  nooks  remote. 
And  counted  them  as  holy  things;  the  glad  inspiring  note 
Of  mocking  bird  at  break  of  day  in  songful  Southern  woods, 
Or  whip-poor-will's  weird  roundelay  in  somber  solitudes; 
The  whispers  of  the  dying  wind  on  sunless  summer  eves 
In  minor  key  incarnadined  among  the  listless  leaves; 
He  was  our  chivalrous  Bayard,  without  reproach  or  fear. 
Incomparable   Southern  bard,  our   myrtle-crowned   Lanier! 

His  mind  exalted  far  above  earth's  circumscribing  bound, 

Still  stooped  with  tenderest  touch  of  love  to  soothe  the  weakling's  wound, 

And  though  he  sang  in  martial  tone  of  victories  won  for  art, 

As  gentle  as  a  woman's  own  his  sympathetic  heart; 

Rapt  seer  of  a  prophetic  age,  now  that  his  work  is  done 

His  name  is  writ  on  fairer  page  than  human  triumph  won; 

Our  constellation  mourns  the  loss  of  such  scintillant  sphere, 

The  brightest  in  the   Southern   Cross,  our   troubadour — Lanier ! 

He  lived  within  the  realm  of  dreams  of  more  than  mortal  ken. 
His  spirit  dwelt  on  loftier  themes  than  move  the  hearts  of  men. 
And  while  his  weary,  way-worn  feet  still  pressed  the  tear-stained  sod, 
In  solemn,  soul-communion  sweet  his  form  did  walk  with  God, 
Interpreting  the  unvoiced  thought  which  in  a  blossom  lies, 
And  from  the  flash  of  star-beams  caught  a  glimpse  of  Paradise! 
Though  fell  the  dark,  untimely  blight  upon  his  earthly  bier, 
Still  blooms  anew  in  life  and  light  the  spirit  of  Lanier! 

He  searched  the  depths  of  seas  unknown,  their  treasure  chests  revealed, 
He  caught  the   sweet,  sad  undertone  ftom  other  hearts   concealed. 
He  swept  the  chords  of  nature's  lyre  with  potent,  master  hand, 
And  felt  the  wild,  prophetic  fire  that  few  can  understand. 
What  if  the  branch  be  withered  now,  the  drooping  tree  bereft. 
Still  clinging  round  that  broken  bough  the  rare  perfume  is  left; 
Bequeathing  us  his  deathless  fame,  he  sought  a  nobler  sphere. 
But  earth  shall  claim  that  sacred  name  forevermore — Lanier! 

No  more  the  soul  of  song  shall  thrill  with  joy  that  magic  flute, — 

The  lips  melodious  are  still,  the  vibrant  voice  is  mute, — 

But  where  the  sacred  seraphim  their  gladdest  anthems  raise 

And  all  the  chanting  cherubim  echo  the  lingering  lays. 

And  asphodels  of  Eden  bloom  in  fair  Elysian  fields. 

The  lily's  lingering  perfume  divine  ambrosia  yields; 

There,  foremost  of  that  choral  throng  the  hosts  of  Heaven  hear 

The  voice  attuned  to  raptured  song  of  our  own  lost  Lanier! 


NEW  YEAR'S   CALLIN'. 

By  Frank  L.  Stanton. 

(From  The  Tribune  of  Rome,  Jan.  21,  1895.) 

I  ain't  much  on  sassiety — hain't  bin  thar  more'n  twice — 
But  when  they  take  a  feller  round,  he  gits  to  feelin'  nice! 
They  had  been  goin'  New  Year's  night,  an'  sakes  alive!  the  way 
Them   purty  girls  kept   smilin'   made   me  think  the   dark  was   day! 

"Now,  let  me  interduce  you,  Frank,"  John  Taylor  sez,  sez  be, 

An'  he  whispered,  "Pull  yer  gloves  off — you  mus'  shake  hands,  don't  yer  see?" 

An..'  then  he  muttered,  with  a  frown,  "Well,  I  wish  I  may  be  ded, 

But  you're  goin'  in  the  parlor  with  your  hat  upon  yer  head!" 

'Twas  a  fact!  I  clean  forgot  and  didn't  realize  at  all 
I  was  bang  up  in  sassiety  and  on  a  New  Year's  call! 


/^U'€^(^-'^^i^^^^'^ 


582 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


"Some  folks  is  quite  pertick-ler,"   says  Taylor,  "See  the  Jack! 
He's  hung  his  hat  upon  the  floor  as  if  there  warn't  a  rack!" 

He  throwed  me  clean  at  every  turn — kerflummuxed  all  erbout; 

I  didn't  know  which  way  ter  move,  but  felt  like  movin'  out; 

"Now  here's  Miss  Blank  a-comin'  in,"  he  sez,  "Don't  look  so  flat; 

Why,  bless  my  soul,  you've  clean  forgot — now  whar's  yer  white  cravat?" 

My  patience  was  a-weakenin  fast;  sez  I,  "Now  look  a-here! 
I'm  tired  o'  this  'ere  foolin',  an'  I'm  gwine  to  git  in  there!" 
An'  in  I  walked,  and  heard  him  say   (still  viewin'  my  construction), 
"Jes'  look  at  him  a-shakin'  hands  'thout  ary  interduction!" 

An'  "Whut's  yer  name?"  I  sez  to  one,  all  drest  in  pink  an'  white; 
"That  diamond  you're  a-wearin'  mus'  ha'  cost  a  powerful  sight! 
You're  jes'  the  purtiest  creetur  that  I've  seed  fer  many  a  year; 
Nigh  onto  twenty  years,  ain't  yer;  been  long  a-livin'  here?" 

Then  Taylor  nudged  me  with  his  arm,  all  in  a  powerful  rage: 
"Fer  pity's  sake,  my  fren',"  he  sez,  "don't  ax  the  girls  their  age!" 
That  fairy  creetur  smil'd  on  me  like  basket  full  o'  chips, — 
Sed  it  didn't  make  no  difference.   (An'  Oh!  them  rosy  lips!) 

One  place  we  went  I  can't  ferget;  a  chap  who  didn't  know 

The  custom  of  the  purty  girls  got  'neath  the  mistletoe, 

When — Smack!  she  give  him  such  a  kiss,  'twould  done  yer  good  ter  see; 

But  I  think  I  kinder  miss'd  it  when  I  axed  her  ter  kiss  me! 

Good  gracious;  but  the  purtiness — I  never  seed  the  like: 

The  ugly  people  in  the  worl'  was  all  out  on  a  strike! 

An'  lookin'  at  them  faces  fair,  them  cheeks  o'  lovely  glow 

I  felt  like  sayin'  loud,  "Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow!" 

Well,  I  got  on  first-class  foremost,  'spite  of  Taylor  an'  his  talk, 

Shook  hands  with  all  the  purty  girls  an'  made  the  vittles  walk! 

I  et  three  dozen  suppers,  'cause  I  minded  well  the  text: 

"Ef  you're  hungry  on  a  New  Year's  night,  you'll  be  that  way  till  next!" 

We  went  fum  house  to  house;  shuk  hands,  and  sich  a  happy  shakin'! 
Until  when  nuthin'  else  would  break,  the  day  hit  went  to  breakin'. 
As  if  the  Lord  had  smiled  upon  the  world  an'  made  it  bright 
An'  I  went  out  o'  sassiety  chock  full  o'  New  Year's  Night! 


THE    OLD    TOWN    CLOCK. 
By  Mrs.  Naomi  P.  Bale. 
Since   1871,  thus   mused   the   old   town 
clock, 
I've   stood   the   storms   of   wind    and 
rain, 
Have  felt  the  earthquake  shock. 

My    house    was    torn    by    lightning 
stroke. 
Yet   my   patient   hands   moved  on 

And  not  a  moment  have  I  lost 
In  all  the  years  agone. 

Many  who  oft  looked  in  my  face. 
Are  scattered  far  and  wide. 

Others  are  quietly  resting  in  peace 
On  the  hill  by  the  river's  side. 

Other  bright  faces  still  greet  me  here, 
Each  day  in  their  school  hour's  task. 
And    I    make    new   friends    year    after 
year 


And  this  is  all  I  could  ask. 
To  you,  my  new  friends,  who  look  on 

With   eager   and  laughing  eyes. 
Upon  each  mind  this  lesson  I'd  trace, 

"Be  earnest,  be  watchful,  be  wise." 

There's  a  place  in  the  strenuous  battle 
of  life. 
Which  each  one  must  surely  fill. 
The   hero's   place   can  be  yours   in  the 
strife, 
Or   the   sluggard's    place,   if   you    so 
will. 

Then  choose  your  place — 
The  voice  was  hushed — 
There   was   silence     in    the    old    town 
clock. 
The    potent    spell    of   the   fairy  was 

gone. 
And    nothing   was    heard   but    "tick, 
tock." 


Miscellaneous — -Poetry 


583 


FINE   HOMES,   LARGE   HOMES   AND  SMALL. 

1-P.  B.  Brown    (Dr.  Eben  Hillyer) ;  2-Wright  WilUngham    (Dr.  •V"Ha'';ncrIc  ^w'^Kin.) ; 
Noble  home;   4— W.   J.   Griffin    (S.   G.   Hardy-Thompson    H.les):    5-BTHaync«^C.    W     King.. 
6— H.    W.    Morton    (W.   T.   McWilliams)  ;    7— Part    of    old    R"''*"^  ^attcy    homo      8      .  .    M.    :.nc 
ley    (now  owned  by  Woman's  Auxiliary  of  Chamber  of  Com^mcrcc).  9— Batlcylnl.rmary   o_p 
l(J_Miss    Julia    Omberg;    11-Geo     F-    N-°":    ^^-B.    F^  Q-S/^^^o.^.J^   Bayard)^ J^^ 
R.    M.    Harbin;     14— Judge    Joel    Branham;     1,5— Robt.    W. J-ravcs,     lo— r>.cv. 
17— J.   W.  Bryson    (W.   M.   Towers);    18— Judge   Jno.   W.   Maddox. 


584 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THE    ACCESSION    OF    QUEEN 
LOUISE. 

(To  Miss  Louise  Berry,  Home-Coming 
Week,  Oct.   13,  1921.) 

And    now   we'll   give   attention,    please. 
To  crowning  of  the  fair  Louise: 

This  Indian  Summer  day  her  host 

Of  loyal  subjects  trooped  in  state 
Through  panoplied  procession  grand 

Her  gentleness  to  emulate, 
Forsooth,   her   beauty   and    her    charm, 

Her  wisdom  and  her  wit  adore. 
And  suppliant,  with  loving  hands. 

Obey  her  bidding  evermore! 
(That  is,  as  long  as  she  return 

The  queenly  incense  for  to  burn) . 

Sat  also  in  an  autumn  haze 

Of  fast  expiring,  gracious  reign 
The   fair    Penelope  the    First, 

Who  soon  will  be  a  queen  again! 
And  all  around  were  courtiers, 

'Till  one  rose  up  with  bulging  chest 
And  by  the  power  in  his  voice 

Writ  down  himself  with  princes  best. 

Prince  Willingham!  His  doublet  fit 
Immaculate;    his   sleeves  of  lace 

And  coat  of  purple  told  entire 
The  glory  of  a  noble  race; 


A  JOLLY  IIO.MK-COMING  GROUP  of  vis- 
itors and  hostesses  at  the  East  Rome  en- 
trance   to    the    city,    October,    1920. 


And  from  his  silver  tongue  there  flowed 

Philippic  to  the  moulding  past: 
"Good  Queen  Penelope  is  gone. 

Good  Queen  Louise  is  not  the  last!" 
(Prince    Dean,    of    passing    great    re- 
nown, 
Then      gave      Her      Loveliness      the 
crown) . 

A  chapter  yet  ere  day  is  done: 

In  gathering  shadows  comes  the  Ball ; 
The     queens    will     slowly    march     and 
shed 

Their  radiant  loveliness  o'er  all; 
The  hills  will  echo  back  the  note 

Of  herald's  trumpet  blast  ahead: 
"Wake,    Romans,    wake,    and    look    be- 
yond 

To  future  bright;  the  past  is  dead!" 

SONNET  TO  A  DEPARTED  FRIEND 

(Sept.   3,   1920.) 
Sweet  lady  of  the  olden  South  we  come 
To  pay  our  fond  respects  as  thou  dost 

go 
Up  into  fairer  land  that  none  may  know 
Or  wonder  how  strange  mystery  issues 

from ! 
Amid  a  bower  of  roses,  lilies,  phlox 
We    sadly    sing    from    deep    our    souls 

within, — 
If  not   too   late,   thy   peaceful    smile  to 

win ; 
Thy    Lord    beyond    the    portal    gently 

knocks ! 
And  then  the  last  farewell;  'tis  good  to 

live 
If    living    means    to    think    of    thee    in 

prayer, 
Uncovered,    stand    in    swishing  autumn 

wind 
And  wonder  if  the  noble  life  you  give 
Can    find    its    saintly    counterpart    up 

there ; 
Oh,    how    we   need    thee    who    are    left 

behind! 

LINES  TO  A  HUMMINGBIRD  SEEN 
AT  A  LADY'S  WINDOW. 
By  John  Rollin  Ridge. 
Yon  dew-drunk  bacchanal 

Hath   emptied  all  the  roses  of  their 
sweets. 
And   drained   the   fluent   souls 

Of   all   the  lilies   from  their  jeweled 
bowls; 
And  now  on  rapid  wings  he  fleets 

To  where  by  yonder  crystal  pane 
A    lady,   young  and  fair. 

Looks    out    upon    the    sifting    sun-lit 
rain. 

That  ripe,   red   mouth   he   takes 

For  rarer  flower  than  ever  yet  was 
quaff"ed. 


Miscellaneous — Poetry 


585 


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586 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


And  longeth  much  to  sip 

The  honey  of  that  warm  and  dewy 
lip, 
And  drain  its  sweetness  at  a  draught. 
Ah!   vain,   delusive   hope!    'tis   hard, 
But    rainbow-winged    bird, 

Thou'rt  not  alone  from  those  sweet 
lips   debarred ! 

Now,  charmed  with  her  eyes. 

And    dazzled    by    their    moire    than 
sunny  light. 
He  winnoweth  with  his  wings 

The  fineness  of  the  golden  mist,  and 
swings, 
A  breathing  glory  in  her  sight! 

Too  happy  bird,  he's  won  a  smile 
From  that   proud  beauty  rare 

Which    from    his    throne    an    angel 
might   beguile! 

How  dizzy  with  delight 

He   spins   his   radiant  circles    in   the 
air! 
Now,  on  their  spiral  breath 

Upborn,   he    'scapes    th'    enchantress 
underneath 
And  will  not  die  of  joy  or  of  despair — 
The  gleam   in   her  bright  eyes,  and 
wild. 
Ne'er  hoping  once  to  win 

The  nectar  from  those  lips  which  on 
him    smiled! 


A  CHEROKEE  LOVE  SONG.* 
By  John  Rollin  Ridge. 
Come  with  me  by  moonlight,  love 

And  let  us  seek  the  river's  shore; 
My  light  canoe  awaits  thee,  love, 
The  sweetest  burden  e'er  it  bore! 

The    soft,    low    winds    are    whispering 
there 

Of  human  beauty,  human  love. 
And  with  approving  faces,  too, 

The  stars  are  shining  from  above. 

Come   place   thy   small   white  hand   in 
mine. 
My  boat  is   'neath  the  willow  trees, 
And   with   my   practised   arm   the   oar 
Will  ask  no  favor  from  the  breeze. 

Now,  now,  we're  on   the  waters,  love, 
Alone  upon  the  murmuring  tide — 

Alone!   but  why   should  we  regret 
If  there  were  none  on  earth  besides? 

What  matters  it  if  all  were  gone? 

Thy  bird-like  voice  would  yet  beguile, 
And  earth  were  heaven's  substitute 

If  thou  wert  left  to  make  it  smile! 

Oh,  mark  how  soft  the  dipping  oar. 
That     silent     cleaves     the     yielding 
blue — 

Oh,   list  the   low   sweet   melody 

Of  waves  that  beat  our  vessel  too! 

Oh,  look  to  heaven,  how  pure  it  seems. 
No  cloud  to  dim,  no  blot,  no  stain* 

And  say — if  we  refuse  to  love. 

Ought  we   to   hope   or   smile   again? 

That       island       green,       with       roses 
gemmed,** 
Let's    seek    it,    love — how    sweet    |a 
spot! 
Then  let  the  hours  of  night  speed  on — 
We  live  to  love — it  matters  not! 


HALLOWED   GROUND. 

Oh,  some  may  think  it  matters  not 

Where    one    first    sees    the    light    of 
day. 
But  lucky  is  the  man  whose  lot 

It  was  to  enter   life's   glad  way, 
Feneath    the    Oostanaula's    shade, 

W^here  red-skin  once  his  pallet  laid! 
Yea,  hallowed  be  the  ground  of  Rome — 

My  heart  is  there  though  I'm  afar! 
Abode  I  like,  I  worship  home. 

And  all  its  folk  who  blithesome  are! 
May  not  all  those  who  love  it  still 

Clasp    hands    sonte    day    in    Myrtle 
Hill? 


DR.  RICHARD  VENABLE  MITCHELL,  an 
old  Roman  who  is  fondly  recalled  by  many 
members  of   the   present   generation. 


*His    thoughts    here    go    back    to    his    happy 
days    spent    on    the    Oostanaula. 

**Reference  is  probably  to  Whitmore's   Island. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


587 


PARTIAL  LIST  OF  INTERMENTS  IN  MYRTLE   HILL  CEMETERY 

Note— This  list  was  taken  from  the  records  of  City  Sexton  C.  L.  King,  dating 
from  1874  through  Sept.  2,  1922,  and  contains  approximately  1,500  names,  which  is 
probably  one-sixth  of  total.     Additions  and  corrections  for  Vol.   II.   are  desired. 

The  figure  after  the  name  is  the  age  at  death ;  the  figure  after  the  date  of  death 
is  the  day  of  burial.  In  most  cases  the  deceased  were  natives  of  Rome  or  Floyd 
County;  unless  otherwise  noted,  death  occurred  there.  The  first  entry  is  translated 
thus:  Burwell,  Lewis  D.;  59  years  old;  born  in  North  Carolina; 'died  at  Rome 
Jan.  9,  1874;  buried  Jan.  11,  1874. 

Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  is  situated  in  South  Rome  at  the  junction  of  the  Etowah 
and  the  Oostanaula  on  a  knoll  100  feet  or  more  above  the  rivers.  It  is  often  re- 
ferred to  by  visitors  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  natural  locations  in  the  United 
States.  The  first  interments  were  made  in  1S57,  when  the  old  Seventh  Avenue 
Cemetery  was  officially  abandoned,  but  the  records  do  not  go  back  that  far. 


1874. 

Burwell.  Lewis  D.,  59;  bn.  N.  C;   1-9- 

74;   1-11. 
Bruce,  Caleb,  57;  2-11-74;  2-14. 
Terhune,  Wm.  Barclay,  53,  of  N.  J.;  6- 

30-74;  7-1. 
Landrum,  Mrs.  C.  T.,  28;  bn.  Ala.;  De- 

Soto;  2-27-74;  2-28. 
McGuire,  Mrs.  T.  J.,  34;  bn.  Ga.;  3-8- 

74;  3-9. 
Landers,  J.  M.  B.,  61;  bn.  Ala.;  3-19-74; 

3-21. 
Buchanan,  A.  J..   57;  bn.  Ga.;   3-2-74; 

3-21 ;  drowned. 
Bergman,    Peter,    35;    of    Sweden,    res. 

Ala.;    3-24-74;   3-25. 
Moonev,  J.  P.,  27;  of  N.  C,  killed;  4- 

18-74;  4-25. 
Shockley,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  86;   Fl.   Co.; 

5-14-74;  5-15. 
Adkins,  W.  E.;  6-16-75;  6-17. 
Morrison,  Geo.,  20;  bn.  Ga.;   killed   on 

R.  R.,  7-14-74;  7-16. 
Seay,  Mrs.  Mary,  28;  bn.  Ga.,  7-25-74; 

7-26. 
Wimpee,  Mrs.  A.  V.,  30;  DeSoto;  10-25- 

74;  10-26. 
McAfee,  Mrs.  M.  M.,  64;  11-22-74;  11- 

23. 
Marable,  Mrs.  M.  A.;  58;  12-22-74;  12- 

23. 
LeHardy,  Eugene,  58;  bn.  Belgium;  12- 
27-74;    12-28. 

1875. 

Mills,  Mrs.  Lizzie,  30;  4-2-75;  4-4. 
Funderburk,  Mrs.  T.,  65;  S.  C;  3-7-75; 

3-8 
Attaway,   Charley.    73;   S.   C;   3-26-75; 

3-28. 
Mattson,  Emil,  23;   Sweden;  4-2-75;  4- 

12. 
Smith,  Rev.  J.  H.,  23;  bn.  Ga.;  res.  Fla., 

4-13-75;  4-17. 
Veal,  Mrs.  Sarah  A.,  42;  bn.  Ga.;  5-30- 

75;  5-31. 


Smith,  Asahel  R.,  81;   6-25-75;  6-26. 
Sullivan,  Walter;  20;  bn.  S.  C;  dd.  X. 

Y.;    8-2-75;    8-6. 
Scott,   Dunlap,    42;    10-30-75;    11-1. 
Stillwell,  Mrs.  Mary,  23;  11-10-75;   11- 

11. 
Stansbury,  Miss  Mary,  25;   Tenn.;    11- 

17-75;  11-18. 

1876. 

McDonald,  Mrs.  Ellen,  72;  1-6-76;  1-7. 
Jack,   Mrs.    Eliza.   72;   N.   C;   1-12-76; 

1-13. 
Brownlow,  Jas.,  88;  S.  C;  2-16-76;  2-17. 
Jack,  Howard,  44;   4-11-76;   4-12. 
Burwell,  Mrs.  M.,  75;  Va.;  4-11-76;  4- 

13. 
Printup,  Mrs.  J.  J.,  25;  5-11-76;  5-12. 
West,  Jane  M.,  81;  Tenn.;  5-20-75;  5-23. 
Edmondson,  Mrs.  Belle  Watters,  25;  7- 

17-76;   7-18. 
Stewart,  Sam'l.,  64;  9-4-76;  9-5. 
Selkirk,  Mrs.  M.  C;   54;  8-17-76:  8-10. 
Carver,  Mrs.  Edith,  63;  N.  C;  9-24-76; 

9-25. 
Mitchell,  D.   R..  74;   bn.  Ga.;    11-10-76, 

in  Fla.;  11-18. 
Jones,  Wm.  F..  76;  res.  N.  C;  bn.  Ga.; 

12-14-76;  12-16. 
Dayton,    Thos.,    26,    of    Pa.;     12-27-76 

from   pistol   wound:    12-29. 

1877. 

Gregory,   Mrs.    S.   M.;    77;    1-4-77;    1-6. 
Grahani.  G.  W..  52;  S.  C;  2-5-77;  2-6. 
Underwood.  John  H..  61;  2-24-77;  2-26. 
Wildsmith.  Jane.  29;   England;  3-4-77; 

3-5. 
Butler,  Green  B..  42;  res.  Atlanta;  3-13- 

77;  3-14. 
Shorter,  Mrs.  Martha.  78;  3-22-77;  3-23. 
Meigs,  R.  L..  62;  bn.  N.  C;  4-22-77. 
Cutter.  M.  N.,  61;  bn.  N.  Y.;  4-23-77; 

4-24. 
May,  Mrs.  S.   M..  48;  bn.  Tonn.:   5-10- 

77;  5-11. 


588 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


GLIMPSES  IN  ROME'S  "SILENT  CITY  OF  THE  DEAD." 

A  crowd  at  Easter  singing,  1921;  tomb  of  Alfred  Shorter;  the  Confederate  monument; 
Daniel  S.  Printup  shaft;  the  Connally  lot;  Forrest  monument  and  shaft  to  Women  of  the  Con- 
federacy, on  Broad;  a  group  at  the  Battey  vault;  the  C.  N.  Featherston  grave;  grave  of 
Mitchell   A.  Nevin;   Chas.  A.  Hight  lot;   a   group   at   the   grave   of   the   first   Mrs.   Woodrow   Wilson. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


589 


Woods,   Thos.,    27;    bn.    England;    5-29- 

77;  5-30. 
Norton,  Wm.  G.,  20;  bn.  Conn.;  6-2-77; 

Cothran,  W.  S.,  73;  bn.  S.  C;  7-20-77; 

7-21. 
Wildsmith,  Ann,  54;  bn.  England;  8-6- 

77;    8-7. 
Mav,  S.  M.,  50;  bn.  Tenn;.  8-9-77;  8-10. 
Wilkerson,  Eliza,  66;  8-21-77;  8-22. 
Beysiegel,    Chas.,    55;    bn.    Germany; 

'lived  DeSoto;  8-21-77;  8-22. 
Dewberry,  Thos..  43;  bn.  S.  C.;  9-14-77; 

9-15. 
Hazelton,    Mrs.    Mary.,    103;    bn.    Eng- 
land;   10-11-77;    10-12. 
Reynolds,    Larkin    H.;    33;    bn.    Bartow 

Co.;  11-12-77;  11-13. 
Connor,   Mrs.   R.  L.,  54;   12-7-77;  12-9. 
Shropshire,  Lizzie,  19;   11-18-77;   11-19. 
Grossman,  J.  W.,  45;  lived  DeSoto;  12- 

30-77;  12-31. 

1878. 

Bowen,  Elizabeth;  57;  4-29-78;  4-30. 
Brower,  Minnie   Lester,   21;   bn.   S.   C; 

2-6-78;   2-7. 
Watters,   G.   W.;   56;   3-9-78;   3-11. 
Sproull,  J.   C,  46;  bn.   S.  C;   Carters- 

ville  1-12-66;  mvd  to  Rome  4-4-78. 
Mills,  Mrs.  E.  W.,  60;  bn.  N.  C;  4-14- 

78;   4-15. 
Howell,  J.   C,  21;  kid.  in  battle,  7-30- 

64;  mvd.  from  Kingston  4-24-78. 
Hart,  J.  R.,  52;  bn.  N.  C;  6-1-78;  6-2. 
Seavev,  Wm.  T.,  31;  Hot  Springs,  Ark., 

6-25-78;    6-28. 
Gardner,  Geo.  H.,  56;  bn.  England;  8- 

25-78'  8-27 
Smith,  Greenville,  64;  bn.  Tenn.;  9-17- 

78;  9-18. 
Perry,  Thos.  J.,  54;  9-28-78;  9-29. 
Maguire.  Terrence;  57;  bn.  N.  Y.;  10-3- 

78;   10-4. 
Howell.  G.  W.,  61;  bn.  Tenn.,  Ived  Ala.; 

10-13-78;  10-14. 
Pitner,  A.  G.;  62;   11-28-78;  11-30. 
Miller,  H.  H.,  60;  bn.  Tenn;.  11-30-78; 

12-1. 

1879. 

Wardlaw,  H.  H.,  27;  bn.  Ga.;  res.  Ark.; 
1-3-79:   1-7. 

Jackson.  Wm.,  79;  bn.  S.  C;  2-5-79;  2-6. 

Jones.  Elizabeth,  59;  res.  Floyd  Co.;  3- 
2-79;  3-3. 

Mclntyre,  Mrs.  Margaret,  40;  bn.  Scot- 
land, Ivd  S.  Rome;  3-3-79;  3-4. 

McKenzie,  Hattie.  32;  3-7-79;  3-9. 

Walker.  L.  P..  56;  bn.  Penn.,  res.  De- 
Soto; 3-24-79;  3-25. 

O'Rear,  Richard,  7;  drowned  5-17-79; 
5-21. 

Lee.  Geo.  W.,  49;  4-3-79;  4-6. 

Gallowav,  Thos.,  30;  bn.  Scotland;  5- 
28-79;  5-29. 


Graves,   M.   L.,  83;   bn.   N.   C;   G-1-79; 

6-2. 
Wood,   Mrs.    Sarah    G.,   78;    bn.   X.   C; 

6-4-79;   6-5. 
Aldridge,  Mrs.  A.  M.,  bn.   England;  G- 

7-79;   6-8. 
Cooley,  J.  C,  15;  bn.  Tenn.;  concussion 

brain  caused  by  fall;  6-25-79;  6-26. 
Lang.ston.  Mrs.  A.  J.,  42;  6-27-79;  6-29. 
Britt,  Mrs.  F.  R.;  48;  res.  DeSoto;  6- 

28-79;  6-30. 
Lee,  James,   73;   bn.   Ireland;    7-11-79; 

7-12. 
Gersley,  Mrs.  M.  E.,  65;  bn.  Germany. 

Ivd  Ohio;  7-13-79;  7-14. 
Lansdell.  Mrs.  A.  M.,  70;  7-26-79;  7-28. 
Towns,  J.  R..  DeSoto;  8-3-79;  8-4. 
Mapp    Frank.  16;  concussion  brain,  ac- 
cident; 8-17-79;  8-18. 
Lee.  Mrs.  Marv,  65;  8-22-79;  8-23. 
Buford,  Mrs.   Mary  A.;  bn.   S.  C;  res. 

DeSoto;  9-8-79;  9. 
Tramniell,  V.  B.;  35;  res.  DeSoto;  dd. 

9-15-79,  of  gunshot  wds.;  16. 
Gibbons,    Mrs.    C;    77;    bn.    Va.;    dd. 

9-16-79;   17. 
Freeman,   Mrs.   Sarah   G.;   9-26-79;   28. 
Berry,  James  E.;  59;  bn.  Tenn.;   10-2- 

79'   3 
Omberg.Nick;  24;  10-3-79;   4. 
McDonald.   Alexander;    82;    10-6-79;    7. 
Wimpee,  John;    29;    10-7-79;    8. 
Trainor.    Mrs.    Kate;    29;    bn.    Penna.; 

res.  S.  Rome;  dd.  11-4-79,  by  drown- 
ing in  well ;  5. 
Bowie,  Mrs.  Clara  Mills;  26;  bn.  Ills.; 

11-7-79;  9. 
Buckley,  Dan'l  C;  bn.  Irol'd;  12-1-79;  3. 
Morris.  Mrs.  Mary;   32;   E.   Rome;   12- 

2-79;  4. 

1880. 

Rurke,   Mrs.    Sarah    E.;    39;    bn.    .-Ma.: 

2-17-80;   18. 
Ilinton.  Mrs.  Sarah;   71;  bn.  N.  C;  2- 

20-80;  21. 
Omberg.    Mrs.    M.    A.;    43;    bn.    S.    (  .; 

2-22-80;  23. 
Marion.   Mrs.   Mary   B.;   36;   3-1-80;   2. 
Lansdell.  A.  M.;  73;  bn.  N.  C;  3-25-80; 

28. 
McDonald,  Mrs.  Marth.i;    11:    l-l-M':  3. 
Johnson,    Geo.;    36;    bn.    S.    I'ome:    dd. 

4-17-80,   from   knife  wounds;    19. 
McDonald.  Mat  tie;  19:  4-29-SO;  May  1. 
Clino.  Mrs.  Jane:  41:  bn.  S.  C;  res.  E. 

Rome;  5-24-80:  26. 
Richardson.  Mrs.  Lizzie;  18;  dd.  6-4-SO. 

of  burns  at  homo;  6. 
Hargrove,  Malinda;   78;   res.  S.   Rome: 

6-7-80;    8. 
.Johnson,  Janie;   20;    S.   Rome;   6-23-80; 

24.  ,      J 

McCullough,    Thos.:    69:    bn.    Scotland; 
E.  Rome;   6-28-80;  23. 


590 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


THROUGH  THE  COUNTRY  WITH  A  KODAK. 

Top,  left  to  right,  the  Tarvin  place,  Carlier  Springs,  deathplace  of  Dr.  Robt.  Battey; 
a  view  from  Tubbs'  Mountain;  old  school  house  at  Carlier;  the  Mt.  Alto  school;  A.  C.  Fincher, 
mayor  of  Cave  Spring;  the  Rush  place,  near  which  Major  Ridge  used  to  live;  Dr.  John  F. 
Lawrence  at  his  Radio  Spring;  a  rural  cottage;  the  Gailliard  place;  Dykes'  Creek  spring; 
Primitive    (Hardshell)    Baptist    church.    East    Rome;    the   Wyatt    place,   near   Mt.    Alto. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


591 


Bryant,  Mrs.  Julia  H.;  80;  bn.  N.  C; 

7-24-80;  26. 
A.xe,  David;  45;  bn.  Pa.;   8-2-80;   3. 
McNulty,   Gertrude;   20;  bn.   S.   C;   8- 

18-80;    19. 
Perkins,   Henry;   22;   bn.   Tenn.;  killed 

8-20-80,  under  falling  bank  of  dirt; 

21. 
Thomas,  J.  A.;  44;  bn.  N.  C;  res.  Ohio; 

9-16-80;  18. 
Williams,  E.  A.;  37;  bn.  Va.;  10-10-80; 

12. 
Gunn,    Donald    M.;    42;    bn.    Scotland; 

10-18-80;  19. 
Cornelius.  W.  T. ;  38;  bn.  Cobb  Co.;  11- 

3-80;  5. 
Pearson,   Mrs.    M.   A.;    63;    bn.    S.    C. 

11-10-80;   11. 
Keith,  E.  M. ;  60;  bn.  Tenn.,  lived  Ala. 

11-25-80;  27. 
Berry,   M.  J.;    35;   bn.   Ala.;    11-28-80 

30. 
Ross,  Eugene  M.;  34;  11-29-80;  Dec.  1. 
Norton,    Isaac;    53;    bn.    Conn.;    12-7- 

80;  8. 
Berry,  Emma;  16;   12-7-80;  9. 
Ross,  Mrs.  Nancy;    70;    12-8-80;    9. 

1881. 

Moore,  Mrs.  M.  L.;  42;  bn.  Va.;  1-26- 
81;  27. 

Mitchell,  Effie;  19;  bn.  Ala.;  dd.  from 
burns;  2-8-81;  9. 

Gregory,  Jackson;  81;  bn.  Va. ;  res. 
Polk   Co.;   2-9-81;    11. 

Carwile,  Mrs.  Martha;  42;  bn.  Ala.; 
2-14-81;  15. 

Mills,  Mrs.  C.  W.;  68;  res.  S.  Rome; 
bn.  Va.;  2-19-81;  21. 

Moore,  Mrs.  Matilda;  90;  bn.  S.  C;  3- 
28-81;   29. 

Ramey,  Lula;  18;  dd.  4-15-81,  from 
gangrene  in  lung  caused  by  swal- 
lowing piece  of  cedar;  16. 

Rumph,  Wm.  M.;  72;  bn.  S.  C;  4-16-81; 
18. 

Battey.  Robt. ;  15;  dd.  at  Bishop  Hay- 
good's  home,  Emory  College,  Oxford, 
Ga.;   4-18-81;  19. 

Wingfield,  M.  P.;  62;  4-18-81;  19. 

Underwood,  Dr.  Jno.  Banks;  71;  res. 
Floyd   Co.;    5-6-81;    8. 

Mitchell,  Mrs.  Amanda  C;  47;  bn.  S. 
C;  res.   DeSoto;   5-10-81;   11. 

DeJournett,  Jno.  C;  71;  bn.  N.  C;  5- 
17-81;    18. 

Thomnson,  W.  A.;  60;  bn.  N.  C;  res. 
DeSoto;    6-3-81;    4. 

Harris,  Mrs.  Emma  D.;  39;  bn.  Ala.; 
6-6-81;   7. 

Williamson,  Jeff  C;  9;  drowned  by  ac- 
cident;  6-6-81;    9. 

Harris,  Elizabeth;  82;  bn.  Va.;  res.  De- 
Soto;   6-15-81;    16. 

Callahan,  M.  H.;  64;  bn.  Ireland;  6- 
20-81;  21. 


Trainer,    C.    A.;    51;    bn.    Md.;    res.    S. 

Rome;   8-18-81;    19. 
Reece,    Mrs.   Agnes     Silvers;     24;     bn. 

Eng.;  res.  DeSoto;  9-6-81;  7. 
Robinson,   Mrs.   Frances   A.;    48;    9-11- 

81;  12. 
Axson,    Mrs.    Margaret    E.;    43;    11-4- 

81;    5. 
Graves,  Fannie;  18;  11-23-81;  25. 
Alexander,   Thos.;    22;    res.    S.   Rome; 

12-10-81;    11. 

1882. 
Richardson,     Geo.;     28;     dd.     Catoosa, 

Ga.  1-7-82;  9. 
Hamilton,  Mrs.   Malinda;   res.  DeSoto; 

dd.  Atlanta;   1-27-82;  28. 
Cooley,  Milton  A.;  54;  res.  Gordon  Co.; 

dd.  of  accidental  gunshot  wound  in 

Gordon;   1-31-82;  2-1. 
Harris,  Bud;  25;  res.  Polk  Co.;  drown- 
ed; 2-21-82;  Mar.  16. 
Wardlaw,  Mrs.  E.  L.;  59;  4-24-82;  25. 
Govan,  Moore   Fontenoy,  Jr.;   16;   4-28- 

82      30 
Holbrook,  Mrs.  S.  C;  54;  bn.  Tenn.;  5- 

19-82;  20. 
Craig,   Mrs.    Anna;    36;   bn.   X.   Y.;    5- 

20-82;  22. 
Maguffee,    Mrs.    Elizabeth;   83;    bn.    X. 

C;  res.  DeSoto;   5-21-82;  22. 
West.  Mattie,  15;  5-30-82;  31. 
Connor,  Ty  C;  65;  6-30-82;   1. 
Dick,    Sm'l.,    Sr.;    75;    bn.    Tenn.;    dd. 

Tenn.;    1-25-1867;    7-18-82. 
Shorter,  Alfred,   79;   bn.   Ga.;   7-18-82; 

20. 
Stokes,   Andrew  J.;    46;   bn.   Tenn.;    7- 

20-82;   21. 
Rawlins,  J.  C. ;  66;  bn.  Va.;  dd.  Atlan- 
ta;   7-28-82;   30. 
Moon,  A.  F.;  60;  bn.  Mass.;  8-2-82;  2. 
Barron,  Mrs.  H.  A.;  62;  S-8-82;  9. 
Hardin,  Mrs.   Rebecca;   (\G;   8-9-S2;    10. 
Moore,  Gardner;  21;  9-4-82;  5. 
Woodward,  Mrs.  Maggie;  36;  bn.  .Ma.; 

9-10-82;  11. 
Bones,  Mrs.  J.  W.;   49;  bn.  Eng.;   res. 

E.    Rome;   9-24-82;    26. 
Reynolds,   W.    B.;    62;   bn.    Ind.:    10-7- 

*82;  9. 
Parks.   H.   H.;   42;   res.   DeSoto;    10-2.1- 

82:  26. 
Sill,   O.    W.;    65;    l)n.    X.    C;    dil.    fn>ni 

concussion  of  lirain;  11-5-82;  <•. 
Bayard.  Xiiholas  J..  Jr.;   34;  bn.  Ga.; 

"dd.  Fla.;  11-20-82;  23. 
Cheney,  Dr.  F.  W.;  74;.  res.  Chattooga 

Co.";  12-5-82;  7. 
Moore,  Mrs.  Frances;  82;  12-29-82;  30. 

1883. 

Webb.  Mrs.  L.  M.;  68;  bn.  S.  C;  2-14- 

83;  16.  „  ,, 

Tolbey,   Wm.;    bn.    Ala.;    2-28-S3:  Mar. 

Mapp.    Wm.   T.;    44;   .3-21-83;   23. 


592 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Sproull,    Chas.   Wm.;    35;    res.    Bartow 

Co.;  dd.  Bartow  Co.;  3-24-83;  26. 
Colclough,  Walter;  22;   3-24-83;  26. 
Echols,  Lon  A.;  22;  bn.  Ala.;  4-1-83;  3. 
Hutchings,   Mrs.    A.    R.;    72;    bn.    Va.; 

4-7-83;   8. 
Mavo,  Jno.    Willis;   72;    dd.   concussion 

of  brain;  4-12-83;  13. 
Glanton,  Mrs.  Polk;  48;  bn.  S.  C;  4-21- 

83;  23. 
Elam,  Mrs.  M.  N.;  56;  5-5-83;  6. 
Omberg,  Mrs.  Emma  M.;   79;  bn.  Nor- 
way;   5-23-83;    25. 
Berry,  John  M.;  48;  bn.  Tenn.;  6-20-83; 

21. 
White,   Mrs.  Jane;   81;   bn.   S.   C;   res. 

Macon;  7-14-83;  15. 
Noble,    Rosa;    19;    res.    S.    Rome;    8-3- 

83;   4. 
Hovt.  Ida  Belle;   16;  8-14-83;   15. 
Smalley,    Geo.    G.;    bn.    Whitfield    Co.; 

res.   Chattooga   Co.;   9-19-83;   20. 
Jenkins,  Mrs.  Matilda  C;  44;  bn.  Va.; 

9-26-83;   27. 
Messenger.  L.  E.;  59;  bn.  Sweden;  res. 

S.  Rome;    10-13-83;    14. 
Gentry,   Mrs.    Flora    S.;    35;    10-20-83; 

21. 
Sheras,  Thos.  S.;  50;  bn.  N.  Y.;  11-3- 

83;  4. 
Jenkins,    Jos.;    25;    res.    DeSoto;    11-4- 

83;  5. 
Smith,  Geo.;    67;   bn.  England;   res.    S. 

Rome;    11-6-83;    7. 
Watkins,  Mrs.  Lizzie;  35;  bn.  Ga.;  res. 

Tenn.;   11-11-83;  13. 
Wilson,  Rev.  G.  W.;  50;  bn.  Ohio;   11- 

16-83;   17. 
Bailey,  Mrs.  Martha;  60;  res.  DeSoto; 

11-17-83;    18. 
Spullock,  Jas.   M.;  67;  12-5-83;  6. 
Cashman.  Wesley;  39:  bn.  Ohio;  killed 

on  railroad;  12-12-83;  14. 
Jones,    Wm.;    45;    res.    Flovd    Co.;    12- 

31-83;    1-1-84. 

1884, 
Clyne,  P.   H.;  53;  bn.  Ireland;   res.   S. 

Rome;  1-6-84;  7. 
Towers,  Mrs.  Mary;  23;  res.  S.  Rome; 

1-23-84;   25. 
Bale,   Mrs.    P.  G.;    79;  bn.   S.   C;   res. 

DeSoto;  2-13-84;  14. 
Hughes,  Wm.;  25;  2-29-84;  Mar.  1. 
McEntee,  James;  91;  bn.  Ireland;  3-8- 

84;  8. 
West,  Mrs.   Martha;   55;   bn.  Tenn.;  3- 

11-84;   12. 
Taylor,   Mrs.    Malinda;    73;   bn.   N.   C; 

3-21-84;  23. 
Camp,   Elizabeth;    35;    res.    DeSoto;    3- 

27-84;   28. 
Bernhard,  Augustus;  35;  bn.  Germany; 

4-4-84;  5. 
West,  Wm.;  67;  bn.  Tenn.;  4-19-84;  21. 
Trammell,  Mrs.  Elizabeth;   80;  res.  N. 

Rome;  5-21-84;  22. 


Axson,  Rev.  Sm'l.  E.;   48;  4-28-84;  30. 
Todd,  Mrs.  Augusta;   58;   6-10-84;    11. 
Smith,  Tom  M.;   36;   6-23-84;   24. 
Webb,  Mrs.  Blanche;  26;  bn.  N.  Y.;  7- 

5-84;  6. 
Peter,  Mrs.  H.  G.;  39;  bn.  Holland;  7- 

18-84;  19. 
Stokes,  Mrs.  Sallie;  42;  7-20-84;  21. 
Harris,    John;    35;    dd.    concussion    of 

brain;  res.   DeSoto;    7-24-84;   25. 
Sproull,  Mrs.  Fannie;  27;  bn.  and  res. 

Bartow   Co.;    8-14-84;    15. 
Crozier,  G.  W.;  36;  bn.  and  res.  W.  Va.; 

8-23-84;  24. 
Knight,  Job;  68;  bn.  England;  9-12-84; 

13. 
Griffin,  Jerry;  25;  bn.  Pa.;  res.  Miss-.; 

killed  on  railroad  train,  York,  Miss.; 

9-13-84;    15. 
Franks,  John;   58;  bn.   S.  C;  res.  De- 
Soto;   9-21-84;    22. 
Denny,  Mrs.  R.  B.;  56;  bn.  Pa.;   10-9- 

84;   11. 
Horn,  Q.   N.  or  I.   N. ;   46;  bn.   Tenn.; 

res.  Atlanta;  11-5-84;  7. 
Pentecost,  Mrs.  E.  A.;  40;  11-11-84;  13. 
Hardwick,  Mrs.  M.  A.;  37;  res.  Selma, 

Ala.;    11-26-84;   28. 
Wheeler.  H.  A.;  65;  bn.  Mo.;  lived  N. 

Y.;   12-20-84;   22. 
May,  Mrs.  Catherine;   12-26-84;   27. 

1885. 

Omberg,  A.  A.;   65;  bn.   Norway;   1-9- 

85;    10. 
Smith,  Jacob   H.;   75;  bn.  Vermont;   1- 

12-85;  13. 
Cheney,  Mrs.  M.  L.;  58;  1-24-85;  26. 
Moffett,    Wm.;    70;    bn.    Mexico;    1-28- 
85;  30. 
Panchen,  Mrs.  Gertie  B.;  41;  bn.  Deca- 
tur, Ga.;  dd.  Atlanta;  2-7-85;  9. 
George,  Mrs.  Hannah;  34;  bn.  Ind. ;  3-5- 

85;  7. 
Allen,  Tim;  28;  bn.  Ala.;  res.  E,  Rome; 

3-11-85 •   12 
Whitely,  W.  L. ;   66;  bn.  Va.;  3-11-85; 

14. 
Glover,    Cain;    57;    bn.   S.    C;    3-17-85; 

20. 
Fouche,  Simpson;   59;  4-1-85;  3. 
Young,   J.    S.;    58;    bn.   Ohio;    res.    E. 

Rome;  4-3-85;  4. 
Stoffregen.    H.    A.;    65;   bn.    Germany; 

res.   Cedartown;    4-7-85;   9. 
Stewart,  Mrs.  Bettie;  37;  bn,  Va.;  4-15- 

85;   17. 
Hine,  J.   B.;   44;   4-20-85;   21. 
Ralston,  James  Emmett;   37;  bn.  Ills.; 

res.    Chattanooga;    4-23-85;    24. 
Hardy,  Mrs.  Kate  M.;  35;  bn.  Mo.;  4- 

28-85;  29. 
Stanbury,  L.;   85;   bn.   N.   C;   5-22-85; 

24. 
Smith,   Dr.   S.   P.;    72;    bn.   Tenn.;    dd. 

Floyd  Co.;  5-23-85;  24. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


593 


FOUR  BROTHERS  OF  THE  "OLD  SCHOOL.  " 

Left  to  right,  Anderson  Redding    ("Red"),  George  Magruder,   William   Cephas  and   Dr.   Henry 
Halsey    Battey,    well    known    to    the    hunting,    business    and    professional    world. 


Tracy,  James;    44;    6-15-85;    16. 
Williams,   Lillie   P.;    30;    res.  Atlanta; 

7-13-85;   14. 
Rhodes,  Mrs.  Mary;  42;  8-9-85;  10. 
Proctor,  Alice;  26;  bn.  Bartow  Co.;  res. 

S.   Rome;    8-15-85;    17. 
Black,    Belle    M.;    38;    bn.    Ala.;    res. 

Floyd   Co.;   8-20-85;   21. 
Pennington.    Cunninprham    M.;    72;    bn. 

S.  C;  res.  S.  Rome;  8-23-85;  24. 
Battey,    Henry    VanDyke;    3;    8-28-85; 

29.     Later  to  Battey  vault. 
Coulter,     Mary,     15,     and     Vivian,  3; 
drowned     in     Coosa     River;     9-6- 
85;    8. 
Lambert,  Robt.;   75;  bn.   Ireland;   9-29- 

85;    Oct.  1. 
Maxwell,  Madison;  26;  bn.  Bartow  Co.; 


lived  Atlanta;  dd.  fractured  skull;  9- 

25-85;  27. 
Westuntcr,  Thos.;  58;  bn.   Ireland;  res. 

S.  Rome;  10-8-85;  9. 
Powers,    Mrs.   Julia    A.;   45;   bn.    Ala.; 

11-17-85;   18. 
Ford.  Oscar  R.;  30;  bn.  Floyd  Co.;  res. 

Kans.;  11-16-85;  21. 
Hardy.    S.    G.;    38;    bn.    Va.;    n-24-85; 
27. 

1886. 

Hovt.    Robt.    T.;    50;    bn.    Athens;    1-3- 

86;   5. 
Wimberly,  W.  W.;  29;  1-5-86;  7. 
Almand.    B.   H.;    28;    res.    S.   Rome;    1- 

11-S6;    12. 
Morrison.  John;  35;   1-15-86;  16. 


594 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Rice,  Mrs.  F.  D.;  63;  bn.  McMinn  Co., 

Tenn;   1-29-86;  30. 
Fouche,  Miss  Sally  B.;  30;  2-16-86;  18. 
Omberg,   Wm.   L.;    30;   2-24-86;    26. 
King,  Dr.  Joshua;  62;  bn.  N.  C;  3-1- 

86;   4. 
Smith,  Caroline  A.;  77;  bn.  S.  C;  3-9- 

86;  10. 
Wimpee,   Mary  L.;   30;  bn.  Ala.;   3-17- 

86;  19. 
Powell,  Mrs.  E.  A.  E.;  46;  res.  S.  Rome; 

burned   to   death;    3-26-86;    27. 
Nowlin,    Dr.   James    H. ;    73;    bn.   Va.; 

4-12-86;   13. 
Jones,  Walton  H.;  71;  bn.  Ga.;  dd.  in- 
juries   in    railroad     accident;     5-2- 
86;   4. 
Andrews,   Mrs.    L.    E.;    50;    bn.    Ohio; 

res.   Tenn;   5-13-86;    14. 
Caldwell,  Mrs.  J.  M.  M.;  63;  bn.  N.  H.; 

6-9-86;   10. 
Beavers,    T.   R.;    28;    bn.    Texas;    lived 

Chattanooga;    6-10-86;    11. 
Smith,  Cicero  A.;  51;  bn.  Morgan  Co.; 

7-14-86;  15. 
Trammell,  Wm.;   82;   bn.   Lincoln   Co.; 

res.  Forrestville;  6-25-86;  26. 
MacKenzie,  Mrs.  Catherine;  83;  bn.  S. 

C;  7-8-86;  9. 
Fouche,    Stella    M.;    19;    bn.    and    res. 

Floyd   Co.;   7-12-86;   13. 
Cheney,  Paul;   21;   7-14-86;    16. 
Wimpee,  Mrs.  Mary  C;  35;  4  wd.;   7- 

27-86;  28. 
Harbour,  James   M.;    24;    4   wd. ;   7-30- 

86;  31. 
Hardy,  Dabney  T.;   26;  bn.  Va.;   9-26- 

86;  28. 
McGlashan,  Andrew;  64;  bn.  Scotland; 

10-6-86;  7. 
Savage,  Florence  A.;  38;  bn.  Rome:  dd. 

Chicago;    11-6-86;   10. 
Buttel,  August;  51;  bn.  Prussia;  11-16- 

86;  18. 
Wolff,    Mrs.    G.   0.;    40;   bn.    Ala.;    11- 

21-86;   22. 
Sanders,  Miss  Nina;  26;  bn.  S.  C;  res. 
Charleston;    12-22-86;    24. 

1887. 

Printup,  Col.  Danl.  S. ;  64;  bn.  N.  Y.; 

1-18-87;  ID. 
Berry,    Capt.    Thos. ;    65;    bn.    Tenn.; 

1-18-87;    20. 
Mclntyre,    James;     50;    bn.    Scotland; 

res.  S.  Rome;  2-4-87;  5. 
Wharton,    Ann    F.;    76;    bn.   Va.;    3-5- 
Stansburv,    Mrs.    D. ;    84;    bn.    Tenn.; 

3-8-87;    9. 
Harvey,  Judge  R.  D.;  60;   dd.  injuries 

runaway   horse;    3-12-87;    13. 
Meakin,  Mrs.  Sophia;  50;  res.  Atlanta; 

4-23-87;   25. 
Wood,  Mrs.  Mary  E.;  59;  5-15-87;   16. 


Clinard,  A.  D.;  57;  bn.  N,  C;  drown- 
ed;   4-27-87;    May   1. 
Watters,  Mrs.  E.  C;  58;  6-3-87;  4. 
Stansbury,  Jas.  L.;  26;  bn.  Rome;  dd, 

B'ham;  6-6-87;  7. 
Harris,  Miss  Callie  V.;  18;  bn.  Tenn.; 

7-4-87;    5. 
Lamkin,  Obedience  C;   83;  bn.   N.   C; 

res.  E.  Rome;  7-6-87;  7. 
Bailey,    W.    M.;    65;    bn.    N.   C;    7-27- 

87;  28. 
Mapp,  Mrs.  S.  A.:  71;  8-4-87;  5. 
Penny,    Mrs.    Jennie;    28;    bn.    Tenn.; 

res.  Gadsden,  Ala.;   8-20-87;      21. 
Printup,  Col.  Dan'l.  S.;  64;  bn.  N.  Y.; 

1-18-87;  19. 
Berry,  Capt.  Thos.;  65;  bn.  Tenn.;  1-18- 

87;  20. 
Pritchett,  Mrs.   S.  J.;  43;  bn.  Ala.;   8- 

21-87;   22. 
Barker,  Dr.  Rufus;  75;  res.  Floyd  Co.; 

8-30-87;   31. 
Williams.   Mrs.  Maria;   80;  bn.  N.  C; 

9-6-87;   7. 
Conner,    Eugene    C;    22:    bn.    Rome; 

res.   Chicago;   9-6-87;   9. 
Stillwell,    Rev.    Chas.    H.;    82;    bn.    Sa- 
vannah; 9-10-87;   11. 
Sargent,   J.    H.;    56;    bn.   Vermont;    9- 

13-87;  14. 
Steele,    Miss    Sadie;    bn.    S.    C;    lived 

Chattooga   Co.;   9-30-87;   Oct.  1. 
Dempsey,  Mrs.  Edna;  53;  bn.  S.  C;  11- 

23-87;   24. 
Hidle,    Mrs.    Anna    M.;    69;    11-30-87; 

Dec.  1. 
Neeld,   Mrs.   H.   W.;    65;   bn.   Ills.;    12- 

4-87;   5. 
Warren,  Sarah  C;  49;  bn.  N.  C;  12-19- 
87;  20. 

1888. 

Pressly,  J.  H. ;  58;  bn.  S.  C;  1-9-88;  10. 
Lamberth,  Jesse;    77;   bn.   Walton   Co.; 

1-17-88;   18. 
Bones,  Miss  Marion  M.;  bn.  Augusta; 

res.  Rome;  3-6-88;  9. 
Benjamin,   Forrest;    29;   4-4-88;   5. 
Hood.    Donald    Mack;    63;    bn.    Tenn.; 

4-7-88 •    8 

Harrison,' John;    48;   bn.   N.   Y.;   4-12- 

87;  13. 
Gough,  Rosanna;  47;  res.   S.  Rome;  5- 

14-88;    14. 
Dodson.  Mrs.;  65;  bn.  S.  C;  5-20-88;  21 
Mitchell,   Alden;    20;   bn.   La.;   res.   N. 

O.;  accidentally  killed  on  bridge;  6- 

16-88;   17. 
Stillwell,  Mrs.  Mary;   70;  7-3-88;  4. 
Hartman,  L.  R.;  61;  bn.  Md.;  res.  Ills. 

7-10-88;   11. 
Buffington,  Jno.  W.;  16;  res.  N.  Rome 

7-15-88;    16. 
Underwood,   Jno.  W.   H.;    71;    7-18-88 

30. 


"-W^dJii^^U^AM^ 


596 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Burch,    Mary   J.;    70;    bn.    N.    C;    res. 

Gordon  Co.;  7-22-88;  23. 
Omberg,  Albin;  40;  bn.  Norway;  7-31- 

88;  Aug.  1. 
Gwaltney,  Lizzie  S.;  20;  bn.  S.  C;  8-3- 

88  •   5 
Wimpee,'  Sarah;    76;    bn.    S.    C;    8-5- 

88  •  7 
Walker,  "l.    V.    A.,   Jr.;    26;    killed   by 

lightning;   8-9-88;    10. 
Wardlaw,  Wm.  H. ;  36;  8-29-88;  30. 
Ayer.  Nellie;  26;  bn.  S.  C;  9-4-88;  5. 
Hall,  A.  J.;  27;  res.  Ala.;  9-5-88;  8. 
Peter,   H.    G.;    66;   bn.   Germany;   9-16- 

88;  18. 
Burnett,    Elizabeth    A.;    51;    bn.    Ala.; 

9-26-88;  28. 
Fort,    Eudocia;    65;    res.    S.   Rome;    9- 

28-88;  30. 
Robison,    Mrs.    W.    F.;    45;    Floyd   Co.; 

10-3-88;  4. 
Clement,  Mrs.  W.  A.;  73;  bn.  Va.;  10- 

21-88;   22. 
Jones,  Wm.  Hemphill;   11-88. 
Dailey,  J.   G.;   64;   bn.   Ireland;   11-26- 

88  ■  28 
Wood,'  I.  J.;  73;  bn.  S.  C;  12-3-88;  4. 
Vandiver,    J.    T.;    39;    bn.    Ala.;    12-3- 

88;  5. 
Battey,    Lucie     Stollenwerck ;    30;    bn. 
Ala.;  12-30-88;  Jan.  1. 

1889. 

Eastman,    E.    M.;    55;    bn.    Ohio;    1-2- 

89;  3. 
Lampkin,    Frances    R. ;    44;    bn.    Ala.; 

1-7-89;  9. 
Lancaster,  Lula;   22;  res.  Augusta;   1- 

9-89;   11. 
Branham,    Mrs.   Joel;    45;    1-13-89;    14. 
Neal.    Mrs.    Mary    Octavia;    53;    1-15- 

89;  17. 
Smith,  Mrs.  Emily  W.;  77;  1-16-89;  17. 
Cuyler,    Thos.;    41;    1-17-89;    18. 
Johnson,    Mrs.    Willie;    33;    bn.    S.    C; 

1-17-89;    18. 
Gregory,  Dr.   Jas.  M.;   65;   bn.  Va.;   1- 

31-89;   Feb.  2. 
Stillwell,  Clarence;  18;  res.  Cave  Spg.; 

bn.  Rome;  2-8-89;  9. 
Lee,  Joe;  62;  bn.  China;  murdered;  2- 

9-89;  11. 
Hardin,  A.  T.;  78;  2-20-89;  21. 
Logan,  E.  G. ;  71;  bn.  N.  C;  res.  Gads- 
den, Ala.;  2-24-89;  25. 
Robinson,    F.    P.;    33;     res.    Anniston, 

Ala.;  3-4-89;  4. 
Graham,    John;    bn.    S.    C;    res.   Floyd 

Co.;  3-8-89;  10. 
Watters.   Thos.   G.;   71;   bn.   Ala.;   3-7- 

89;  9. 
Johnson,    Euclid;    53;    bn.    Ala.;    3-10- 

89;  11. 
Martin.  J.  N.;  54;  bn.  Va.;  res.  Chat- 
tooga Co.;   3-23-89;  26. 
Smith,  H.   M.,  Jr.;   4-22-89;  23. 


Harrison,    Martha    A.;    56;    res.    Floyd 

Co.;  3-29-89;  31. 
Dozier,    Thos.    H.;    81;    res.    S.    Rome; 
4-5-89;   6. 

Carlin,  A.  J.;  59;  bn.  Ills.;  4-28-89;  29. 

Sprayberry,    Mary;    17;    bn.   Ala.;    res. 
Floyd   Co.;   5-17-89;  18. 

Mills,   Julia   Q.;    41;   bn.    La.;    res.   At- 
lanta;  5-20-89;  21. 

Lyon,    Henry;    19;    bn.    Ala.;    crushed 
on  railroad;   5-29-89;   1. 

Autrev,  Mary  L.;  76;  6-2-89;  4  P. 

Moore,   Fannie   S.;    40;  bn.   Fla.;    6-15- 
89;   16. 

Howel,  Hudon;  8;  accidental  drown- 
ing;  6-17-89;  18. 

Ivey.  Jno.  T.;  60;  res.  E.  Rome;  6-24- 
89;  25. 

Wortham,  J.  T.;   31;   7-2-89;  3. 

Rhudy,  S.  G.;  64;  bn.  Va.;  7-23-89;  24. 

Coats,  W.  J.;  53;  bn.  S.  C;  res.  E. 
Rome;  7-27-89;  28  P. 

Graves,  Mattie  S.;  33;  8-12-89;   13. 

Enslev,  Matilda;  75;  bn.  Pa.;  res. 
Floyd  Co.;  8-18-89;  19. 

Rhudy,  Rachel  A.;   56;  8-28-89;  29. 

Townsley,  Fannie;  21;  bn.  Tenn.;  9-2- 
89;  3. 

Lamkin,  G.  W.  F.;  89;  bn.  N.  C;  res. 
E.   Rome;   9-4-89;   6. 

Elliott,  Lillie;  31;  bn.  Miss.;  res.  Rnd. 
Mt.,  Ala.;   9-30-89;   1. 

Roebuck,  Willis;  86;  bn.  S.  C;  10-16- 
89;  17. 

Sproull,  C.  M.;  31;  bn.  S.  C;  killed  on 
railroad;  10-5-89;  6. 

DeGraffenried,  Mrs.  L.  T.;  77;  bn.  S. 
C;  res.  Decatur,  Ga.;  dd.  Decatur, 
6-30-80;    removed   to    Rome    11-6-89. 

Dailey,  S.  A.;  62;  11-13-89;  14. 

Lansdell,  Edward;  16;  accidental  shoot- 
ing;   11-27-89;  29. 

Pritchett,   Wm.;   31;    12-25-89;   27. 

1890. 

McCaffrey,   Mrs.    C.   A.    (M.    E.)  ;   27; 

bn.   Ala.;    1-14-90;    15. 
Billbro,  Harriet  A.;  66;  bn.  N.  C;  res. 

Forrestville;  2-7-90;  9. 
Marion,    Mrs.    Lena;     77;    res.    Floyd 

Co.;  2-17-90;  19. 
Willingham,    Harriet    R. ;    65;    res.    W. 

Rome;  3-6-90;  8. 
Reynolds,  Mrs.  C.  J.;  63;  res.  E.  Rome; 

4-2-90;    3. 
Mitchell,    W.   H.;    70;    res.    Floyd    Co.; 

4-9-90;   11. 
Bowen,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  A.;  85;  bn.  Va. 
Coleman,  Jno.   H. ;   49;   bn.  Tenn.;   5-6- 

90;    7. 
McDonald,   Mrs.  Theresa;    64;   res.  At- 
lanta;  5-11-90;  13. 
Word,    Thos.   Jefferson,   M.    D.;    64;    5- 

31-90"    31. 
Brown,    Sallie;    36;    bn.    Tenn.;    6-10- 

90;  11. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


597 


Cantrell.   Julia    E.;    28;    6-30-90;    1. 

Bass,  Julia  F. ;   29;   7-5-90;   6. 

Bass,  Jno.  Hix;  48;  res.  Floyd  Co.;  7- 

11-90;  13. 
Shanklin,   Rachel   I.;   44;   bn.   Miss.;    7- 

13-90;   14. 
Ross,  Adolphus  E.;  58;  7-25-90;  27. 
Taylor,   Geo.  J.;   48;   bn.    Ala.;  res.   E. 

Rome;    killed  on   railroad;    8-13-90; 

15. 
Donkle,  Isaac;  59;  bn.  Pa.;  res.  Atlan- 
ta; 8-22-90;  23. 
Webber,  Jos.;  44;  bn.  Germany;  killed; 

9-4-90;   6. 
Bass,   N.   H.,   Sr.;   82;   res.   Floyd   Co.; 

9-22-90;  24. 
Wimpee,    Mrs.    M.    A.;    55;    poisoned; 

10-5-90;  6. 
Gwaltney,  L.  R.,  Jr.;   18;   10-14-90;   18. 
Holmes,   Dr.  G.  W. ;   66;    11-3-90;  5. 
Lamkin,  G.  W.  F.,  Jr.;  62;  bn.  N.  C; 

11-10-90;  12. 
Ayer.  Mrs.  Lavinia;  55;  bn.  S.  C;  res. 

Floyd  Co.;   12-18-90;  20. 
Meredith,    Hugh;    78;    res.    Floyd    Co.; 

12-25-90;  26. 

1891. 

Anderson,  Lars;   65;   bn.   Denmark;   1- 

5-91;  6. 
Schirmer,  Mrs.  F.  M.;  44;  res.  Kansas 

City,  Mo.;  1-6-91;   8. 
Pepper,  E.  G.;   64;   1-17-91;   18. 
Snyder,   Mrs.  Ida   U.;    39;   res.   Texas; 

murdered;    1-25-91;    30. 
Hull,  Frank;  19;  bn.  Ala.;  res.  B'ham; 

accidental  death;  2-24-91;  25. 
Jenkins,  J.  M.;  51;  2-25-91;  27. 
Wright,   Augustus    R.;    78;    res.   Floyd 

Co.;  3-31-91;  Apr.  2. 
Willingham,  Eugenia;  45;  bn.  Ala.;  res. 

W.  Rome;  4-8-91;  9. 
Williams,    W.    T.;    65;    bn.    Ind.;    res. 

Floyd   Co.;   4-15-91;    16. 
Cothran,  H.  D.;  51;  bn.  S.  C;  res.  E. 

Rome;    6-2-91;    3. 
Holmes,   Dr.   T.   M.;    res.    E.    Rome;    6- 

18-91;   19. 
Freeman,   Mrs.    M.    A.;    58;    res.   Floyd 

Co.;  6-19-91;  20. 
Clark.    Mrs.    S.  A.;    48;  res.   E.    Rome; 

6-24-91;    26. 
McKenzie,    Mrs.    Parmelia;    81;    bn.    N. 

C;   res.   E.   Rome;   6-25-91;    27. 
Ayer,  H.   C;  38;  res.  Floyd  Co.;   7-17- 

91;  18. 
Nixon,  R.  P.;  49;  bn.  Va.;  6-25-91;   5. 
Harvey,    Henry;     21;     res.     E.     Rome; 

drowned;    7-25-91;    26. 
Kane,  Mrs.  Mary   S.;   55;  bn.  Ireland; 

8-8-91;  9. 
Morton,    Mrs.    Delia   J.;    52;    9-7-91;    9. 
Wingfield.  J.    S.;    39;    res.   Floyd   Co.; 

9-16-91;  18. 
Carey,    Mrs.    Alice;    38;    bn.    Conn.;    9- 

22-91;  23. 


Hawkins,  Mrs.  A.  P.;   55;  9-25-91;  26. 
Sheppard,  H.  K.;  45;  bn.  Ireland;  res. 

Ohio;   9-27-91;   28. 
Lindsey,    John;    20;    bn.    Ala.;    res.    E. 

Rome;    10-5-91;  6. 
Hoyt,  Annie;  18;  10-14-91;  15. 
Allee,  A.  J.;  43;  bn.  Pa.;  10-21-91;  22. 
Yancey,  B.  C;   74;   bn.   S.   C;   res.   E. 

Rome;   10-24-91;   25. 
Rowell,  Annio  Lou;  16;   11-4-91;  6. 
Mills,    Frank    A.;    50;    bn.    La.;    12-3- 

91;   4. 
George,    Mary;    75;    bn.    X.    Y.;    12-10- 

91;  11. 
Brooks,  Martha;  59;  12-25-91;  26. 
Hill,  Jane;  43;  bn.  Ky. ;  12-24-91;  26. 
Adkins,  M.  L.;    70;   bn.   N.   Y.;    12-25- 

91;  27. 

1892. 

Yeiser,  V.  A.;   26;   1-2-92;  3. 

Hall,  Fenton;  79;  bn.  S.  C;  res.  B'ham; 
1-7-92-   9. 

Fort,  Wm.  A.;   79;   1-13-92;   16. 

Willingham,  John;  25;  res.  W.  Rome; 
1-14-92;  15. 

Dick,  Sarah;  72;  bn.  Tenn.;  res.  Ma- 
rietta;   1-18-92;    19. 

Reeves,   Elizabeth;   89;    1-19-92;  20. 

Irwin,  Mrs.  E.  A.;  72;  bn.  S.  C;  1-25- 
92-  26. 

Geer,  Mrs.  Irene  G.;  71;  1-29-92;  30. 

Hall,  Mrs.  Sarah;  85;  bn.  S.  C;  1-31- 
92;  2. 

Spears,  J.  L. ;  31;  res.  LaGrange;  2-1- 
92;   4. 

Dempler,  L.;  75;  bn.  Germany;  res. 
Floyd   Co.;   2-5-92;   7. 

Quinn.  Mrs.  Mary;  72;  bn.  N.  C;  2- 
6-92;   8. 

McCaffrey,  Mrs.  J.;  37;  bn.  Pa.;  2-14- 
92;   17. 

Hughes,  John;  65;  bn.  Wales;  res.  W. 
Rome;    2-20-92;   2. 

Underwood,  Mrs.  M.  A.;  68;  2-25-92;  28. 

Magruder,  E.  J.;  56;  bn.  Va. ;  2-26- 
92*  27. 

Roser,'  Mrs.  P.  D.;  55;  bn.  Va.;  3-7- 
92;  8. 

Graves,  Marl  L.;  75;  bn.  N.  C;  res. 
Ala.;   3-20-92;  22. 

Butler,  Elizabeth  A.;  78;  res.  Atlan- 
ta;  4-30-92;   6. 

Spullock,   Mrs.   E.  A.;   65;   5-14-92;   17. 

Elam,  W.  D.;  76;  res.  B'ham,  Ala.;  <',- 
26-92;   27. 

Gibbons,  Sam'l.;  25;  7-5-92;  5. 

Norton.  H.  C;  46;  7-8-92;   10. 

Wimpee,  W.  M.;  81;  8-2-92;  3. 

Mitchell,  Dr.  R.  V.;  58;  8-9-92;  11. 

Pitner.  Mrs.  Albert  G.;  72;  8-12-92;  14. 

Wingfield.  Judson,  22;  res.  Texas;  8- 
28-92;    1. 

Ayer,  Mrs.  E.  W.;   78;  9-9-92;   10. 

Caldwell.  J.  M.  M.;  80;  res.  Frank- 
lin, Ky.;   9-21-92;   23. 


598 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Towers.  Robt.  II.;  32;  res.  B'hani;  9-27- 

92;  28. 
Yancey,  Mrs.  B.  C;  72;  res.  Augusta; 

10-2-92;   3. 
Johnson,  E.  V.;   48;    10-12-92;   12. 
Govan,  Mrs.  M.  F.;  48;  11-5-92;  7. 
Robinson,  Mrs.  Mary;  83;  12-7-92;  7. 
Neely,  Prof.  Benj.;  58;  12-20-92;  20. 

1893. 

Thomas,  Mrs.  Mary;  65;  1-6-93;  8. 
Henley,  John    H.;    30;    1-18-93. 
Linton,  Mrs.  Annie;  68;  B'ham. 
Shanklin,   Fletcher;    19;   7-14-93;    18. 
Printup,  Henry;  70;  7-20-93;  22. 
Shanklin,   Col.  J.   F.;   57;   7-20-93;   22. 
Denny,  Mrs.  R.  A.;  35;  8-12-93;  15. 
Stansbury,    Capt.    Jas.    A.;    59;     9-20- 

93;  21. 
Meredith,  James;   73;   12-27-93;   28. 

1894. 

DeJournett,  Mrs.  Mary;  78;  1-2-94;   2. 

Carroll,  Mrs.  Thos.;  54;  1-6-94;  7. 

Miller,  Mrs.  H.  V.  M.;  76;  res.  Atlan- 
ta* 1-9-94"  9. 

Powers,  Dr.  S.  F.  dd.  1-13-94. 

Schirmer,  N.  R. ;  60;  res.  Kansas  City, 
Mo.;    1-26-94;    28. 

Smith,   Charlie;    63;   4-2-94;   3. 

Ingram,   C.  J.   M.;   4-27-94;   27. 

Sproull,   Mrs.    C.   W.;   61;   6-12-94;   12. 

Dick,  Hal;   43;  res.  Atlanta;   dd.  9-94. 

1895. 

Cothran,  Bessie;   17;  1-1-95. 

Fouche,  Mrs.  S.  E.;   77;  2-3-95. 

Sawrie,  Mrs.;  84;  3-4-95;  5. 

Yeiser,  Col.  J.   G.;   69;  dd.  3-7-95. 

Howel,  T.  F.;  50;  3-18-95. 

Wardlaw,  J.  M.;  73;  dd.  from  a  fall;  4- 
21-95'  22. 

Sparks,  Mrs.'  Ann;   63;  dd.  5-4-95. 

Mills,  C.  M.;  73;  6-4-95;  6. 

Stillwell,  C.  Oliver;  61;   6-15-95. 

Black,  Mrs.  Jno.  J.;  6-28-95. 

Wood,  J.  C;   71;   7-18-95. 

Clark,  Miss  Rosa;  7-29-95. 

Vandiver,  James;   10;   9-28-95. 

Thompson,  W.  F.;  29;  killed  by  rail- 
road; 10-25-95;  26. 

Battey,  Dr.  Robt.;  11-8-95;  10;  in  Bat- 
tey  vault. 

Rr.mey,    Wm.;    11-29-95. 

Alexander,  Mrs.  T.  W.;  12-95. 

Nevin,   M.    A.;    54;    12-15-95. 

1896. 

Rhudy,    Mrs.   Amv;   89;    1-8-96. 
Walton,  Miss  Ruth;  21;  1-27-96. 
Perkins,  Jno.  N.;   82;  Feb.  96. 
Pepper,  Mrs.  M.  M.;  50;  March,  96. 
Pepper,  M.  M.;  42;  3-29-96. 
Miller,  Dr.  H.  V.  M.;  84;  6-8-96. 
Cothran,   Mrs.  Wade  S.;   40;  June,  96. 


Freeman,  Col.  Jno.  R.;  84;  6-15-96. 
King,    Mrs.;    55;    7-21-96. 
Black,  Jno.  J.;  55;  7-21-96. 
Jenkins,  John;    52;   8-2-96. 
Hidell,  Miss;  22;  8-7-96. 
Reynolds,  W.  B.;  43;  8-22-96. 
Armstrong,  R.  T.;   43;   8-22-96. 
Chidsey,  Mrs.  Geo.  F.;  9-1-96. 
Gwaltney,  Rob.;   11-19-96. 
Graves,  Col.  Chas.  I.;  59;  11-1-96. 

1897. 

Moore,  J.  C;  73;  2-27-97. 
Norton,  Reuben  S.;  80;  4-4-97. 
Wilkerson,  R.  T.;   60;  5-15-97. 
Foster,  W.   P.;   41;   6-1-97. 
Mitchell,  Luke;  64;  7-2-97. 
Jeffries,  Dr.  F.  M.;  64;  8-2-97. 
Freeman,  Maj.  Frank  M.;  59;  bn.  Jones 
Co.;   res.   Floyd   Co.;   9-18-97;    19. 
George,  Junius  A.;  52;  9-28-97. 
Quinn,  Jno.  M.;  77;  10-15-97. 
Lansdell,  Chas.;    23;    10-25-97. 
Gammon,   Von   Albade;    18;    11-1-97. 
Beard,  James;   77;   11-17-97. 
Roser,  P.  D.;  62;  11-25-97. 
Turnley,   Geo.   P.;  35;   accident;   12-25- 

97;   26. 
Connor.     Miss     Virginia;     52;     12-31- 

97;   1. 

1898, 

Perry,  Mrs.  Jos.;  35;  1-4-98;  5. 
Nixon,   Dr.   W.    C;   49;   Ridge  Valley; 

1-13-98;   14. 
Gammon,  Chas.  A.;   39;  res.  Anniston; 

1-21-98;   22. 
Sullivan,  Mrs.   Mary;   83;   1-24-98;   25. 
Garrard,  A.  O.;  61;  2-8-98;  9. 
Talley,  G.  T.;  54;  2-15-98;  16. 
Caldwell,    Mrs.    S.    C;    51;   bn.   N.   C; 

3-18-98;   20. 
Franks,  Miss  Eugene;  34;  3-19-98;  20. 
Hills.   Wm.   S.;   59;  res.  Charleston,   S. 

C;  3-26-98;  30;  put  in  Battey  vault, 

6-26-02;    removed   to    Detroit,    Mich. 
Hardin,  P.  H.;   74;   4-3-98;  6. 
Hall,  Jno.   H.;  51;   Lock  3.  Ala.;  4-23- 

98;  25. 
Morris,  Wm.,  Margaret  H.,  Sam,  Frank, 

Clifford    and    infant    of    Wm.    and 

Margaret    Morris,    and   Minnie    and 

Kate     McKenzie;     8     bodies     moved 

from     Pleasant     Valley    to     Myrtle 

Hill;    4-28-98. 
Cothran.  Hugh;  6  1-2;  5-10-98;  10. 
Hume.  Mrs.  Mary  W.;  59;  6-7-98;  8. 
Rowell,  Miss  Fanny  U.;  21;  6-10-98;  11. 
Prather,  John  Q.;   47;  res.   Stone  Mt.; 

6-10-98;    11. 
Hand,  Mrs.  Thos.  0.;  37;   6-26-98;   27. 
Montgomery,  Mrs.   Col.  A.  B.;   45;  bd. 

7-16-98. 
Reynolds.  L.  B.;   29;   Reynolds,  Bend.; 
accidental   gunshot   at   Chickamau- 
ga;    24;   7-23-98. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


599 


SIX  OTHER  PEEKS  AT  CAVE  SPRING. 

Top,  the  Harper  lot,  containing  Major  Armistead  Richardson,  founder  of  Cave  Sprinir. 
whose  shaft  is  seen  at  the  right;  tomb  of  Alexander  Thornton  Harper.  II.;  the  postofficc.  on 
which  site  is  buried  the  Indian  wife  of  the  Big  Rattling  Gourd,  who  hit  off  her  nose  because 
she  was  unfaithful;  in  the  oval,  Little  Cedar  Creek,  and  at  bottom,  a  side  view  of  the  home 
of  A.  T.  Harper,  II. 


600 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Graham,  Mrs.  Jno.  M.;  21;  7-24-98;  25. 
Hiles,  Mrs.  Thompson;  56;  7-26-98;  28. 
Harper,   Alfred    Shorter;    30;    7-27-98; 

28 
Ellis,  E.  F.;  19;  Co.  D,  3rd  Ga.  Inf.,  U. 

S.    v.,    dd.    typhoid    fever,    Griffin; 

9-3-98;  5. 
Reagin,  Miss  Carry;  73;  3  Wd.;   10-9- 

98;    10;  bd.   Old   Cemetery. 
Flemister,    Robt.;    67;    res.    E.    Rome; 

11-21-98;  22. 
Hargrove,  R.  T.;   63;  dd.  at  Kingston; 

12-15-98;    16;   put  in   Battey  vault; 

removed    from    vault    and    interred, 

5-23-03. 

1899. 

Meaks,  Mrs.   S.  J.;   64;   101   Main   St.. 

Atlanta;  1-2-99;  5. 
Epperson,  Mrs.  Mary;  66;  Cave  Sprg.; 

1-19-99;   20. 
Wildsmith,    Arthur;      res.      Missionary 

Ridge,  Walker  Co.;  2-7-99;  9. 
Wright,    Seaborn,   Jr.;    7;    2-21-99. 
Fenner,  Dr.   W.  R.;   54;  2-26-99;   28. 
Fouche.  Mrs.  Dora  Ross;  38;  3-8-99;  9. 
Dozier,    Martha    S.;    84;    B'ham,    Ala.; 

3-22-99;  24. 
Todd.  Isaac  L.;   5-1-99;   2. 
Beard,  H.  A.  J.;  51;  4  Wd.;  5-3-99;  5. 
Powell,   Mrs.   J.   C;    54;   5   Wd.;    5-13- 

99*    14. 
Woodruff,  Capt.   F.;   86;   2  Ave.;   4-13- 

99;  15. 
Hudgins.    Mrs.    C.    Buckner;    41;    5-15- 

99;  16. 
Miller,  Mrs.  Rachel;  58;  disinterred  at 

Eve  Sta.  and  moved  to  Rome,  5-19-99. 
Elliott,  Capt.  J.  M.,  Sr.;  74;  Ala.;  5-28- 

99  ■  30 
Arrington,  Mrs.  H.  H.;  32;  5-29-99;  30. 
Quinn,   Mrs.  J.   M.;   66;   6-2-99;   2. 
Morrison,  Robt.  B.;  47;  N.  Rome;  6-2- 

99.  4_ 

Martin.  Mrs.  Ella;  81;  N.  Rome;  6-15- 
99.  i7_ 

Dean,' Mrs.  Eve   S.;    28;    3  Ave.;   6-18^ 

99. 
Kane.'Wm.  P.;  33;  5  Wd.;  7-4-99;  5. 
Hamilton.  Mrs.  A.  S.;  32;  lived  Trion; 

dd.    Atlanta;    7-15-99;    16. 
Alexander,    I.    W.;    78;    E.    Rome;    7- 

29-99-  12. 
Cook.  "j.'e.;'67;  2  Wd.;  9-22-99;  22. 
McClure,  Samuel   S.;   44;   10-6-99;   8. 
King,   Samuel  S.;   44;   10-6-99;   8. 
Wyatt,  W.   R.;  57;   11-19-99;  21. 
Crozier.  Mrs.  Henrv;  39;  E.  Rome;  12- 

17-99;    18. 

1900. 

Gibson,  Andrew;   75;  Mobley   Springs; 

1-4-00;  5. 
McNultv,    Mrs.    A.    D.;    Brunswick;    2- 

4-00;  6. 
Norton,  W.  F.;  1  Wd.;  2-16-00;  18. 


Marshall,    Dr.    E.    B.,    Jr.;    28;    Cedar- 
town;  2-6-00;   7. 
Sims.    Mrs.    Rebecca;    77;    Floyd    Co.; 

3-21-00;   22. 
Clark,    Capt.    Reuben     G.;     67;     3-28- 

00;  30. 
Gunn,  Donald  G.;  21;  Effingham,  Ills.; 

4-15-00;  17. 
Helm,  Mrs.  Rosa  Hardin;  45;   4-21-00; 

22;   Old  Cemetery. 
Cook,   Mrs.   Lucindy;   68;  3  Wd.;   4-21- 

00;  22. 
George,    Mrs.   J.   B.;    60;    1   Wd.;    4-22- 

00;   23. 
Harper,    H.    C;    63;    E.    Rome;    5-13- 

00;  14. 
Pitner,  Albert  G.;  41;  3  Wd.;  5-14-00; 

15. 
Byrd,  Mrs.  Philip  G.;  38;  3  Wd.;  5-17- 

00;  18. 
Stanton,  Mrs.  Edwin;  29;  3  Wd.;  5-31- 

00;  June  2. 
Willcox,  Warren  Palmer;  59;  dd.  Park 

Ave.   Hotel,  N.   Y. ;    6-18-00;    placed 
in    Battey    vault,    21;    removed    to 
Branham   addition   7-20-00. 
Wingfield,  Mary  E.;  74;   Atlanta;   7-7- 

00;  8. 
Mathis,    Mary    C;    67;    5    Wd.;    9-13- 

00;  15. 
Simpson,    Mrs.   M.   A.;    77;    Floyd   Co.; 

8-2-00;   3. 
Gammon,    Wm.    G.;    18;    railroad    acci- 
dent   Cartersville;    8-17-00;    19. 
Bass,  Mrs.  Caroline;   88;   4  Wd.;   8-28- 

00;  29. 
Ivey,   Mrs.   Mary  J.;    75;    E.  Rome;   8- 

29-00;  30. 
Goetchius,    Rev.    Geo.    T.;    54;    8-31-00; 

Sept.  2. 
McConnell,  J.  P.;   55;   Mobley  Spgs;  8- 

20-00;    22. 
Cruise,  Mrs.  H.  B.;  22;  Atlanta;  8-29- 

00;  30. 
Lester,    Annie    M.;    38;    2   Wd.;    10-17- 

00;  18. 
Cutter,    Mrs.    M.    N.;    76;    Floyd    Co.; 

burned  to  death;  11-3-00;  4. 
Byars,  Zack;   44;    11-19-00;   20. 
Bale,    J.    A.;    73;    accidental    fall;    12- 
15-00;  17  to  Battey  vault;  removed 
19. 

1901. 

Lamkin,  J.   B.   F.;   E.   Rome;   2-12-01; 

13. 
Nevin,  Mrs.  Jas.  B.;   3-7-01;  9. 
Sharp,    Mrs.    Mvra   A.;    55;   4   Wd.;    3- 

11-01;  13. 
Arrington,    Jas.    J.;    22;    Summerville; 

shot;  4-9-01;  10. 
Lumpkin,    Fred;    16;    5    Wd.;    drowned 

Silver  creek:  4-13-01;  14. 
Harper,    Mrs.    Fannie;    28;    B'ham;    4- 

15-01;  17. 
DeMooney,  Geo.;   101;   Boozville,  Floyd 

Co.;  4-20-01;  22. 


602 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Ross.   Miss  Imogene;  46;   5-3-01;  7. 
King,  Mrs.  Fannie  J.;  48;   4  Wd.;  ba- 
nana  ice  cream  poisoning;  5-11-01; 

12. 
Wimpee,  Mrs.  H.  H.;  49;  5  Wd.;  5-19- 

01;  20. 
Watters,  J.  B.;  52;  4  Wd.;  5-30-01;  31. 
Stewart,   Mrs.   Virgil   A.;   65;   6-27-01; 

put  in  Battey  vault  30,  and  removed 

8-4-01. 
Todd.  Clarence;  52;  7-11-01;  12. 
Connallv.    Mrs.   R.   T.;    40;    Rockmart; 

7-13-01;  14. 
McLin,  Clifton;   18;   8-7-01;   8. 
Funkhouser,   Saml.;   53;   8-7-01;   10. 
Smith,    Halstead,     Jr.;     29;     Cleburne, 

Texas;    8-16-01;    21. 
Black,  Eugene;  40;  8-22-01;  23. 
Turnlev,  Dr.  P.  L.;  71;  9-10-01;  11. 
Lindsey,  Mrs.  M.  C;   53;   E.  Rome;  9- 

18-01;   19. 
Crouch,  Dr.  J.  T.;  44;  11-21-01;  22. 
Wvlv,   Mrs.  Josephine;    66;    12-8-01;    9. 
Sproull,  C.  Wm.;  82;  Anniston;   12-25- 

01;  26. 
McCrary,    C.    F.;    59;    4    Wd.;     12-31- 

01;   2. 

1902. 

Tracy,  Frank;  45;  Oostanaula,  Gordon 

Co.;    killed   in   railroad   collision;    1- 

12-02;  14  . 
Smith,   Fletcher;   45;    4   Wd.;    1-15-02; 

17. 
Scott,  Thos.  W.;  43;  3  Wd.;  1-29-02;  30. 
Wells,  Henry  E.;  New  Orleans;  yellow 

fever;    1-13-97;    1-31-02. 
Gregory,  Mrs.  Mary  Choice;  70;  1  Wd.; 

2-10-02;   11. 
Carver,   Mrs.   Beulah   M.;    48;    2-16-02; 

18. 
Hood,  Frances  H.;   80;  2-17-02;   18. 
Hamilton,  Joe;  32;  3-25-02;   26. 
Lanham,  Mrs.  E.  J.;  69;  4-7-02;   7. 
Wyly,  A.  C;  63;  K.  C,  Mo.;  5-5-92;  4- 

16-02. 
Spence.  Wm. ;   81;   2  Wd.;   4-12-02;   13. 
McEntyre,  Jas.   J.;    40;    New  Decatur, 

Ala.;   5-23-02;   24. 
Banks,    Miss    Lizzie;     42;     dd.    Battey 

Inf.;   4-24-02. 
Clinard,    Mrs.   M.  A.;    65;    Cave    Spg.; 

4-26-02;   27. 
King,  C.  L.;   dd.   5-25-02;   5-16-02;   17; 

Battey  vault. 
Garrison,  Georgia  Harvey ;  19 ;  Colum- 
bia, S.  C. ;  5-29-02;  in  Battey  vault; 

6-1-02;  removed  11-3-02. 
Green,  C.  K.;  59;  5  Wd.;  6-8-02;  8. 
Lester,    Bannester    S.;    72;    6-9-02;    11. 
Brett,  Mrs.   Catherine  R.;   54;   2  Wd.; 

7-12-02*  13. 
Griffin,  A.'  E.;"  70;  4  Wd.;  7-17-02;  18. 
Camp,  Mrs.  J.  L.;  2  Wd.;  8-15-02;   10. 
Jeffries,  Andrew  J.;  25;  B'ham;  11-10- 

02;  11. 


Nevin,  Mrs.  Mitchell  A.;  62;  11-11-02; 

13. 
Allen,  Geo.  M.;  34;  Tallapoosa;   11-26- 
02;   28. 

1903. 
Magruder,   Mrs.  Annie  P.;  30;   1  Wd.; 

1-22-03;  23. 
Hull,  B.  F.;  70;  Floyd  Co.;  2-1-03;  2. 
Lumpkin,  Mrs.  J.  H.;  66;   1  Wd.;  1-1- 

03;  3. 
Lumpkin,  J.  H.;   66;   2-18-03;   19. 
Johnson,   Nellie   Gough;  36;   Columbus, 

Miss.;  2-25-03;  27. 
Hert,    Mrs.    A.    F.;    71;    Gordon    Co.; 

accidental  fall;    4-16-03;    Nov.   16. 
Turnbull,  Judge  Waller  T. ;  42;  5-6-03; 

8;  in  Battey  vault;  buried  May  23. 
Pitner,  George;   18;   Selma,  Ala.;  5-27- 

03;  29. 
Sanders,  Wm. ;  45;  England;  killed  by 

C.  of  G.  train;  6-11-03;  11. 
Patton,   Maj.   Wm.    A.;    35;    E.   Rome; 

6-18-03;    19. 
Carver,    Mrs.    Jennie   J.;    48;    Carters- 

ville,  Ga.;  7-1-03;  2. 
Wright.  W.  A.;  65;  3  Wd.;  7-24-03;  25. 
Rollins,  (Rawlins),  Mrs.  Catherine;  81; 

Cleveland,  0.;   8-16-03;   18. 
O'Rear,  Jno.  C;  41;  5  Wd.;  9-11-03;  12. 
Maddox,   Agnes;   22;   2   Wd.;    10-27-03; 

28. 
Spiegelberg,   Mrs.   M.;    63;    2    Wd.    10- 

31-03;   1. 
Rowell,    Capt.    Christopher;    68;    11-4- 

03;  6. 
Huffaker.    N.    J.;    73;    Floyd    Co.;    11- 

12-03"   13. 
O'Rear,  Mrs.'  S.  A.  F.;  76;  2  Wd.;  bd. 

12-3-03. 
Stafford,    Mrs.;    3    Wd.;    12-19-03;    21; 

in   Battey  vault;   bd.   9-27-04. 

1904. 

Ewing,  Mrs.  J.  W.;  55;  Floyd  Co.;  bd. 

1-4-04. 
Hardin,  J.  S.;  58;  2  Wd.;  bd.  1-10-04. 
Norton,  Mrs.  Jane  A.;  75;  Grand  Is- 
land, Neb.;  1-8-04;  11. 
McClure.  H.;  48;  2  Wd.;  1-14-04;  17. 
Kane,  Frank;  69;  5  Wd.;  1-25-04;  26. 
Park,    Mrs.    N.    D.;    84;    Chattanooga, 

Tenn.;    1-25-04;  26. 
Montgomery,  Col.  A.  B.;   2-2-04;   3. 
Brower,  Jno.  LeFoy;  26;  Cedar  Rapids, 

Iowa;  2-6-04;  8. 
Johnson,   Mrs.   Mary  E.;   63;   Atlanta; 

2-12-04;   13. 
Mitchell,  Mrs.;  32;  4  Wd.;  2-21-04;  22. 
O'Bear,  R.  H.;  82;   5  Wd. ;  2-29-04;  1. 
Harper,  Foster;   55;  bd.  4-4-04. 
Battey,  Anderson  Redding;   dd.  4-9-04; 

Battey  vault;   10. 
Hiles,  Will  W.;  30;  2  Wd.;  4-11-04;  12. 
Hancock.   Mrs.;  82;   2  Wd.;  bd.  5-5-04. 
Helm,  Capt.  Thos.  J.;  63;  2  Wd.;  5-17- 

04;   18;   Old  Cemetery. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


603 


A  GROUP  OF  SUBSTANTIAL  BUILDINGS. 

At  top,  the  Government  postoffice,  southwest  corner  of  Fourth  Avenue  and  East  First 
Street;  the  Masonic  Temple  and  annex  (west  of  and  adjoining  postoffice),  which  for  many 
years  has  been  the  home  of  Cherokee  Lodge  No.  66  of  Masons;  the  Medical  Buildini:.  north- 
east   corner    of    Broad    Street    and    Third    Avenue,    and    adjoining-    it,    tlie    Third    AvenueHotel. 


King,  Jack;   52;   3  Wd.;   5-27-04;  28. 
Berrien,  Mrs.  M.  L.;   73;   2  Wd.;   5-29- 

04;   31. 
Jeffries,   T.   F.;    77;    Floyd    Co.;   killed 

by  horse  in  Rounsaville  stable;  6-5- 

04;   7. 
Printup,  Mrs.  Dan'l.  S.;  73;  I  Wd.;  6- 

21-04;   23. 
Ayer,    Wm.    Franklin;    74;    3    Wd. ;    6- 

21-04;  23. 


Mitchell    Mrs.    Laura;    44;    4    Wd.;    7- 

28-04;  29. 
Townes,  Miss  Ida;  4  Wd.;   1-29-04;  30. 
Antoprnoli,  Peter;  52;  2  Wd.;  8-0-04. 

10. 
O'Rear,  G.  W.;  86;  2  Wd.;  8-19-04;  21. 
Adkins,  Henrv;  30;  B'ham;  8-22-04;  23. 
Gwaltney,  Robt.  J. ;  35 ;  2  Wd. ;  8-30-04  ; 

31. 
Tig-ner,  J.  A.;  76;  2  Wd.;  10-26-04;  28. 


604 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Gammon,  Mrs.  J.  A.;  50;  11-1-04;  2. 
Aver,    Thos.;    E.    Rome;    11-3-04;    4. 
King,  Capt.  John  B.;  54;  Macon;  11-14- 

04;    16,    Battey   vault. 
Ford,  I.  Dave;  76;  3  Wd.;  12-24-04;  25. 
Coulter,   Nelson   H.;   32;   dd.   Asheville, 
N.  C;   12-23-04;  28. 

1905. 

Garrard,    Clarence    A.;    35;    2    Wd.;    1- 

2-05;   4. 
Freeman,  Dr.  E.  B.;  74;  E.  Rome;  1-5- 

05;  7. 
Orr,  Robt.  F.;  67;  5  Wd. ;  1-5-05;  7. 
Benjamin,    Frank   Julian;    83;    1    Wd. 

1-9-05;   10. 
Ellis,    Jos.    L.;    74;    Atlanta;    1-16-05 

19. 
Rice,   Mrs.   M.   A.   E.;   88;    Floyd    Co. 

1-26-05;   27. 
Ross,  A.  F.;  52;  3  Wd.;  1-30-05;  31. 
Sargeant,    Mrs.    Mary    Jane;    68;     St. 

Louis;   2-7-05;   9. 
Harper,  Mrs.  Chas.  M.;  59;  3  Wd.;  2- 

26-05;  28. 
Wood,  Chas.  D.;  50;  3  Wd.;  3-5-05;  7. 
Wilkerson,   Mrs.    Sallie;    2    Wd.;    3-16- 

05;  17. 
Allen,    M.    D.;    81;    Anniston;    3-29-05; 

30. 
Tigner,   Mrs.  J.  A.;    76;    2   Wd.;   4-26- 

05;  8. 
Tippen,  J.   B.;    74;   E.   Rome;   4-26-05; 

27. 
Marshall,  Mrs.  D.  B.;   62;   1  Wd.;   5-3- 

05;  4. 
Rhodes,  Catal ;  74;  3  Wd.;  5-14-05;  15. 
Wood,  Mrs.  A.;  74;  2  Wd.;  5-17-05;  18. 
Grant,  J.  W.;  71;  W.  Rome;  5-24-05;  25. 
Sing,    Young,    or    Joe     Tang;     China; 

by  accident;  6-2-05. 
Mitchell,    Mrs.    R.    V.;    2    Wd.;    6-16- 

05;  18. 
Wildsmith,    Mrs.    Lena;    50;    Knoxville, 

Tenn.;  6-27-05;   28. 
Bowie,    Sophie    Park;    61;    Atlanta;    7- 

8-05;  9. 
Howell,  W.  D.;  48;  N.  Y.;  pistol  wound; 

7-11-05;   16. 
Wright,    George;    24;    2    Wd.;    shot;    7- 

19-05;  20. 
Gammon,  J.  A. ;  61;  3  Wd.;  8-5-05;  7. 
Veal.  Joe;   38;   3  Wd.;   8-10-05;  11. 
Smith,  Mrs.  Halstead;  53;  8-25-05;  27. 
Anthony,   Mrs.   M.   E.;    78;    1   Wd.;    9- 

20-05;  21;  in  Old  Cemetery. 
Gardner.    Mrs.    Annie;    82;    Meridian, 

Miss.;  10-10-05;  12. 
Little,  Capt.  A.  J.;   65;   3  Wd.;   10-16- 

05;   17. 
Hardin,  Mrs.  P.  H.;  72;  3  Wd.;  10-17- 

05;  18. 
Whitmore.   Col.  W.  P.;   91;  Floyd  Co.; 

10-18-05;  19. 
Troutman,   Chas.   Reeve;   21;   killed  by 


street     car,     Atlanta;     11-4-05;     6; 

Battey  vault. 
Watters,  A.  J.;  79;  5  Wd.;  11-17-05;  18. 
Omberg,  Clarence  L.;  51;  B'ham,  Ala.; 

12-5-05;  7. 
McCallie,    Mrs.   Margaret;    83;    2   Wd.; 

12-7-05;    9. 
Young,    Harry    W.;    37;    Montgomery, 

Ala.;    12-14-05;   15. 
Vinson,   J.   T.;    31;    killed   at  Suwanee, 

Ga..  by  electric  shock — accident;  12- 

21-05;    23. 
Whatley,  Mrs.   C.  A.;   71;  Atlanta;  12- 

29-05;   30. 
Randall,  Mrs.  Harriet;  42;  Los  Angeles, 

Cal.:   12-19-05;   10. 

1906. 

Gwaltney,    Rev.    Luther    Rice;    65;    E. 

Rome;    1-14-06;    15. 
Weatherlv,  A.  B.;  40;  Cleveland,  Tenn.; 

1-22-06;   23. 
Pullen,  Geo.  P.;  41;  5  Wd.;  1-30-06;  31. 
Lambert,    Mrs.    Martha;    85;    Atlanta; 

2-4-06;  5. 
McOsker,   M.   D.;    68;  bn.    Scotland;   2- 

12-06. 
Whitmore,  Mrs.;  56;  Floyd  Co.;  3-2-06. 
West,  W.  J.;  45;  Blountville,  Tenn.;  3- 

19-06. 
Hicks.  W.   D.;  56;  3-24-06. 
Hargrove,  C.  B.;   Enterprise,  Ala.;   ac- 
cidental   gunshot;     3-24-06;     27. 
Johnson,  Mrs.  R.  J.;   80;  3  Wd.;  3-27- 

06;   29. 
Grossman,   Mrs.   Emeline;   66;   4-18-06; 

18. 
Smith,   Halstead;    57;    4-21-06;    21. 
Lanham,  E.  J.;  75;  old  age;  4-28-06;  30 
Woodruff,  Mrs.  Martha;  86;  B'ham;  6- 

12-06;   12. 
Scott,   Mary   Reynolds;    24;    Louisville, 

Ky.;  6-13-06;  13. 
Smith,    Linton;    32;    Memphis,    Tenn.; 

8-12-06;   12. 
Chambers,  Mrs.  Alice;   46;   8-25-06. 
Montgomery.  Mrs.  John;  45;  dd.  Conn.; 

9-21-06.' 
Mullen,  J.  E.;  70;  9-22-06. 
Gammon,    Edward    E.;    21;    B'ham;    9- 

20-06;    28. 
Sproull,    Mrs.   J.    C;    84;    res.    Bartow 

Co.;  10-4-06. 
Mull,   Dr.  J.    C;   35;   10-24-06. 
Lanham,   Mrs.   J.    D.;    48;    11-3-06. 
Webb,  J.  P.;  62;  Cobb  Co.;  11-14-06. 
Eastman,  Mrs.  Guy;  23;   11-14-06. 
Warner,  Chas.  J.;  70;  11-29-06. 
Shropshire,    Ann    Moore;    83;    12-4-06. 
Gentry,  H.  C;  70;  12-23-06. 

1907. 

Towers,  Ruth;   18;   1-13-07. 

Watters,  Mrs.  Geo.  W.;  83;  Carrollton; 

1-13-07. 
Farris,  John;  66;  4-2-07. 


606 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Howell,   Millard   F.;    56;   res.   Cherokee 

Co.,  Ala.;  dd.  Phila.;  4-15-07. 
Rowell,  Mrs.  Lou;   64;   6-16-07. 
Trawick,   Mrs.  J.   B.;   50;   6-18-07. 
Black,  J  L.;  67;  res.  Penna.;  dd.  Rome; 

6-29-07. 
Colclough,    E.    H.;    74;    res.    Cherokee 

Co.,  Ala.;  9-18-07. 
Berry,  Bose;  22;  shot  in  New  Orleans; 

10-26-07. 
Lewis,  J.  C;  52;  res.  France;   11-6-07. 
West,  Mrs.  R.  H.;   60;   res.  Tenn.;   11- 

15-07. 
Veal,  J.  E.;   84;  res.  Columbia,  S.   C; 

11-23-07. 

1908. 

Wells,  T.  P.;   62;   res.  Bartow   Co.;   2- 

2-08. 
Miller,  Mrs.  G.  H.;  76;  E.  Rome;  2-6- 

08. 
Morton,  Judge  G.  B.;  76;  res.  Athens; 
2-6-08. 

Fouche,  Robt.   T.;   72;   3-3-08. 
Smith,    Mrs.    Martha;    60;    res.    Rome; 

dd.  Chattanooga;  3-16-08. 
Scott,  Frank;  59;  Ohio;   ^-31-08. 
Holder,    Luther;    32;    Id.    Texas,    res. 

Floyd  Co.;  4-6-08. 
Whitehead,   J.  J.;    77;    4-8-08. 
Bridges,  Mrs.  Warren;   68;   res.  S.   C; 

dd.   Rome;   4-23-08. 
Snlmon,  N.  L.;  35;  res.  Ala.;  killed  by 

accident;  3-25-08. 
Gordon,  Col.  W.  L.;  68;   8-24-08. 
Burgwalt,   Mrs.    Jno.;    68;    Sweden;    8- 

19-08. 
Willingham,    Griffin;     87;     S.     C;    dd. 

Floyd   Co.;   10-26-08. 
Keel,    Henry;    21;    Gadsden;    killed   by 

accident;  10-28-08. 
Bridges,   W.    W.;    64;    res.    S.    C;    dd. 

Rome;  6-10-08. 
Smith,  Owen  O.;  26;  dd.  Atlanta;  7-6-08 
Powers,  N.   F.;  59;   7-9-08. 
Henson,    Martha;    52;    7-9-08. 
Wilkerson,  Mrs.  R.  T. ;  80;  res.  Tenn.; 

8-22-08. 
Gailliard,  Mrs.   Manor;   65;   S.   C;   11- 

3-08. 
Lanham,   Will   L.;   48;    Floyd    Co.;    11- 

5-08. 
Clark,  J.  C;  18;  12-28-08. 

1909. 

Taylor,   Mrs.    Mary    M.;    72;    Ala.;    1- 

19-09. 
Johnson,  Mrs.   Luke;   47;    N.  Rome;    1- 

29-09. 
Earle,  j!   P.;   72;    S.   C. ;    N.   Rome;   1- 

29-09. 
Jarvis,  J.  L.;  70;  S.  C;  2-17-09. 
Cheney,  Walter  T.;   56;   bn.   Chattooga 

Co.;  dd.  Rome;  3-19-09. 
Ramey,    Mrs.   E.    E.;    82;    3-26-09. 
Hight,  Chas.  A.;  56;   11-30-09. 


Harper,  A.  R.;  46;  dd.  Chicago;  3-30-09. 
Thompson,  Miss   Susan;   52;   S.   C. ;  4- 

2-09. 
Ayer,  Frank;   50;   4-5-09. 
Fleetwood,  Mrs.  Annie;  62;  5-5-09. 
Trammell,  Dennis;  91;  N.  Rome;  May 

5-8-09. 
Graves,  Chas.  L;  46;  6-1-09. 
Morrison,  Gus  A.;  77;  S.  C;  6-2-09. 
Willingham,  J.   H.;   6-4-09. 
Shaw,  Daisy;  35;  Floyd  Co.;  dd.  Phila. 

6-5-09. 
Lytle,  L.;  72;  S.  C;  6-10-09. 
Callahan,  F.  N. ;  76;  S.  C;  6-19-09. 
Dougherty,  A.;   67;   Floyd   Co.;   7-4-09. 
Perkins,     Mrs.     Bettie;     72;     Va.;     dd. 

Rome;  8-11-09. 
Beysiegel,   W.    E.;    45;    Ala.;    10-13-09. 
Wade,    Miss    Mary;   76;    N.    Rome    10- 

22-09. 
Sullivan,  Arthur  R.;  57;  10-22-09. 
Harper,  Chas.  M. ;  70;  N.  C;  dd.  Rome; 

11-4-09. 
Hemphill,   Miss   Mabel;   50;  bn.  Rome; 

dd.  Atlanta;   11-14-09. 
Kelly,  Wm.;  73;  bn.  S.  C;  dd.  Rome; 

11-13-09. 
Morrison,    H.    G.;    73;    bn.    N.    C;    N. 

Rome;  11-25-09. 
Smith,  H.  A.;  77;  bn.  N.  C;  N.  Rome; 

11-24-09. 
Sargent,    John;     38;     bn.    Rome;    dd. 

Ark.;  12-2-09. 
Parks,   Frank   R.;    35;   bn.   Floyd   Co.; 

dd.  Los  Angeles;   12-8-09. 
Beysiegel,  Charlie;  Ala.;  12-24-09. 
Tippen,  Will;   35;   Floyd  Co.;  12-25-09. 
Lamberth,  Mrs.  Jesse;   65;   Floyd  Co.; 

dd.    Atlanta;    12-25-09. 

1910. 

Wood,  T.  C;  91;  N.  C;  dd.  Atlanta; 
old    age;   2-19-10. 

Patton,  Mrs.  Ida  Nevin;  35;  3-24-10. 

Woodward,  Edward;  35;  bn.  Carters- 
ville.   dd.  Rome;   4-2-10. 

DeJournett,  Will;  65;  bn.  Floyd  Co.; 
dd.  Atlanta;  4-3-10. 

Camp,  Mrs.  James;  75;  4-3-10. 

Sharpe,  Miss  Sarah  Virginia;  55;  bn. 
Chattooga  Co.;  4-11-10. 

Landers,  J.  L.;  35;  bn.  Chattooga  Co.; 
dd.  Lindale;  4-14-10. 

Hudson,  J.  E.;  87;  bn.  N.  C;  dd.  Floyd 
Co.;   4-27-10. 

Cheney,  Miss  Daisy;  19;  Floyd  Co.;  4- 
30-10. 

White,  Louis  M.;  35;  bn  and  dd.  Cal- 
houn;   5-16-10. 

Gomez,  Mrs.  M.;  Floyd  Co.;  dd.  Ma- 
rietta; 5-16-10. 

MoflFet,  J.  B.;   50;   dd.   Macon;  5-17-10. 

Turner,  Capt.  L.  M.;  50;  bn.  Chero- 
kee Co.;  dd.  5-27-10. 

Farrell,  Mrs.  Charlie;  75;  bn.  N.  C; 
dd.   Rome;   6-5-10. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


607 


OLD-FASHIONED  ROMANS  IN  PICTURES. 
Top.    left    to    right     Miss    Julia    Omberg;    Prof     J     M^    Proctor      ^-^^   "j^^'j'J-^^-'-'^-- 
Proctor    School    and    father    of    Edward    and    Jno    J^-    proctor      Mr,,    j  ^^^   ^.^    ^.^^^^ 

Sa^-LlTtLr"  wko"iera.^^K;H^n\t°tlVcU.^^^^^  Mrs.   Jno.    P.    Eve;    Hine. 

M.   Imith.    a   son   of   Maj.   Chas.   H.   Smith    ("Bill    Arp.    ) 


608 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Stillwell,  Mrs.  O.  M.;   75;  6-11-10. 
Hampkin,  J.  R.;  58;  S.  C;  6-14-10. 
George,  J.  B.;   73;  bn.  N.  Y.;  6-18-10. 
Shiflett,    Mrs.    C.    A.;    30;    Floyd    Co.; 

6-28-10. 
Harris,     Judge     Richard    R. ;    75;    bn. 

Bradley  Co.,  Tenn.;  7-6-10. 
Pyle,  Chas.;  30;  Floyd  Co.;  6-28-10. 
Reese,  J.  J.;  68;  Floyd  Co.;  7-11-10. 
Reese,  Miss  G.  A.;  18;  7-12-10. 
Gwaltnev,    Rev.    Lutlier    Rice;    80;    7- 

18-10;  20. 
Collier,    Dick;    35;    dd.    at    B'ham;    7- 

30-10. 
Watters,    Mrs.    Kate;    86;    bn.    Gilmer 

Co.;    6-10-10. 
Hanson,  George;  12;  drowned;  8-31-10. 
Clarkeson,  W.  G.;   23;   8-9-10. 
Sullivan,    Mrs.  J.    B.;    75;    bn.    N.    C; 

Aug.  31,  10. 
Simpson,  J,   H.;    54;   dd.   Anniston;    9- 

27-10. 
Jackson,    Miles;    80;    iFloyd    Co.;    dd. 

Rome;   9-30-10. 
Rounsaville,     Jno.     Wesley;     68;      dd. 

Rome;  10-5-10. 
McDonald,  Mark  G.;  59;   10-18-10. 
Stafford,   Mrs.   Sarah;    81;    Floyd   Co.; 

dd.  Chattanooga;  10-25-10. 
Magruder.  Mrs.;  78;  11-4-10. 
Yancey,    Robt.    B.;    hot    in    Fla.;    11- 

27-10. 
Hillyer,   Dr.    Eben;    80;    12-22-10. 

1911. 

Hill,  J.  B.;  68;  1-1-11. 
Vincent,  Mrs.  Wm.  J.;  68;   1-9-11. 
Hamilton,   David    Blount;    77;    1-31-11. 
Funderburk,  Mrs.;  66;  Floyd  Co.;  2-7- 

11. 
Moss,  A.   C;  35;  2-11-11. 
Gammon,  Mrs.  Laura;  50;  2-21-11. 
Rice,  Jno.  H.;  68;  bn.  N.  C;  dd.  Rome; 

2-27-11. 
Sullivan,  James  B.;  86;  4-22-11. 
Camp,  James;  72;  4-29-11. 
Martin,  Mrs.   Margaret;   82;   S.   C;   5- 

15-11. 
Daniel,   T.    E.;   38;    Cherokee   Co.;    dd. 

Rome;    6-1-11. 
Marshall,   E.    B. ;    72;   bn.   Floyd   Co.; 

dd.  Rome;   6-2-11. 
Owens,    Georgia;    28;    6-4-11. 
Watson,    A.    P.;    65;    Floyd    Co.;    dd. 

Rome;  6-13-11. 
Mitchell,  Walter;  55;  bn  and  dd.  Floyd 

Co.;    6-26-11. 
Hendricks,    John;    44;    Floyd    Co.;    dd. 

Rome;   6-28-11. 
Daniel,  R.  H.;  56;  bn.  Ala.;  8-3-11. 
Bailey,  Mrs.  Curtis;  66;  bn.  Floyd  Co.; 

dd.  W.  Rome;  8-23-11. 
Reese,  Paul  D.;  45;  dd.  Boozville;   10- 

21-11. 
Sharpe,  Miss  Annie;  35;   11-24-11. 


Mebane,  Mrs.  W.  B.;  27;  bn.  Floyd  Co.; 
dd.  Rome;   11-22-11. 

1912. 

Thompson,  Henry;  86;  bn.  Floyd  Co.; 

dd.  Rome;   1-9-12. 
Moseley,  A.  B.  S.;  72;  2-12-12. 
Jack,   Tony;    72;   2-14-12. 
Gould,   Capt.  J.   P.;   62;   W.   Rome;   3- 

13-12. 
Coulter,   Mrs.;   52;   bn.  Floyd   Co.;   dd. 

Rome;   3-13-12. 
Wood,  Harvey  C;  66;  4-15-12;  16. 
Gresham,  A.   S.;  27;   4-17-12. 
Owens,  Dr.  J.  D.;  dd.  1850;  dug  up  Apr. 

16-12  on  Upper  Broad  and  interred 

in  pauper  section. 
Hughes,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Roach;  75;   E.  3d 

St.;    dd.    4-21-12. 
Mulkey,  Miss  Annie;  51;  dd.  6-15-12; 

16. 
Bright,  Mrs.  Emaline;  69;  6-17-12;  18. 
Vandiver,  J.  M.;  41;  6-19-12;  20. 
Stoffregen,    Mrs.   J.    H.;    89;    Hanover, 

Germany;   dd.   6-21-12;   23. 
reiser,    Mrs.    J.    G.;    79;    dd.    6-29-12; 

July  2. 
Wright,  Mrs.  E.  C;  40;  Polk  Co.;  dd. 

7-3-12;   4. 
Iroutman,  Rev.  Marcellus  L.;  52;  res. 

Athens,  Ga.;  dd.  7-5-12;  7;  Battey 

vault. 
Bowie,  Wm.  Wurts;  32;  7-11-12;  13. 
Ramey,  Geo.;   56;    7-27-12;   28. 
Bowie,  Langdon,  Sr. ;  70;  8-4-12. 
Hunt,  Dr.  D.  G.;  82;  Va.;  8-4-12;  6. 
Simpson,   Capt.   W.    P.;    72;    Tenn;    8- 

12-12;  13. 
Ayer,  Mrs.  W.  F.;  80;  9-4-12;  5. 
Smith,  Mrs.  Hines  M.;  63;  9-27-12;  29. 
Hardin,  Mrs.  Rebecca;  52;  10-29-12;  30. 
Haynes,  Mrs.  B.  T.;  56;  10-81-12;  1. 
Ramsaur,  Dr.  D.  H.;  73;  res.  Atlanta; 

dd.  there;  11-1-12;  2. 
Shrewsbury,  Mrs.  M.  A.;  78;  11-5-12;  6. 
Maxwell,  G.  L.;  80;  11-6-12;  7. 
Wimpee,  M.  A.;   77;   11-23-12;  25. 
Attaway,  M.  K.;  bd.   11-29-12;   plowed 

up  on  N.  Broad  St.  with  3  infants 

26,  in  iron  caskets. 
Shropshire,  W.  M.;  94;  11-29-12;  bd.  1. 
Gould,  Mrs.  Pearl;  28;  12-14-12;  15. 
Howell,  Mrs.  G.  W. ;  92;  Howell's  Cross 

Roads;  12-16-12;  18. 
Twyman,  Mrs.  L.  C;  67;  non-res.;  12- 

28-12;  29. 

1913. 

Unknown  hody  in'  iron  •  casket,  N* 
Broad  St.;  buried  on  C.  Attaway 
lot;  1-1-13. 

Chidsey,  Frances;  16;  1-18-13;  19. 

Hawkins,  Mrs.  J.  H.;   68;  1-23-13;  24. 

Ivey,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  E.;  83;  E.  Rome: 
2-7-13;  8. 

O'Neill,  J.  J.;  69;   dd.  2-9-13;    10. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


609 


"WHEN  MRS.  WOODROW  WILSON  CAME  HOME." 

As  Ellen  Louise  Axson.  Mrs.  Wilson  was  the  schoolmate  and  friend  of  numerous  Romans; 
she  lived  in  Rome  nearly  20  years,  and  on  Thursday.  Aug.  6.  1914.  breathed  her  last  at  the 
White  House  in  Washington.  D.  C.  She  was  buried  Wednesday.  August  12.  beside  her 
parents.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  S.  E.  Axson.  in  Myrtle  Hill  cemetery  at  Rome.  At  top.  the  people 
at  foot  of  cemetery;  Broad  Street  Bridge;  President  Wilson's  carriage  on  Second  Avenue 
near  East  Fifth   Street;   cenietery   scenes. 


610 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Davies,  Mrs.  Anna;  63;  2-22-13;  25. 
Beysiegel,    Mrs.    Carrie;    49;    2-28-13; 

3-?.. 
Smith,  Jas.  A.;  67;  3-10-13;   11. 
Wright,    Mrs.    Carlton;    3-20-13';     23; 

auto  accident. 
O'Neill,    W.   P.;    67;   res.    Atlanta;    dd. 

E.  Rome;  4-9-13;  10. 
Spiegelberg,    M.;    73;    4-19-13;    21. 
Allen,  Mrs.  R.  V.;  4-23-13;  25. 
Grace,    Wm.   T.,   Jr.;   25;    res.   Macon: 

4-23-13;  25. 
Fouche,  C.  M.;  71;  4-27-13;  29. 
Pollock,    Mrs.   J.    G.;    S.   Rome;    bn.   S. 

W.  Ga.;  dd.  5-5-13;   6. 
Boyd,   Dr.   W.   H.;   85;    E.   Rome;    5-8- 

13;  9. 
Mitchell,  Mrs.  Mary;  76;  res.  Co.;  dd. 

5-10-13;   11. 
McGhee,  Mrs.  Joe;  58;  6-11-13;   13. 
v^eal,  Mrs.  J.  Sam;  45;  6-26-13;  27. 
Patton,    Jos.    B.;     64;    Tenn.    dd.    7-3- 

13;   4. 
Saylor,   Elvira;   43;   7-4-13;   4. 
Hudgins,  Mrs.  Mamie;  40;  7-21-13;  22. 
Sproull,  Griuin  Wm.;   35;   res.   B'ham; 

dd.  7-26-13;  28. 
Lawrence,  Geo.  A.;   38;   1  Wd.;   dd.  8- 

15-13;  15. 
Headden.  Rev.  Robt.  B.;  74;  2  Wd.;  8- 

14-13;   16. 
Powers,    D.    J.;    65;    res.    Lyons,    Ga.; 

non-res.;   9-6-13;   8. 
Elliott,   Mrs.  J.   M.;   89;   res.   Gadsden; 

9-16-13;   18. 
Hiles,  Capt.  Thompson;  72;  bn.  Tenn.; 

9-18-13;   19. 
Nealy,    Dr.    Jno.    C. ;    43;    res.    Bain- 
bridge;  9-19-13;  20. 
Keeley,    Mrs.    Grace   Lanham;    29;    bn. 

Rome;  dd.   Macon;  9-19-13;    21. 
Moss,  Wm.  M.;  68;   S.  Rome;  dd.  9-22- 

13*  23. 
Lumpkin,  B.  F.;  63;   S.  Rome;   dd.  10- 

9-13;    10. 
Tracy,   Mrs.   J.   T.;    53;    E.    Rome;    10- 

25-13;    26. 
Drennon,    Mrs.    Charlie;    45;    10-26-13; 

27.     (Oakland  Cemetery). 
Hillyer,  Mrs.  Eben;   11-8-13;   9. 
Plumb,  Mrs.   Mary;  66;   12-3-13;   4. 
Jack,  Miss  Amanda;  79;  res.  Atlanta; 

12-3-13;  4. 
Alexander,    Mrs.   J.   W.;    54;    12-28-13; 

30. 

1914. 

Allen,  W.  C;  79;  1-5-14;  5. 

Terhune,  Mrs.  E.  A.;  66;  1  Wd.;  1-11- 
14;  12. 

Holder,  Mrs.  C.  B.;  66;  S.  Rome;  1- 
13-14;   14. 

Jones,  Mrs.  Maud  Allgood;  43;  Atlan- 
ta; bn.  Trion;   1-15-14;   17. 

Root,  Mrs.  Louise  Bass;  30;  N.  Waki- 
ma.   Wash.;   3-21-14;   28. 


Wicker,   Robt.;    29;    1-27-14;   28. 
Todd,  Mrs.  L.  A.;  61;  5-13-14;  14. 
Brett,    Mrs.    M.    W.;    75;    res.    States- 

boro;  5-20-14;  22. 
Holder,  G.  B.;  70;  6-18-14;  19. 
Ledbetter,    Mrs.    A.    W.;    68;    6-28-14; 

29. 
Hawkins,  Mrs.  Jno.  H.;  74;  2d  Ave.;  7- 

15-14;   16. 
West,  Capt.   Ernest  E.,  U.   S.  A.;   res. 

Rhea   Spgs.,  Tenn.;  dd.  7-17-14;  18. 

Wilson,  Mrs.  Woodrow;  54  yrs.  3  mos., 

22  days;  dd.  at  the  White  House, 

Washington,  D.  C;  8-6-14;   12. 

McWilliams,    Oscar    H.;    75;    E.    Rome 

8-29-14;  31. 
Williamson,    Capt.    Toin   J.;    N.    Rome; 

70;   9-21-14;   22. 
Archer,   W.   N.;    64;    E.    Rome;    10-16- 

14;    17. 
Hamilton,    Mrs.   David    Blount;    78;    1- 

27-14;    28. 
Ross,    Mrs.    A.    F.;    50;    2  Wd.;    11-25- 

14;   26. 
Donkle,  Mrs.  Jane;   86;  res.  Anniston; 

12-7-14;    9. 

1915. 

Reece,  Jno.  C;  44;  dd.  Atlanta;  1-1- 
15;  2. 

Moore,  Mrs.  Mary  C;  82;  res.  and  dd. 
Atlanta;    12-31-15;    1-2. 

Franklin,  Ben;  drowned  in  Oostanaula 
river;  1-3-15;  bd.  5,  Jewish  Ceme- 
tery. 

Clements,  T.  E.;  61;  N.  Broad;  1-13- 
15;  14. 

Alexander,  Col.  Thos.  W.;  88;  3  Wd.; 
1-22-15. 

Gomez,  N.  M.;  70;  res.  and  dd.  Mari- 
etta" 2-3-15*  5. 

Brannon,  R.   S.';   75;  5  Wd.;   3-6-15;   7. 

Attaway,  Mrs.  Joe;  40;  4  Wd.;  3-10-15; 
11. 

Harris,  Judge  Walter;  57;  4  Wd.;  3- 
17-15;   18. 

Ruggles,  Chas.;  55;  3-26-15;  27;  Oak- 
land. 

Hough,  Mrs.  Edward  C;  87;  4-18-15; 
19. 

West,  J.  H.;  73;  7  Wd.;  5-2-15;  4;  bd. 
in   Soldiers'  lot. 

Goetchius.  Chas.  B.;  53;  5-15-15;  16. 

Simpson,  Mrs.  W.  P.;  69;  dd.  Battle 
Creek,    Mich.;    6-23-15;    25. 

Rounsaville,  Mrs.  Jno.  Wesley;  70;  7- 
15-15;   16. 

Ivey,  Dr.  Jas.  E.;  61;  E.  Rome;  8-11- 
15;  13. 

Johnson,  J.  Lindsay;  60;  dd.  Manila, 
P.    L,  July,    1915;    bd.    9-20-15. 

Bass,  Mrs.  N.  H.;  70;  5  Wd.;  9-22- 
15;  23. 

Shropshire,  Sam;  73;  dd.  in  N.  Rome; 
10-2-15;  3. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


611 


Seay,  Mrs.  W.  W.;  79;  10-21-15;  22. 

Sullivan,  Arthur  R.,  Jr.;  31;  dd.  Mem- 
phis, Tenn.;  12-3-15;  5. 

Rowell,  Miss  Bessie;  37;  E.  Rome; 
12-14-15;  16. 

1916. 

Nixon,   Mrs.    Mary    P.;    72;    S.    Rome; 
1-20-16;  22. 
Funderburk,     Miss     Emma;      70;      N. 

1-22-16. 
Chidsey,  Geo.;  64;  1-29-16;  30. 
Wright,  R.  B.;  77;  dd.  Soldiers  Home, 

Atlanta;    2-18-16;   20;    Soldiers'  lot. 
Lewis,   Wm.   M.;    46;    E.   Rome;   killed 

by  car  on  Southern;   3-4-16;   5. 
Gammon,  Wm.  Melville;   75;  E.  Rome; 

3-9-16;   11. 
Funderburk,     Miss     Emma;     70;      N. 

Rome;  4-14-16;  15. 
Condit,  Elmer  J.;  60;  4-15-16;   16. 
May,  Mrs.  Isaac;   50;   4-20-16;  21. 
Best,  Wm.;  46;   S.  Rome;   4-21-16;   22. 
Given,    Mrs.   R.   W. ;    42;    res.   and   dd. 

Oakdale,  Tenn.;  5-7-16;  9. 
Moore,  Capt.  Jim  Tom;  80;  5-20-16;  21. 
Rounsaville,  Fred;  42;  6-6-16;  7. 
McConnell,    Mrs.    J.    P.;    68;    res.    and 

dd.    Chattanooga;    6-12-16;    14. 
Procter,  H.  C;   55;   dd.  Atlanta;  7-12- 

16;   14. 
Seay,  Jno.  J.;  73;  8-17-16. 
Hargis,     Mrs.     Mary     M.;     72;     lived 

B'ham;   8-20-16;   21. 
Howel,   Mrs.   Mary  Park;   53;   8-24-16; 

25. 
Walton,  Mrs.  lone  K.;  72;  res.  and  dd. 

Meridian,   Miss.;    8-27-16;    29. 
Trammell,   H.   C;   71;   N.   Rome;   8-25- 

16;  26;   (Oakland). 
Miller,   Geo.    H.;    80;    9-11-16;    12. 
McDonald,  V.  A.;   38;   S.  Rome;  killed 

by  shooting  in  4  Wd.;   9-17-16;   19. 
Harvey.   Mrs.   S.  P.;   80;   N.   Rome;   9- 

20-16;    21. 
Wright,  F.  Carlton;  48;  9-22-16;  23. 
Hackett,  John;  64;  4  Wd.;  6-27-16;  29. 
Headden,  Mrs.  R.  B.;   7-17-15;   19. 
Hough,   Edward   C;    89;    10-13-16;    15. 
Sullivan,  Mrs.  Arthur  R.;  63;  10-7-16; 

19. 
Crumley,  G.  W.;  64;  res.  E.  Rome;  dd. 

DeSoto   Park;    11-15-16;    16. 
Burney,  Stark  J.;   58;  2-15-17;   17. 
Lanham,   E.   E.;    53;    S.    Rome;    11-20- 

16;  21. 
Elliott,  Ben  H.;  60;  res.  and  dd.  Tenn.; 

11-28-16;    30. 
Prathel^    Mrs.    Georgia    Hodges;'    67; 

lived  and  dd.  Macon;  12-9-16;  10. 
Rounsaville,  Jas.  Roy;  35;  12-21-16;  22. 

1917. 

Satterfield.  W.   J.;    61;    2-3-17;    5. 
Wimpee,  Mrs.   Mary;  64;   res.   Dalton; 
2-17;   3;    (Oakland). 


Burney,   Stark  J.;    58;   2-15-17;    17. 
Dean,    Joel;    34;    dd.    2-13-17    at    San 

Antonio,  Texas;  18. 
Pruden,  Chas.  S.;  57;  2-19-17;  21. 
Coulter,    Clinton;    29;    2-27-17;   28. 
Quarles,    Linton;    35;    res.    St.    Louis, 

Mo.;   2-4-17;   8;    (Oakland). 
Esserman,    Rabbi;       75;     3-14-17;     15; 

(Jewish  Cemetery). 
Ballard,  Tom;   48;   ,5  Wd.;   drowned  in 

Etowah    river,    3-3-17;    found    near 

Cedar  Bluff,  Ala.;    3-24;   bd.  24. 
Wimpee.   John;    71;    4  Wd. ;    4-8-17;    9. 
Bowie,    Mrs.    Langdon ;    70;    res.    Hotel 

Forrest;   4-8-17;   9. 
McGhee,   L.   M.;    34;    dd.  on  train   be- 
tween Chicago  and  Chattanooga;  4- 

17-17;    18. 
Hawkins,  Hal;  64;  E.  8th  St.,  E.  Rome; 

4-18-17;    19. 
Cantrell,    Mrs.    E.   E.;    26;   lived  below 

Mobley   Park;   4-20-17;   21. 
Mullen,  Mrs.  S.    F.;   75;   2d  Ave.;   5-7- 

17;  9. 
McArver,   A.   B.;    59;    E.   3d    St.;    5-9- 

17;  10. 
Steele,  N.  J.;   66;   E.   Rome;  killed  by 

Southern    engine;    5-29-17;    30. 
Neal,  W.  M.;  86;  E.  3d  St.;  6-4-17;  6. 
Dupree,  Mrs.  J.  F.;  71;  S.   Broad;  dd. 

from    fall;    6-5-17;    6. 
Wingfield,  Mrs.  J.   F.;   71;   W.  Rome; 

6-10-17;   11. 
Lindsay,    C.    S.;    75;    res.    and   dd.    At- 
lanta;  6-21-17;   22. 
Attaway,  W.  R.;  65;  dd.  3d  Ave.  room; 

7-13-17;    16. 
Parks,  Hugh   B.,  Jr.;   32;   7-20-17. 
May,  J.  Will;  56;  7-23-17;  24. 
Battey,  Wm.   Cephas;   67;   dd.   Hender- 

sonville,  N.  C;  7-1-17;  8-3. 
Harris,   Mrs.   R.   R.;    80;    S.    Rome;   S- 

3-17;    5. 
Conn,    Rev.    C.    L;    54;    W.    Rome;    8- 

21-17*  22. 
Benjamin,  Mrs.  Frank;   78;   E.  2d  St.; 

8-26-17;  27. 
Govan,    M.    F.;    83;    res.    Atlanta;    old 

age;  9-3-17;  5. 
Seav,  Florida   Bavard;   84;   dd.   N.  Y.; 

9-30-17;    Oft.   3. 
Dempsey,  Richard;  (HI;  1  Wd.;  10-8-17; 

10. 
Shropshire,  Miss  Lillie;  CO;  2  Wd.;  11- 

27-17;  28. 
Jenkins.  Tom;   36;    E.  of   Rome;   pistol 

shot  in  breast;  11-28-17;  .30. 
Fahv.  Thos.;  74;   11-30-17;  1. 
Lansdell,  Mrs.  W.  S.;  SO;  4  Wd.;  12-16- 

17;    18. 
rowers.  Mrs.  W.  M.;  68;  12-31-17;  3. 

1918. 

McCrary,   Mrs.   Mary    Mitrh..ll:   73;    1- 
22-18;  23. 


612 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ROMANS  OF  THE  OLD  SCHOOL  AND  THE  NEW. 

Left  to  right,  Mark  B.  Eubanks,  three  views  of  the  late  Judge  Joel  Branham,  Geo.  Rounsa- 
ville.  Misses  Nellie  Bass  and  Frances  Graves,  Thos.  E.  Clemmons,  the  "young  hopeful  of  hire 
Chief  Horace  L.  Taylor,  Dr.  Jno.  F.  Lawrence,  City  Court  Solicitor  James  Maddox,  with  A.  C. 
Fincher,  mayor  of  Cave  Spring;  Judge  Jno.  P.  Davis,  Nathan  Harris  and  Judge  Harper  Hamilton. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


613 


Hagin,  James;    58;    E.    Rome,  1-26-18; 

27. 
Shropshire,  Capt.  Chas.  Freeman;  U.  S. 

A.;  45;  dd.  Phila.,  Pa.;  1-29-18;  1. 
Morton,  E.  H.;  52;  Floyd  Co.;  2-6-18;  9. 
Stamps,  Lt.   Lofton   H.,  U.  S.  A.;   res. 

and    dd.    Lawton,   Okla.;    burned    in 

aeroplane  accident;   2-8-18;    11. 
Lester,  Mrs.  Bannester  S.;  82;  2-15-18; 

16. 
Webb,   James   Hugh,   U.    S.   A.;    24;    4 

Wd.;  dd.  Memphis,  Tenn.;  aeroplane 

collision;  2-23-18;  27. 
Stansbury,  Mrs.  Josephine;  79;  4  Wd. ; 

2-27-18;   1. 
Fouche,   Mrs.  Robt.  T.;   75;   2  Wd. ;   4- 

14-18;   16. 
Omberg,  Miss  Emma;  64;  1  Wd.;  4-16- 

16-18;    17. 
Omberg,  Mrs.  Susan;  70;  res.  Atlanta; 

dd.   Pittsburg,   Pa.;   4-23-18;   26. 
Arrington,  A.   B.;    49;   4-29-18;   30. 
Trammell,  Geo.  Lee;   40;   N.  Rome;   5- 

2-18;    3;    (Oakland). 
Rupee,  J.  M.;  78;  5  Wd. ;  7-4-18;  5. 
Cox,  Mrs.  Ross  P.;   46;   5-7-18;   11. 
Redrean,     (Redmond?),    John;     26;     5 

Wd. ;  motorcycle  accident,  Cleveland, 

Tenn.;  7-13-18;  15. 
Bass,  Col.  Josiah;  80;  5-25-18;  27. 
Magruder,  Geo.  H.;  52;  8-14-18;  15. 
Harbin,   D.   D.;    70;    C.   S.   A.;    1   Wd.; 

9-17-18;  18;  soldiers'  lot. 
Rounsaville,  Mrs.  Susie;  36;  2  Wd.;  9- 

26-18;  27. 
Gwaltney,    Mrs.    Susan;    75;     2    Wd. ; 

10-1-18;  3. 
Price,  Wm.   Clyde;   26;   U.   S.   N.;   dd. 

of  flu,  Norfolk,  Va.;  10-2-18;  6. 
Johnson,    Raymond;    23;    U.    S.    A.;    4 

Wd.;    dd.    of   flu,    Baltimore;    10-1- 

18;  6. 
Baxter,   Mrs.  W.   H.   Hanson;   28;  res. 

and  dd.  Chattanooga;  10-14-18;  16. 
Wilbey,  Philip  Sheridan;  29;  dd.  of  flu, 

Minn.;    10-19-18;    24. 
Griffin,     Mrs.     Alice    Glover;     34;     W. 

Rome;  10-24-18;  25;  Harper  vault. 
Gwaltney,  Miss  Mary;  35;  E.  Rome;  10- 

28-18;    29. 
Cooley,    Mrs.    Ella;    80;    res.    and    dd. 

Sugar   Valley,  Ga.;   10-28-18;   29. 
Chastain,  T.  C;  46;  E  .Rome;  dd.  An- 
chor   Duck;    10-15-18;    17;     (Oak- 
land). 
Futrelle,   A.   W.;   62;   2   Wd.;   dd.  hos- 
pital, Atlanta;  11-2-18;  4. 
Strange,  Mrs.  W.  T.;  47;  11-6-18;  7. 
Harris,  Walter,  Jr.;   26;   4  Wd.;    11-9- 
Terhune,   Cornelius;    65;   11-6-18;   8. 

10-18;    11. 
Judkins,  Jas.  R.;  33;  res.  and  dd.  Chi- 
cago;  11-20-18;  22. 
Byars,  Mrs.  Hardin  C;  33;  2  Wd.;  11- 

20-18;   22. 


Coulter,   Mrs.   Ben;    33;    1   Wd. ;    11-24- 

18;  25. 
Stillwell,  Oliver;   52;   4  Wd.;    11-24-18- 

26. 
Baumgartner,    C;    69;     S.    Rome;    11- 

26-18;    28. 
Lumpkin,  J.   H.;   60;   4   Wd.;    11-28-18. 
Hallock,  Capt.  Roy  Edgar,  U.  S.  A.;  33; 

res.  N.  J.;  12-27-18;  31. 

1919. 

West,  Mrs.  Mary;  55;  3  Wd.  2d  Ave.; 

1-7-19;  9. 
Broach,    Mrs.  Nancy;   85;   res.  and  dd 

N.   Rome;    1-15-19;    17;    (Oakland). 
Byars,  C.   T.;   26;   S.   Rome;   1-18-19. 
DeJournett,    J.    R.;     75;    res.    and    dd. 

Greenville,    Ga.;    1-18-19;    20. 
May,  Wm.  J.;  53;  res.  and  dd.  B'ham; 

1-28-19;  29. 
Wilkerson,    C.    L.;    50;    5th    Ave.,    X. 

Rome;  2-4-19;  6. 
Arp,  J.  D.;  55;  res.  and  dd.  Floyd  Co.; 

2-8-19;    9. 
Treadaway,    Mrs.    Sallie;    60;    res.    N. 

Rome;    2-25-19;    26;    (Oakland). 
DeJournette,    Mrs.    Jonte    Ragan;    28; 

dd.  N.  Y.;  2-28-19;  2. 
Allen,  Asberry;  78;   res.  E.   Rome;   dd. 

Fla.;  3-6-19;  9. 
McHenry,  Col.  W.   S.;  73;  2d  Ave.;   3- 

21-19;  22. 
Lansdell,    Henry   S.,  Jr.;    41;    res.    and 

dd.  Atlanta;   3-26-19;  28. 
Bowie,  James  Park;   65;   E.   Rome;    4- 

6-19;  8. 
Latimer,  Rev.  A.   H.;  72;   res.  and   dd. 

Savannah;   4-8-19;    11. 
Chidsey,  Lt.  Geo.  B.;  39;  U.  S.  A.;  dd. 

Ft.   McPherson;    5-7-19. 
Adamson,  N.  E.;   69;    1    Wd.;    6-1G-19; 

18. 
Angle,  J.  Y. ;  82;   S.  Rome;  6-30-19;   1. 
Mann,  Mrs.  Mary  Frances;  56;  5  Wd.; 

7-4-19;  6. 
Malone,  D.  T.;  dd.  Mo.,  Julv,  1919. 
Maddox,  Mrs.  Jas.  W.;  69;  7-21-19;  22. 
Graves,  Mrs.  Chas.  L;  79;  8-5-19;  7. 
Archer,  Mrs.  Fannie  Ivey;  61;  E.  Rome; 

8-7-19;   9. 
Walker,    Mrs.    Margaret    E.;    67;    res. 

and  dd.  Atlanta;  8-7-19;  9. 
Hammond.   Dr.   L.  P.;   63;   2  Wd.;    dd. 

St.  Jos.   Hos.,  Atlanta;   8-24-19;   25. 
Williamson,  Mrs.  Theodore  H.;  42;  res. 

and  dd.  Los  Angeles;  8-12-19;  19. 
Brvant.  Mrs.  W.  W.;  48;  8-27-19;  28. 
Simpson.  J.  E.;  76;  4  Wd.;  9-13-19;  15. 
McPeak,  Mrs.  O.;  39;  E.  Rome;  drown- 
ed; 9-23-19;  26. 
Lumpkin.   Mrs.    J.    B.;    48;    Ave.    A.    4 

Wd.;    9-30-19;    1. 
Panchen.   J.    S.;    82;    res.    and    dd.    At- 
lanta;  10-1-19;  2. 
Ledbetter.   Ollie   G.;    43;    2   Wd. ;    10-8- 

19;  9. 


614 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Sharp,    Garnett   W.;    36;    res.    and   dd. 

Macon;  4-22-19;  found  dead  on  cot; 

9-25-19. 
Moody,    Mrs.    Ruth    Howell;    23;    res. 

and    dd.    Tuscaloosa,    Ala.;     10-10- 

19;   11. 
Glover,  Mrs.  J.  A.;  72;  10-14-19;  15. 
Shropshire,    Mrs.    Mary    Bell;    76;    N, 

Rome;  10-27-19;  28;    (Oakland). 
Morris,  J.  M.;  61;  res.  Atlanta;  dd.  St. 

Joseph  Hosp.;   11-3-19;  5. 
Jamison,  Rev.  A.   C.;   65;  res.  and  dd. 

Atlanta;   11-7-19;   8. 
Hillyer,  Mrs.  Elizabeth;  66;  E.  Rome; 

11-19-19;  21. 
Foster,   Mrs.  Lena  McDonald;   49;   res. 

and  dd.  Chattanooga;  12-6-19;   9. 
Lansdell,  Hy   S.;   73;  res.  and  dd.  At- 
lanta;   12-9-19;    11. 
Carey,  Mrs.  James  S.;  95;  E.  1st  St.;  1 

Wd.;  12-13-19;   14. 

1920. 

Beysiegel,  Mrs.  Will.;  57;  1-3-20;  6. 
Landrum,  L.   M.;   70;   res.   and   dd.  N. 

Broad  St.;   1-26-20;   28. 
Jones,  Mrs.  Jno.  R.;  39;  res.  Atlanta; 

dd.  Phoenix,  Ariz.;  2-1-20;  7. 
Green,  Ben  W.;  48;  1  Wd. ;  2-8-20;  10. 
Wood,  Claud  C;   31;  res.  and  dd.  An- 

niston;  2-15-20;   16. 
Woodruff,  Mrs.  Elizabeth;  79;  res.  and 

dd.  B'ham;  2-22-20;  24. 
Braselton,  Dr.  B.  F.;  65;  N.  of  Rome; 

3-6-20;  8. 
Stoffregen,    Charley;    66;    5    Wd.;    3-7- 

20;   9. 
Storey,  J.  L.;  68;  Summerville  Rd.;  3- 

14-20;  16. 
Thomas,  Dr.  J.  D.;  77;  3-19-20;  20. 
Wimpee,    Mrs.    Delia;    66;    4    Wd.;    3- 

31-20;  1. 
King,  Robt.  N.;  43;  res.  and  dd.  Phila. 

Gen.  Hosp.;  3-27-20;   1. 
Cothran,  Guy   S.,  Sr.;   45;   res.  Laven- 
der Mt. ;   burned  to  death  in  house 

at  Subligna;  4-6-20;  8. 
Shibley,    (Shiebley?),   C.    B.;    res.    and 

dd.   Washington,  D.   C;   4-9-20;    13. 
May,  Mrs.  Lula  M.;   50;   E.  Rome;   4- 

18-20;  20. 
Mullen,    Miss   Lula    S.;    52;    S.    Rome; 

May  10-20;  12. 
Agnew,    Mrs.    Emma    S.;    52;    res.    At- 
lanta; 6-14-20;  15. 
McCloud,     (McLeod),    Jas.    F.;    60;    4 

Wd.;    6-21-20;    22. 
Given,  Hughie  C;  87;  3  Wd.;  7-2-20;  4. 
Reece,   Judge   Jno.    H.;    82;    N.   Rome; 

7-19-20;  21. 
Holcomb,  John;  U.  S.  A.;  24;  dd.  Den- 
ver, Col.,  hosp.;  8-30-20;  2. 
Lanham,  Rov  E.;  U.  S.  A.;  dd.  France, 

Oct.,  1918;  9-24-20. 
Hidell,  Miss   Lizzie;    76;    10-16-20;    17. 


Wright,  Mrs.  Ava  Butler;  85;  res.  and 

dd.   Atlanta;    10-4-20;   6. 
Hargrove,   Miss   Linnie;    82;    10-15-20; 

16. 
Washington,  Clifford  D.;  U.  S.  A.;  24; 

E.  Rome;  dd.  France,  1919;  10-3-20. 
Lanham,  J.  Henry;  61;  4  Wd.;   10-23- 

20;  24. 
Steele,    Capt.   Jno.    N.;    U.    S.   A.;    26; 

killed  at  Ft.  Oglethorpe  by  horse  in 

polo  game;  11-14-20;  17. 
Behrens,  Alfred  H.;  67;  1  Wd.;  11-16- 

20;    17;    (Oakland). 
Fleetwood,  Geo.  W.;  82;  C.  S.  A.;  Tul- 
sa, Okla.;    11-17-20;  19. 
Hagin,  J.  S.;  55;  E.  Rome;  12-3-20;  5. 
Trammell,  Mrs.   Henry;   70;   N.  Rome; 

12-23-20;    26;    (Oakland). 
Hine,  Henry  J.;   55;   E.   Rome;   12-30- 

20;    31. 

1921. 

Hardin,  A.   D.;   77;   N.   Rome;   1-8-21; 

10. 
Appleton,   Mrs.  Jessica    Branham;    52; 
res.  and  dd.  Washington,  D.   C.;   2- 
1-21;  4. 
Simmons,  W.  S.;  68;  2-13-21;  14. 
Johns,  D.  B.;  39;  res.  Berry  Schls;  2- 

12-21;    14. 
Garlington,  Mrs.  Annie;  68;  1  Wd.;  2- 

25-2;  27. 
Hughes,  Benj.  L;  67;  3-18-21;  20. 
Bowie,  Jno.   M.;   75;   res.  and  dd.   An- 

niston;  3-19-21;  21. 
Terhune,   Mrs.    Susie  Bowie;   65;   5-23- 

21;  25. 
Maddox.  Mrs.  Frank;   32;   6-13-21;   14. 
Burks,  Peter  D.;  65;   2  Ave.,  1917,  ac- 
cident   Southern    railway,    Ala.;    6- 
21-21 •  23. 
Hamilton,   David   Blount;    61;    "Thorn- 
wood;"  7-7-21;  11. 
Wyatt,  Mrs.  Frances  R.;  61;  8-5-21;  6. 
Shanklin,  Almeron  Walton;  33;  Lieut,. 
U.  S.  A.;   killed  October  15,  1918, 
in  Argonne  Forest  Drive,  France; 
funeral  and  interment  Sept.  2, 1921. 
Sexton,  W.  T.;  70;  4  W.;  9-5;  7. 
Camp,  F.  B.;  26;  U.  S.  A.;  9-21;  21. 
Fickling,  Mrs.  W.  H. ;  53;  10-8;  10. 
Dykes,  Mrs.   Dr.  J.  H.;  80;   10-13;  14. 
Hill,  Hiram  D.;  79;  broke  hip  in  fall; 

10-22;  23. 
Johnson,  Joe;  57;  killed,  10-23,  in  4  W.; 

25. 
Attaway,  Wm.  Jos.;  21;  died  from  bat- 
tle wounds  in  France,  June,  1918; 
11-11. 
Daniel,  Wm.  LaFayette;  69;  E.  Rome; 

11-16;   17. 
Hurt,  A.  F.;  92;  died  11-22  in  Gordon 

Co.;   22. 
Barnes,  George,  68;  killed  by  Southern 
train   at    Tannery,    12-2;    4. 


■u^^^^:^-^  (?7C^ 


616 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


^''Di'AiiiiiLLiiXiA 


MONEY  THAT  WILL  NEVER  COME  BACK. 

Confederate  Government  and  state  bills  in  general  use  during  the  Civil  War,  preserved 
here  as  a  reminder  of  the  South  of  slavery  and  plantation  days.  This  money  gradually 
depreciated  until  at  the  end  of  the  war  a  trunkful  would  just  about  buy  a  square  meal,  if 
such  could  be  found.  Stacks  of  it  are  still  in  the  possession  of  families  who  have  nevei* 
become   reconciled   to    the    new    order   of   things. 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


617 


Norton,   Mrs.   Henry   C. ;   67;    12-8;    10. 
Armstrong,  John ;   40 ;    res.   Floyd   Co. ; 

died    Asheville,    N.    C;    12-10;    12. 
McClure,    Hunter;    35;    U.    S.    Army; 

died    in    France,    1918;    12-14. 
Ross,  Walter;    51;    12-18;    20. 
Hamilton,    Henry;   36;    died    at   Annis- 

ton,  Ala.;   12-24;  26. 
Dougherty,  Wm.;  72;  E.  Rome;   12-31; 

Jan.  2. 

1922. 

Clements,  Cicero  T. ;  80;  E.  Rome; 
1-13;  15. 

Morris,    S.   W.;    65;    1-16;    17. 

Earle,  W.  Cull;  45;  E.  Rome;  1-17;  18. 

Pendley,  John;  26;  died  at  Lindale 
1-21;  22. 

Stokes,  J.  B.;  32;  dd.  at  Anchor  Duck 
Mill;   1-21;  22. 

Battev,  Mrs.  Robert;  91;  dd.  Sunday, 
Feb.  5,  at  400  First  Ave.;  6,  Bat- 
tey  vault. 

Clements,  P.  P.;  75;  2-6;  6,  in  Oak- 
land cemetery. 

Morton,  H.  D.;  31;  dd.  3-2,  in  Shreve- 
port.   La.;   5. 

Sanders,  Mrs.  D.  B.;  67;  dd.  at  Birm- 
ingham,   Ala.;    3-24;    26. 

Dempsey,  L.  A.;  54;  3-30;   Apr.  1. 

Bower,  Jno.  A.;  72;  E.  Rome;  4-8;  10. 

Hughes,  Roy;   38;   dd.  4-8  in  Fla.;    10. 

*Omberg,  Miss  Julia;  80;  4-18;  20. 

Penn,  J.  C;  58;  4-26;  27. 

Burnes,  Hugh;  30;  dd.  5-4  as  result  of 
shell  shock  as  soldier  in  France;  5. 

Parks,  Mrs.  Hugh  B.;  65;  E.  Rome; 
5-13;   14. 


Reece,  J.  Walter;   69;   4  W.;   5-10;   11. 

Jones,  J.  Walter;  30;  killed  by  electric 
shock;   5-15. 

Hawkins,  Weldon  W.;  42;  E.  Rome; 
5-18;    19. 

Quinn,    Mrs.   F.   E.;    62;    5-22;   24. 

Wright,  Jule;  35;  dd.  5-25  in  Okla.; 
28 

Hall,  Mrs.  F.  N.;   36;  5-28;   30. 

Collier,  Mrs.  J.  A.;  82;  Floyd  Co.; 
6-5;   6. 

McLain,  Dan;  65;  dd.  6-5,  in  Atlanta;  7. 

Slaton,  G.  A.;   70;  6-9;    11. 

Branham,  Judge  Joel;  87;  dd.  6-16  at 
101    2d    Ave.;    18. 

Frasier,  Miss  Florence;  18;  4  W.;  6-24; 
25. 

Stribling,  Miss  Catherine;  51;  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.;  dd.  Rome;   7-4;  5. 

Cothran,  Mrs.  H.  D.;  83;  dd.  Wash- 
ington, D.   C;   7-5;   8. 

Glover,  Capt.  J.  A.;  74;  4  W.;  7-7;   9. 

Colclough,  Mrs.  S.  F.;  85;  dd.  7-12,  at 
Carrollton;    13. 

**Wright,  Adaline  Allman;  94;  dd. 
Mentone,  Ala.;   7-24;  25. 

Cherry,  Lemuel;  12;  4  W.;  drowned 
8-10  in  Horseleg  lake;  12;  Oak- 
land. 

McHenrv,  Mrs.  W.  S.;  70;  died  8-18  in 
S.   Ga.;   20. 

Dunn,  W.  M.;  74;  9-1;  3. 

Bradford,  Mrs.  Mary  A.;  88;  9-2;  3. 

*Miss  Ombci-K  was  the  first  subject  of  the  so- 
called  Battey  operation,  performed  at  her  cot- 
tage homo,  015  W.  First  St.,  Aug.  27,  1S72. 
She   (lied    of    organic   heart   trouble. 

**At  the  time  of  her  death,  Mrs.  Wright 
was   probably   the  oldest   white   i)erson   in   Rome. 


MYRTLE  HILL  ADDENDA. 

Little  of  the  following  information  appears  elsewhere  herein.  The  data  was 
taken  from  headstones  and  slabs  because  it  could  not  be  obtained  from  the  sex- 
ton's records. 


The   Axson  lot: 

Jane  M.  Stevens,  born  in  Liberty  County,  Ga.,  Oct.  31,  1814;  died  March  15, 
1897. 

Janie.  wife  of  Rev.  Sam'l.  Edward  Axson,  born  Sept.  8,  1838;  died  at  Rome, 
Nov.  4,  1881.     "Asleep  in  Jesus." 

Rev.  Samuel  Edward  Axson,  who  departed  this  life  May  28,  1884.  aged  47 
years,  5  mos.  For  17  years  pastor  of  the  Rome  Presbyterian  church.  "While  yet  l^ 
the  noonday  of  life,  in  the  heat  of  a  well-fought  fight,  the  Master  called  lum  to 
his  exceeding  great  reward." 

"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Ellen  Louise  Axson,  born  15  May,  1860  at  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  died  6  Aug.,  1914,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  'A  traveler  between  life  and  death 
The  rea.son  firm,  the  temperate  will. 
Endurance,  foresight,  strength  and  skill 
A  perfect  woman,  nobly  planned. 
To  warn,  to  comfort  and  command; 
And  yet,  a  spirit  still  and  bright. 
With"  something  of  angelic  light.'" 


618 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


FLOYD  COUNTY  HOMES  AND  BURIAL  GROUNDS. 

At  top,  the  Philip  Walker  Hemphill  lot  at  DeSoto  Park,  containing  the  first  wife  and 
two  children  of  one  of  the  founders  of  Rome;  the  James  Hemphill-Jones-Jolly  home  on  the 
Cave  Spring  road,  near  which  in  a  private  lot  lie  the  bodies  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Mont- 
gomery; the  Wm.  S.  Gibbons  (Jos.  Ford)  home,  also  in  Vann's  valley,  built  by  Jos.  Ford, 
who    lies    buried    in    the    50-loot    square    lot    seen    at    the    bottom. 


Dr.  Homer  Virgil  Milton  Miller;  born  Apr.  29,  1814;  died  May  31,  1896.  "A 
Christian  who  faithfully  served  his  God,  a  physician  who  loved  his  fellow  man, 
a  soldier  and  a  senator  from  Georgia.  He  never  did  anything  that  caused  a  citizen 
of  Georgia  to  put  on  mourning.  Adsum." 

Rachel  Cheri  Miller,  wife  of  Gen.  Andrew  Miller;  died  Aug.  15,  1841,  aged  58. 

Sarah  Joyce  Alexander;  died  Mar.  6,  1895.  "She  stretcheth  out  her  hand  to 
the  poor,  yes,  she  reacheth  forth  her  hands  to  the  needy." 


1892 


Our  mother:  Sarah,  wife  of  Henry  J.  Dick;  born  May  2,  1820;  died  Jan.  17, 


^ 


^O-^^t:-/ 


J^ 
^"-< 


620  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Henrv  J.  Dick;  born  Mar.  27,  1814;   died  July  22,  1866. 
Hal  B.  Dick;  born  Mar.  17,  1853;  died  Sept.  24,  1894. 
Benj.  A.  Dick;  born  Nov.  26,  1844;  died  Sept.  30,  1868. 


Cunningham  M.  Pennington;  died  Aug.  23,  1885,  aged  73.  His  wife,  Elizabeth 
Freeman;  died  Jan.  5,  1873,  aged  58. 


Jno.  Temple  Graves  lot:  Grandmother,  Lucretia  Calhoun,  wife  of  Dr.  H.  H. 
Townes,  later  of  Dr.  DeGraffenried;  died  1881.  Favorite  niece  of  Jno.  C.  Calhoun. 
A  noble  woman  of  the  old  regime." 


Our  mother:   Mrs.  Sabrey  Hemphill;  born  Apr.  21,  1772;  died  May  12,  1872, 
100  years  and  21  days. 


Dr.  J.  H.  Nowlin;  born  Oct.  20,  1822;  died  May  15,  1871. 


Mary  A.  Choice;  born  Mar.  6,  1809;  died  Oct.  26,  1870. 


Samuel  Gibbons;  born  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  June  17,  1806;   died  Aug. 
27,  1870. 


Susan  Farrar  Shelton;  born  June  12,  1809,  at  Charlottesville,  Va.;  died  Mar. 
28,  1869. 


Fleming  Rice;  born  Mar.  5,  1802;  died  Apr.  24,  1873,  and  wife,  M.  E.  A.  Ar- 
rington;  born  Apr.  21,  1817;  died  Jan.  26,  1865. 


Sarah  R.,  daughter  of  W.  B.  and  Elizabeth  A.  Lowery;  born  July  30,  1851; 
died  Feb.  26,  1856. 


Marina,  wife  of  Thos.  Pollard;  born  Apr.  6,  1800;  died  Apr.  6,  1858.    (This 
was  one  of  the  first  burials  in  Myrtle  Hill). 


Jordan  Reese;  born  June  20,  1842;  died  at  Culpepper,  Va.,  Aug.  18,  1861, 
from  wounds  received  Apr.  21,  1861,  at  the  First  Battle  of  Manassas. 

Louisa  Reese,  wife  of  Dr.  Jordan  Reese;  died  May  13,  1864,  aged  55. 

Dr.  Jordan  Reese;  died  May  10,  1849,  aged  50. 

G.  B.  T.  Moore;  born  Nov.  1,  1833  in  Greenville  District,  S.  C;  died  Mar.  29, 
1861;  M.  H.  Reese;  born  June  3,  1831;  died  May  19,  1863,  at  Rome. 


Dr.  James  R.  Smith;  born  Mar.  3,  1824;  died  July  3,  1857.  (Two  infant  sons 
are  buried  in  the  Smith  lot).   (One  of  first  interments). 

Asahel  R.  Smith;  born  Aug.  20,  1774;  died  June  25,  1875.  (Father  of  Maj. 
Chas.  H.  Smith,  "Bill  Arp"). 


Bayard  E.   Hand,  Lt.  U.  S.  Navy;  born  Mar.  25,  1830,  at  Darien,  Ga.;   died 
July  16,  1885  Wilmington,  N.   C.  "The  anchor  of  his  soul  was  faith  in   Christ." 


Mary  A.  Jones,  wife  of  B.  F.  Jones;  died  Dec.  13,  1862.  "For  so  He  giveth 
his  beloved   sleep." 


Rev.  Jas.  F.  Swanson ;  born  Jan.  27,  1825;  died  Oct.  28,  1869. 
Lt.  Col.  Armistead  Richardson  Harper,  1   Ga.   cavalry,  C.   S.  A.;   born   Mar. 
4,  1835;  died  Oct.  28,  1863.  of  wounds  received  in  battle. 

Roena  Harper;  born  Nov.  17,  1870;  died  Sept.  27,  1894. 


Mary   J.    A.    Selkirk,    relict   of    James    McGlashan,   of    Edinburgh,    Scotland; 
died  Dec.  31,  1870,  aged  79. 


Alexander  McDonald;  born  Apr.  13,  1797,  in  Mcintosh  County,  Ga.;  died 
at  Rome,  Oct.  6,  1879,  aged  82;  Martha  Morton,  wife  of  J.  C. McDonald;  born 
May  5,  1840.  in  Athens,  Ga.;  died  at  Rome  Apr.  1,  1880,  aged  40. 


J.  R.  Stevens;  born  March  22,  1822;   died  Feb.  11,  1871. 

Thos.  McCulloch,  a  native  of  Scotland,  late  secretary  of  the  Cornwall   (Ala.) 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


621 


WAP    OF 

FLOYD 


SCALE      9 
N 


>  COUNTY      M 

MILES   TO  ONE   INCH  /;    ij{]  ^ 

/?;       ;  o 


..    OlIVERETT 
///         ":   I        SPOS 


h-TLT 


OCAVC  SPCS., 

PO  UK  COUNTY 


Langdon  Bowie;  born  Aug.  27,  1800;  died  July  27,  1870. 
Iron  Works;  died  July  22,  1880;  aged  G9. 


Elizabeth   Yarborough,   wife   of  Wm.    Davis;    born    Feb.    27,    1795;    died   July 
30,  1869. 


America  Addaline,  wife  of  Daniel  Walker;  died  J:in.  24,  1871,  at  24. 
John  Robinson;   born  Jan.  8.  1808;   died  Feb.  3,   18G8;  aged  GO. 
Annie  E.    Wright,   only   daughter   of   G.   H.   and   A.    Gardner;    born    Dec.    14, 
1850;  died   Sept.   13,   1878. 

On  the  topmost  peak  of  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery,  looking  to  the  west,  is  the 
heroic  marble  monument  to  the*  heroes  of  the  Confdracy.  On  a  large  pedestal 
stands   a   Confederate   soldier  at   parade   rest,  facing   the  west.      Inscriptions   say: 

"This  monument  is  the  testimony  of  the  present  to  the  future  that  these  were 
they  who  kept  the  faith  given  them  by  the  fathers.  Be  it  known  by  this  token  that 
these  men  were  true  to  the  traditions  of  their  country's  call;  steadfast  in  their 
duty,  faithful  even  in  despair,  and  illustrated  in  the  unflinching  heroism  of  their 
deaths,  the  free-born  courage  of  their  lives." 

"They  have  crossed  the  river  and  sleep  beneath  the  shade." 

"How  well  they  served  the  faith  their  people  know.  A  thousand  battlefields 
attest,  dungeon  and  hospital  bear  witness.  To  their  sons  they  left  but  honor  and 


622  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 

their  country.  Let  this  stone  forever  warn  those  who  keep  these  valleys  that  only 
their  sires  are  dead — the  principles  for  which  they  fought  can  never  die." 

"The  Confederate  States  of  America,  22  Feb.,  1862.  Deo  Vindice.  Erected  by 
the  Women  of  Rome  to  the  memory  of  the  soldiers  of  Floyd  County,  Ga.,  who 
died  in  defense  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  1861-65." 


CONFEDERATE   SOLDIERS'  SECTION. 

In  the  part  of  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  reserved  for  the  deceased  of  the  Civil 
War  are  377  graves,  this  number  includes  81  Confederate  unknown  and  two  un- 
known of  the  Federal  Army.  These  Boys  in  Gray  died  at  or  near  Rome;  most  of 
them  succumbed  to  wounds  or  disease  in  Rome  hospitals,  while  some  were  killed 
in  defending  Rome  against  Sherman's  army  in  May,  1864,  and  in  skirmishes 
before  and  after  that  date.  The  dead  soldiers  sleep  with  their  heads  pointed 
toward  the  beautiful  Coosa  Valley  and  their  feet  pointed  northeastward  toward 
Rome.  Over  the  graves  of  the  departed  are  simple  headstone  slabs  of  gray  marble 
about  20  inches  high. 

In  the  list  are  many  honored  names  from  the  Southern  States.  Included  is  one 
Spanish-American  War  veteran— E.  L.  Ellis,  of  Co.  D,  3rd  Ga.,  U.  S.  Volunteers. 


The  first  abbreviation  refers  to  the  company  to  which  the  soldier  belonged; 
the  second  and  third  refer  to  his  regiment  and  state: 

J.  W.  Grizzard,  K-8  S.  C;  Fred  Wayland,  7  Ala.;  Capt.  A.  C.  Wells,  F-51  Ga.; 

J.  Batson,  G-27  Miss.;  —  Burney, ;  Captain  W.  H.  Lawrence,  8  Ala.  cavalry; 

Melvin, ;  J.  W.  Corprew,  I-l  Tex.  Legion,  Ross'  Brigade;   S.  F.  Mapp, 

A-28  Miss,  cavalry;  J.  P.  Z.  Bragg,  F-8  Miss.;  Lt.  R.  W.  Echols,  Floyd  Infantry, 
8-Ga.;  Quillian  V.  Hayes,  B-23  Ga.;    (died  July  14,  1918). 

J.  F.  Kelley,  D-20  Ga.  (died  Jan.  17,  1909;  65  years  of  age)  ;  J.  R.  Slaughter, 
E-3  Ark.;  J.  J.  Morrison, ;  J.  C.  M.,  G-43  Ga.;  Jasper  Corbet,  G-4  Ga.  cav- 
alry; Albert  Lewis,  A-8  Miss.;  M.  Cornelius,  E-28  Ala.;  H.  H.  Albritton,  B-5  Miss. 

cavalrv;   G.  W.   Woodward,  D-5   Miss,   cavalry;    M.   McGilvray, ;    M.    Rait, 

E-36  Ala.;  Geo.  Rose,  C-6  Tex.;  R.  T.  Bonter,  E-18  N.  C. 

A.  F.  Mauks,  54  Va.;  T.  Tucker,  K-21  Tenn.;  A.  H.  Bradshaw,  C-38  Tenn. ; 
J.  A.  Estill,  D-9  Kv.;  J.  T.  Jowers,  F-46  Ga.;  J.  L.  Turner,  D-1  Ky. ;  Jno.  Phipps, 
D-21  Miss.;  Robt.  Miller,  27  Ga.;  A.  McCrow.  63  Va.;  W.  G.  Austin,  C-19  La.; 
W.  Sanders,  A-63  Tenn.;  J.  L.  Henderson,  F-3  Ga.;  J.  Phillips,  K-47  Ga.;  J.  H. 
Bray.  44  Tenn.;  J.  P.  Nowland,  4  La.  battery;  O.  Miller,  E-36  Ala.;  N.  A.  Basshaw, 
1-54  Va.;  J.  W.  Pratt,  D-54  Va.;  J.  Temple,  G-50  Ga. 

J.  C.  Sheppard,  33  Ala.;  Jno.  Glohasey,  C-11  Tenn.;  C.  D.  Coleman,  A-54  Ala.; 
W.  Griffin,  44  Miss.;  E.  G.  Denton.  25  La.;  W.  H.  Wiley,  K-51  Tenn.;  J.  W.  Lee, 
E-26  Ga.;  N.  Morris,  56  Ga.;  J.  C.  Brown,  B  Fla.;  J.  Durrett,  F-15  Ala.;  D.  R. 
Malo,  F-8  Tenn.;  W.  G.  Stone,  F-45  Miss.;  J.  Ester,  G-50  Ala.;  A.  S.  Wilson,  D-19 
Ala.;  J.  W.  Wells,  D-1  Ala.  cavalry;  P.  B.  Bird,  D-36  Ala.;  J.  Murray,  D-3  Ark. 

M.  Williams,  54  Va.;  James  Gregg ;  Isaac  Moss,  D-24  Miss.;  W.  Keelan, 

1-26  Tenn.;  W.  D.  Bayne,  D-9  Ga.;  J.  R.  Thweatt,  K-17  Miss.;  Jno.  West,  A. 
Hampton's  Legion;  J.  Fulmer,  C-25  Ala.;  F.  Noel,  F-3  Tenn.;  G.  W.  Beach,  C-19 
Tenn.;  J.  Bartlett,  K-28  Tenn.;  G.  B.  Andrews.  H-16  Ala.;  A.  Wyatt  Prior,  K-18 
Tex.;  Chas.  Moster,  F-65  Ga.;  J.  S.  Losey,  F-33  Ala. 

Chas.  Foster.  F-65  Ga.;  J.  G.  Balev,  Ga.  State  troops;  J.  R.  Daniel,  E-26 
Tenn.;  J.  J.  Groome,  E-59  Ala.;  E.  L.  McLendon,  C-36  Ala.;  J.  O.  Hunter,  Pharis' 
Engineers;  J.  L.  Barksdale,  B-41  Miss.;  J.  Meadows,  Saf ton's  regiment;  J.  Cow- 

erel,  B    Tenn.; Phillips,   Va.;    W.    C.    Sparkman,    5-32    Tenn.;    S.    Crevison, 

Cobb's  Ga.  battery;  J.  M.  Hill,  D-58  Ala.;  Sgt.  Curry, ;  R.  B.  Greer,  F-16 

S.  C;  E.  C.  Murdoch,  E-10  Tenn. 

Wm.  Arrowsmith,  B-32  Tenn.;  Jas.  H.  Meneose,  Cynthiana,  Ky.;  J.  S.  Cashan, 
A.  Henderson's  regiment;  D.  Davis,  A-8  Tenn.;  M.  Mahan,  C-10  Tenn.;  A.  S. 
Parker,  H.  Henderson's  regiment;  P.  Wright,  E-1  Ark.;  H.  Rains,  D  Tenn.;  W.  H. 
Purdue,  C-2  Tenn.;  Wm.  Lard,  A-4  battalion;  N.  O.  E.  Stone,  A-10  Miss.;  T.  Jor- 
dan, H-8  Miss.;  Rev.  E.  N.  Poland,  (member  Ga.  Conference,  Methodist  church), 
46  Ga.;  J.  Davenport,  C-8  Tenn.;  J.  M.  Heard,  13  La.  sharpshooters;  T,  Tallison, 
E-16  S.  C. 

J.  Arly,  A-29  Miss.;  D.  Murdock,  F-41  Ga.;  J.  Floyd,  E-16  S.  C;  R.  W.  Rog- 
ers, C-19  Ala.;  W.  E.  Yort,  D-30  Miss.;  J.  H.  Adaway,  H-14  Ark.;  J.  G.  Cowan, 
G-18  Ala.;  J.  R.  Hunt,  H-41  Mss.;  A.  J.  Harwell,  H-3*2  Tenn.;  Wm.  Knight,  B-29 
La.;  A.  Babbet,  G-8  Confederate  cavalry;  A.  Scroggins,  D-18  Ala.;  S.  Tilton,  4—; 


Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  Interments 


623 


FOUR  VIEWS  IN  MYRTLE  HILL  CEMETERY 

Rome  from  the  hill  top.  with  the  Battey  vault  in  the  foreground;  tomb  of  Bcnj  C.  Yan«y. 
United  States  Minister  to  Argentine;  grave  of  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson  <"«-«-„EIIcn  Lou  Ax»on). 
with  headstone  selected  by  the  President;  resting  places  of  some  300  Confederate  soldiers 
who   died    or   were    killed   at   Rome. 


624  A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


H.  J.  Middleton.  D-1  — :  C.  Bruce,  South  Carolina;  J.  H.  McKnight,  G-10  Tex.: 
S.  O.  Young,  C-24  S.  C.  s     ,  , 

S.  L.  Ambrose,  10  Ky.;  J.  Gileas,  A-Ala.;  E.  Herran,  F-24  S.  C;  N.  A.  Ran- 
kin, A-24  Tex.; Wiggins;  David  Phillips,  E-58  N.  C;  J.  C.  Day,  E-6  Tenn.; 

Col.  Jno.  R.  Hart,  6  Ga.  cavalry,  died  Aug.  6,  1886  (shaft  erected  by  comrades  and 
friends)  ;  J.  Phillips,  H-19  Ala.;  J.  R.  Coulder,  A-4  Ark.;  J.  M.  Haynie,  C-6  Tenn,; 
Wm.  Bolton, . 

W.  M.  Davis,  F-28  Ala.;  E.  F.  Gordon,  1-24  Miss.;  E.  S.  Godard,  33  Tenn.;  E. 
Horn,  B-9  S.  C;  B.  Bradwell,  A-30  Miss.;  S.  L.  Jones,  A-31  Miss.;  W.  S.  Bil- 
lingslen,  D-28  Tenn.;  R.  G.  Omen,  C-31  Ark.;  Jno.  Wilson,  29  N.  C. ;  R.  E.  Davis, 
A-26  Miss.;  Jos.   P.  Brown,  D.  Murray's  battery;   Sgt.  Jas.  A.  Currie,  B-9  Tenn; 

Langford,  K-10  Miss.;   B.  F.  Tubb,  K-27  Miss.;   D.  Browman.  F-29  Tenn.; 

J.  W.  Queen, ; ,  K-46  Miss.;  M.  Camp,  G-25  Ala.;  Jno.  Stone,  F-19  S.  C. 

S.  Caldwell,  D-28  Ala.;  D.  Caffman,  C-39  N.  C;  J.  D.  Smith,  39  Ala.;  A.  Sur- 
rat,  4  Tenn.;   Chris  Jones,  1-9  Ky.;   H.  B.  Melton,  E-24  Ala.;  J.  N.   Seyler,  A-30 

Miss.;  A.  D.  Parker,  D-3  Ala.;   Wm.  Carter,E-26  Ala.;  J.  J.  G. ;  M.  S.  Dodd, 

G-22  Ala.;  S.  F.  Graham,  H-27  Miss.;  A.  J.  Jones,  D-39  N.  C;  Jno.  Privatt,  A-44 
Tenn.;  J.  L.  Shepard,  F-10  Tex.;  W.  R.  G.,  Ark.  cavalry;  A.  Reynolds,  H-34  Miss. 

A.  B.  Lane,  D-27  Miss.;  W.  H.  Graves,  10  Tex.;  H.  C.  B.,  A-26  Ala.;  H.  A. 
Cagle,  B-34  Ala.;  F.  M.  Bailey,  G-25  Ala.;  W  B.  Goodwin,  79  Miss.;  R.  Elliott, 
Eufaula  battery;  R.  H.  Bayne,  1-29  Miss.;  D.  Jackson,  E-28  Ala.;  M.  Diton,  C-28 
Ala.;  James  Raney,  F-10  Tex.;  S.  R.  Allen,  E-39  Ala.;  Jno.  Coffee,  C-26  Ala.; 
S.  B.  Nelson,  A-19  Ala.;  S.  M.  Bennett,  H-28  Ala.;  J.  P.  Coins,  25  Miss.;  R.  C. 
Hayes  (born  May  14,  1842,  died  Dec.  8,  1916),  E-1  Ga.  battalion;  W.  M.  Kelly, 
(born  Aug.  1,  1835,  died  Nov.  13.  1909;  four  years  in  army);  J.  W.  Goodwin,, 
B-26  Ala. 

P.  Wnrseburn,  B-Am.  Ga.  Vols.;  J.  C.  Paris,  E-23  Miss.;  Albert  Jones,  1-23 
Miss.;  J.  A.  Stafford,  A-30  Miss.;  A.  M.  Dunn,  K-30  Miss.;  J,  Randolph,  B-25 
Ark.;  R.  J.  Childs,  B-26  Miss.;  Jno.  Hyatt,  A.  Rope's  battery;  W.  Williams,  C-5 
Ark.;  J.  Walton,  27  Miss.;  P.  A.  Vinson,  45  Ala.;  J.  M.  Gray,  B-4  — ;  W.  Denton, 
C-41  Miss.;  J.  Dickey,  H-28  Ala.;  R.  L.  S.,  — ;  W.  N.  McAruilty,  E-19  Tex,; 
Jno,  Hill,  B-29  Miss. 

N.  H.  Sanders,  B-39  N.  C;  E.  Smith,  H-15  Ark.;  C.  Buckner,  E-31  Ala.;  S,  C. 
Smith,  C-30  Miss.;  Jno.  Till,  H-15  Tex.  cavalry;  J,  W.  Armes,  G-23  Miss.;  J,  T, 
McCarthy,  — ;  Ed  Riley.  H  Ala.;  L.  Poe,  D-34  Miss.;  F.  M.  Thornton,  E-8  Tenn.; 
Lt.  J.  M.  Sumner,  B-28  Tenn.;  Capt.  Jno.  N.  Perkins,  Rome,  Ga.,  (born  Dec.  2, 
1822,  died  Feb.  15,  1896;  a  gallant  soldier  and  a  brave  man, 

R,  T.  McGaskill,  L-13  Tenn.;  J.  E.  Hicks,  K-37  Miss.;  J.  T.  Wilbanks,  K-10 
Miss,;  J.  A,  Reeves,  C-4  Tenn.;  W.  N.  Holt,  E-26  Ala.;  M.  McAuley,  D-34  Miss.; 
F.  M.  Robinson.  B-4  Ark.;  F.  M.  Mayhew,  41  Miss.;  R.  E.  Bennett,  2  Ark.;  E.  L, 
Ellis,  D-3  Ga.,  U,  S.  Vols.,  Spanish-American  war  (died  Sept,  3,  1898)  ;  W,  G.  H. 
Howard,  E-1  Mo,;  W,  J.  Smith,  G-19  Ala.;  Jno,  Mull,  B-31  Ark,;  J,  D,  Pullen, 
D-3  — ;  P.  R.  Shipley,  H-37  Miss,;  J.  C,  Betterton,  H-27  Miss, 

C.  Bernard,  G-30  Miss.;  O.  R.  Brown,  A-47  Tenn.;  M.  V.  Warren,  H-8  Miss,; 
Unknown,  28  Ala.;  E.  Hyatt.  C-22  Ala.;  Reuben  Riggs,  31  Ark.;  W.  J.  Steele,  G-39 

N,   C; Cornelius,   B-28   Ala.;   W.   T.    Mitchell,   F-24   Miss.;    B.    O,   Tidwell, 

K-11  Tenn.;   S,  M,  McDonald,  F-7  Miss; Wieb,  C-28  Al:i,;   Mr,  King,  A-25 

Ala,;  J.  C,  Greenway,  D-22  Ala,;  W.  R.  Harowick,  B-19  S,  C;  W.  S.  Dellis,  H-38 
Tenn, 

J.  H,  Young,  A-25  Ala.;  E.  G.  Lester,  A-28  Ala.;  S.  W.  Masters,  1-24  Ala.; 
J.  P.  Vaughn,  D-25  Ala.;  J.  C.  Thehoine.  C-37  Miss.;  J.  D.  Hill,  G-26  Ala;  J. 
Smith,  K-29  Tenn.;  Jno.  McGhor,  E-9  Ala.;  Josiah  Griffin,  —  battery,  — ;  D.  Mc- 
Junkin,  F-19  Tenn.;  J,  M,  Mitchell,  26  Ala.;  O.  W.  Martin,  Eufaula  battery;  A, 
Vaughn,  B-33  Ala,;  C.  C,  Hall,  E-26  Ala.;  D.  Page,  A-25  Ala,;  R.  E,  Howard, 
C-45  Ala.;  W,  J,  Burden,  D-9  Ga.;  W.  M.  Hill,  — ;  J,  H,  Woolbright,  E-41  Miss,; 
J.   R,  Giles,  H-10  S,  C, 

C.  M, ,  G-43  Ga.;  J,  Rachel.  3   Ga.  battalion;    D,  W,   Lane,  F-34  Miss,; 

E.  Glamron,  Walters'  battery;  J.  M.  Breckenridge,  H-41  Miss,;  S.  T.  Warthen,  C-4 
Ala.;  B.  F.  Suttle,  6  Ky.;  H.  Pearce,  34  Ala,;  L  J,  Valentine,  1-39  Ala.;  J.  W. 
Kmgrel,  Biggs'  cavalry  company;  I.  Faulkner,  C-2  Ark.;  H,  M,  Coffee.  K-39 
N.  C;  F,  M.  McAllister,  C-18  Ala.;  T,  H.  Lansdell,  A-24  Miss.;  W,  A,  Aikin,  19 
«J^V,'l-  ^-  Jamison,  E-10  Miss.;  E.  Moore,  K-38  Tenn.;  S  Travis,  H-27  Miss;  J. 
W.  McLowan,  H-27  Miss.;  E.  Hyatt,  C-22  Ala, 


Other  Cemetery  Occupants 


626 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


MYRTLE   HILL   SEXTONS. 

No  record  is  available  of  the  early  sextons,  from  1857,  when  Myrtle  Hill  was 
opened,  through  1873.     The  following  others  have  served: 

1874-1885,  Jas.  E.  Mullen;  1885-7,  W.  Mayfield  Neal;  1887-92,  Jas.  E.  Mullen; 
1892-97,  Peter  David  Roser;  1897,  Fred  S.  House  (ad  interim);  1897-1906,  C.  L. 
King;    1906-12,  Alvin  D.  Hardin;   1912-22,   C.  L.   King    (now  serving). 


THE   PHILIP  W.  HEMPHILL   GRAVEYARD. 
This  mortal  sanctuary  reposes  in  a  grove  of  oaks  and  hickories  on  the  top 
of  the  hill  between  DeSoto  (Mobley)   Park  lake  and  the  street  car  line,  about  100 
yards  west  of  the  old  home  of  Philip  Walker  Hemphill,  and  contains  the  sacred 
dust  of  the  following: 


Elizabeth  Cunningham  Hemphill, 
first  wife  of  Philip  W.  Hemphill,  died 
Apr.  9,  1844;  aged  34  years  and  24 
days.  Two  daughters,  Margaret  Jane 
Hemphill,  who  died  July  3,  1837;  aged 
3  years,  3  months,  14  days,  and  Nancy 
whose  slab  contains  the  date  1841  but 
is  otherwise  indistinct.  Mrs.  Hemp- 
hill's slab  states  that  she  was  for  six- 
teen years  a  member  of  the  Presbyte- 


rian church.  James  M.  Cunningham, 
born  Jan.  26,  1821,  died  Oct.  22,  1851. 
These  graves  are  boxed  over,  with 
flat  slabs  on  top.  Fifteen  feet  north- 
west of  the  four  are  headstone  and 
footstone  marking  the  grave  of  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  G.  Mob- 
ley;  time  and  weather  have  erased  the 
first  name  and  the  dates  of  birth  and 
death. 


THE  JOHN  HUME  CEMETERY. 
This  private  burial  ground  was  established  by  John  Hume,  the  pioneer,  on 
his  country  estate,  "Tantatanara''  ("Running  Waters")  on  the  Southern  railway 
two  miles  north  of  North  Rome  and  about  two  miles  east  of  the  Oostanaula 
river.  It  is  1,500  feet  northwest  of  the  old  home.  In  this  lonely  spot,  nurtured 
by  the  gentle  breezes  and  the  glamour  of  the  long  ago,  sleep  the  following  in 
peace  everlasting: 

John  Hume,  senior,  born  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  Feb.  8,  1798,  died  Rome,  Ga., 
Oct.  19,  1872. 

Ann  Mazyck,  wife  of  John  Hume, 
born  July  10,  1818,  died  May  14,  1881. 
John  Hume,  Jr.,  born  June  24,  1834, 
died  May  11,  1888. 

Ariana  S.,  wife  of  John  Hume,  Jr., 
born  Apr.  6,  1830,  died  Dec.  6,  1878. 

Anne  W.  Hume,  born  Dec.  18,  1831, 
died  Feb.  13,  1884. 

Eliza  Simons,  born  July  29,  1834, 
died  Feb.  4,  1858. 

Isaac  Wilson  Hume,  born  May  3, 
1836,  died  July  11,  1880. 

Chas.  C.  Hume,  born  Oct.  30,  1867. 
died  July  24,  1876. 

Leila  Ada  Hume,  born  May  6,  1858, 
died  16th;   (year  and  month  not  given). 

James  O'Hear  Hume,  born  Apr.  5, 
1851,  died  June  30,   1852. 

Harriet  W.  Hume,  born  July  15, 
1860,  died  May  1,  1862. 

John  H.  Hume,  born  June  24,  1870, 
died  July  9,  1876. 

Twelve  Humes  are  buried  there,  and 
the  only  others  are  two  or  three  of 
,    „  the    children    of   Jim    Berry,   who    used 

THE    HUME    CEMETERY.    North    Rome,    on  ,^     ,.  ,^    „„„,.V.,r         TX^^     Vi^^Ur    nV.UAi'o-n'is 

land    which    was   once   the   home   of   Jno.  ^o   live   nearby.      The    Berry  children  s 

Ridge  and  the  pow-wow  site  of  the  Cherokees.  graves   are   not    marked. 


Other  Cemetery  Occupants 


627 


BEAUTIFUL   SUBJECTS    IN    BEAUTIFUL   SETTINGS 

Graduation  procession  of  Shorter  College,  "Maplchiirst."  1919,  at  top.  The  seniors  are 
accompanied  by  the  sophomores  bearing  daisy  chain,  and  the  sophomores  followed  by  the 
juniors.      In   the   central    picture   Miss   Sarah    Glover.    '22.    drives    the    prizc-winnmg   Shorter   float 


ace 

junio 

in   the   Home-coming   parade,    Oct.    13,    1921 


At    the    bottom    i»   the   prize    float    of    1920. 


6  28 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Judge  William  H.  Underwood,  father 
of  Judge  Jno.  W.  H.  Underwood,  and 
an  important  figure  in  the  removal  of 
the  Cherokee  Indians  west,  sleeps  in 
an  unmarked  grave. 

Dr.  George  Magruder  Battey's  grave 
was  once  surmounted  by  a  flat,  vine- 
covered  slab  which  contained  the  single 
word  "Georg-e,"  laced  there  by  his 
wife,  Emily  Verdery  Battey,  a  native 
of  Augusta.  It  has  been  lost  with  num- 
erous others.  Dr.  Battey  was  born  in 
1826  at  Augusta,  and  died  in  1856  at 
Rome;  aged  30. 

Other  graves: 

John  Henry  Lumpkin,  born  June  13, 
1812,  died  July  10,  1860.  The  shaft  to 
Judge  Lumpkin  is  of  white  marble, 
about  12  feet  high,  and  is  the  largest  in 


OCCUPANTS  OF  THE  OLD  SEVENTH  AVENUE  CEMETERY. 

Note:  The  cemetery  that  usually  goes  by  the  above  title  was  known  to  some 
as  "Oak  Hill."  The  first  burials  appears  to  have  been  those  of  James  McEntee 
and  Mrs.  Rebecca  Mann,  in  1837,  and  the  last  of  Thos.  Jefferson  Helm,  in  1904. 
The  place  was  generally  abandoned  in  1857,  when  Myrtle  Hill  Cemetery  was 
opened  up  by  the  city,  and  since  then  all  but  perhaps  100  of  the  deceased  have 
been  removed  to  the  new  burial  place.  Its  location  is  on  Seventh  Avenue,  three 
blocks  north  of  the  City  Auditorium,  overlooking  the  Oostanaula  river  and  within 
sight  of  the  home  of  Major  Ridge.  Notes  are  appended  below  in  the  hope  that 
the  preservation  of  these  fragments  of  the  past  will  constitute  a  service  and  an 
inspiration  to  future  generations. 

the  cemetery.  On  it  are  Masonic  sym- 
bols. He  was  once  a  member  of  Con- 
gress. 

Dr.  John  Noble's  grave  is  covered 
with  a  raised  slab  of  gray  stone  and  on 
it  is  the  inscription  "Generous  and  just, 
He  lived  and  died  without  an  enemy." 
Dr.  Noble  died  November  16,  1848,  at 
the  age  of  24.  He  was  a  brother  of  the 
second  wife  of  Weems  Berrien,  father 
of  Miss  Frances  Berrien,  of  Rome,  half- 
brother  of  McPherson  Berrien,  of  Sa- 
vannah, whose  only  daughter,  Lou, 
married  Francis  S.  Bartow,  colonel  of 
the  8th  Georgia  Regiment  of  the  Con- 
federacy. 

Robert    Ligon,   born    Feb.    26,    1812 
died  Oct.  23,  1841. 

Esther  Ligon,  born  Dec.  2,  1775 
died  June  10,  1859.  Ancestors  of  Miss 
Lilly  Mitchell,  of  Rome,  Mrs.  Wm 
Worth  Martin,  of  Atlanta,  and  Mrs 
Geo.  Turrentine,  of  Rome.  The  Berrien 
children  are  buried  in  the  lot. 

Mary  Elizabeth  Reeves,  born  Dec. 
12,  1826;  died  Oct.  23,  1847,  only  child 
of  Absalom  E.  and  Eliza  Hall  Reeves. 

Eliza  Hall  Reeves,  born  July  6,  1803, 
died  June  20.  1892.  Mrs.  Reeves  taught 
private  school  on  or  near  Eighth  Ave- 
nue near  cotton  factory  and  W.  &  A. 
R.  R.  Taught  Judge  John  C.  Printup 
and  many  others.  She  and  her  husband 
kept  the  old  Exchange  Hotel  for  a  time 
and  the  old  Choice  House,  where  the 
Hotel  Forrest  now  stands. 

Jas.  H.  McEntee,  died  May  5,  1837, 
aged  4  years,  3  months,  28  days.  This 
lad  was  probably  son  of  Jim  McEntee, 
who  kept  a  store  and  boarding  house 
on  the  north  side  of  Broad  street  where 
the  Martha  Berry  hospital  was  later  lo- 
cated. The  boy  was  playing  near  the 
house  while  workmen  were  putting  up 
lumber,  and  a  piece  fell  and  killed  him. 
A  granddaughter  of  Jim  McEntee  was 
the  late  Mrs.  J.  Aiken  (Rosalind 
Burns)  Gammon.  The  only  daughter 
of  the  McEntees  was  Mary  Jane,  who 
married  John  T.  Burns  of  South  Caro- 
lina, the  father  of  Rosalind  Gammon. 
THE  JNO    H.    LUMPKIN   SHAFT    in   the  m^.  McEntee  was  an  Irishman  and  his 

old   cemetery,   beneath   which   sleeps   a   jurist  .,  ,  ,.«    ,  »  i_        n 

and  Congressman.  Wife  a  beautiful  woman  of  great  renne- 


Other  Cemetery  Occupants 


629 


ment.  Martha  Baldwin  Smith,  living  on 
the  Alabama  Road  opposite  the  Shorter 
College  lot,  used  to  spend  nights  at  the 
McEntee's  when  it  was  too  late  to  re- 
turn home  from  school,  and  Mr.  McEn- 
tee  would  bounce  her  and  Mary  Jane 
on  his  knee.  Mr.  McEntee  in  "his  de- 
clining years  lived  on  a  farm  on  the 
Etowah  River  near  the  W.  &  A.  R.  R.. 
where  his  daughter  Avas  wooed  and  won 
by  J.  Aiken  Gammon. 

Henry  Montague  Burns,  son  of  Wil- 
liam O.  and  Mary  J.  Burns;  born  June 
1853.     Died 

Mrs.  Mary  Amanda  Wood,  died  Aug. 
2,   1856;  29  years   old. 

Jacob  B.  Slavey  (of  Seavev).  born 
April  12,  1817,  died  Jan.  19,  1852. 

Solomon  Stanberry,  born  Mar.  7, 
1826,   died   Feb.    24,   1856. 

Mrs.  Eliza  T.  Mobley,  died  Jan.  31, 
1857  (?)  at  38  years.  A  Mobley  in- 
fant rests  nearby. 

Two  sisters  lie  side  by  side.  Sallie 
R.  Freeman  died  June  27,  1878  at  20, 
and  Mary  Joe  Freeman  Oct.  30,  1876,  at 
11  years.  "So  through  the  clouds  their 
spirits  passed  into  that  pure  and  un- 
known world  of  love  where  suffering 
cannot  come." 

Mary  T.  Freeman,  born  Dec.  16, 
1830;   died  Sept.  23,  1900. 

John  R.  Freeman,  born  Apr.  12,  1821, 
died  June  7,  1896. 

Dennis  Parke  Hills,  born  Jan.  20, 
1818,  died  Mar.  15,  1856,  and  Jonah  C, 
1  vear  old. 

Henry  E.  Hills,  born  Oct.  18,  1851; 
died  Jan.  14,  1864. 

Ann  Eliza  Hills,  born  Oct.  27,  1846; 
died  Mar.  5,  1847. 

Dennis  Hills,  born  Leominster,  Mass., 
May  6,  1800,  died  Mar.  11,  1868;  mar- 
ried Eliza  A.  Henderson,  Dec.  4,  1834. 

Mrs.  Fannie  E.  Perry,  consort  of 
Thos.  J.  Perry,  born  Feb.  22,  1834,  died 
July  2,  1856;  23  years,  4  months,  11 
days.  Mr.  Perry  was  Rome's  postmas- 
ter for  a  long  time;  his  wife  was  kin 
to  the  Ombergs  of  Rome.  Her  gi'ave 
has  a  flat  marble  slab  over  it. 

Mrs.  Mary  Rogers,  born-  Aug.  8, 
1799,  died  May  3,  1876.  Sister  of  Miss 
Linnie  Hargrove's  mother;  aunt  of 
Zachariah  B.  and  Rob  Hargrove  and 
Mrs.  Wm.  Fort.  Was  mother  of  Jobe 
Rogers.  She  lived  at  one  time  in  the 
John  J.  Seay  home,  built  by  the  Forts, 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Second  ave- 
nue and  E.  Fourth  street.  Was  noted 
for  keeping  her  home  in  perfect  order. 

James  R.  Ihlv.  born  Apr.  18,  1815, 
died  Nov.  4,   1851. 

Anna  Johnston,  born  May  2,  1797, 
died  June  25,  1852. 


Elizabeth  E.  and  John  Summers, 
infants. 

Athaliah  Adaliza  Johnson,  died  Oct. 
9,  1839;    5   years,   11    months,   14  days. 

Robertus  Johnson,  died  Oct.  5,  184"3; 
17  years,  6  months,  27  days. 

Jacob  Herndon,  died  May  11,  1855; 
52  years,  7  months,  6  days. 

James  M.  Herndon,  died  Feb.,  1856; 
29  years.  3  months,  19  davs. 

Mattie  Saurie,  died  Oct*  4,  1869;  22 
years  old.  Cynthia  M.  Saurie,  died 
Sept.  9,  1853;  15  years.  Mrs.  Selma 
Saurie,  died  Mar.  3,  1895;  83  years,  9 
months.  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight; 
I  have  finished  my  course;  I  have  kept 
the  faith."  Richard  E.  Saurie,  died  Feb. 
13,  1850;  34  years.  Mrs.  Selma  Saurie 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  lived  near  the  present  home  of  Mrs. 
Naomi  P.  Bale. 

Mary  E.  Winfrey,  wife  of  John  B. 
Winfrey,  died  Sept.  1837,  in  the  John 
Ross  home.  Fourth  Ward,  aged  21 
years.   11  months,  29  days. 

Mrs.  Anna  S.  Eddelman,  wife  of  A. 
M.  Eddelman,  born  Nov.  24,  1830,  died 
June  21,   1863. 

David  Rounsaville,  son  of  David  and 
S.  Rounsaville,  born  Nov  16,  1802,  died 
Nov.  22,  1845.  Sarah  Ann  Rounsa- 
ville, wife  of  David  Rounsaville,  born 
Mar.   12,   1818,  died   Feb.   4.   1867. 


REV.  SAMUEL  KDWARD  AXSON.  the  fntlicr 
of  the  first  Mrs.  Woodrow  Wilson,  and  Icad- 
itiK    Prosbytt-rian    divine,   once  of  Aiijfiistn. 


630 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


A  GLIMPSE  OF  THE  ABANDONED  CEMETERY. 

This  property  belongs  to  the  city  and  holds  the  sacred  dust  of  many  old  Romans  famed 
in  song  and  story.  A  movement  has  been  started  to  preserve  it  like  Colonial  Park  in  Sa^ 
vannah,  and  to  connect  it  with  the  city's  extensive  tract  on  Ft.  Jackson  Hill.  Land  in  this 
neighborhood  can  now  be  had  at  a  reasonable  price,  and  it  is  in  the  direct  path  of  the  city's 
logical   growth. 


Mrs.  Elizabeth  Rounsaville  Conger, 
wife  of  Abijah  Conger,  aunt  of  J.  A. 
Rounsaville,  born  June  21,  1800,  died 
May  16,  1872. 

Sophia  Amanda  Cooper,  died  Nov. 
16,  1845;  aged  20  years,  6  months,  10 
days. 

Jos.  R.  Scroggs,  died  Sept.  5,  1847; 
aged  29   years,  4   months,    12   days. 

Margaret  L.,  wife  of  Allan  A.  Wil- 
liams and  eldest  daughter  of  Jno.  M. 
Berrien,  born  Sept.  15,  1804,  at  Sa- 
vannah, died  Dec.  5,  1851,  at  her  resi- 
dence in  Cass  county. 

Thos.  S.  Wright,  son  of  Augustus  R. 
and  A.  E.  Wright,  born  Feb.  14,  1850, 
died  Feb.  23,  1866 ;  son  of  Judge  Wright 
and  Mrs.  Wright;  said  to  have  been  a 
brilliant  speaker,  though  only  16; 
brother  of  Seaborn  and  Moses  Wright. 

Emeline,  infant  daughter  of  A.  R. 
and  A.  E.  Wright,   died   1856. 

Jno.  L.  Holbrook,  died  May  10,  1872; 
54  years  old.  Sarah  C.  Holbrook,  died 
May  12,  1882;  53  years  old. 

"Johnnie"  (on  3-foot  pyramid,  with 
no  other  information). 

E.  A.  Spullock  (mother),  born  Oct. 
22,  1823,  died  Mar.  15,  1892.  J.  (Jas.) 
M.  Spullock,  (father),  born  Nov.  19, 
1816,  died  Dec.  5,  1883.  The  parents  of 
Misses  Fannie.  Ida,  Callie  and  Jessie 
Spullock  and  of  Jamse  Spullock.  Also: 
"In  memory  of  our  little  boy,  Owen  H. 
Spullock,  died  Nov,  1,  1852;  2  years, 
7  days  old." 

Rev.  John  Hendricks,  a  Baptist  min- 
ister, died  June  18,  1856;  aged  56. 

The  following  inscriptions  are  on  the 
monument  of  Dr.  Hendricks :  "Thus  he 
sleeps,  like  one  who  draws  the  drapery 
of  his  couch  about  him  and  lies  down 
to  pleasant  dreams."  "He  was  lovely 
and  pleasant   in   his  life  and  his  body 


rests  beneath  this  memorial.  This  mon- 
ument is  reared  by  his  beloved  widow 
and  orphan  children  as  a  testimonial  of 
a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  like 
Enoch,  walked  with  God,  like  Abraham 
attained  the  righteousness  of  faith, 
and  like  Paul  finished  his  course  with 
joy." 

J.  Thos.  Hendricks,  born  March  7, 
1839,  died  May  14.  1851. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hendricks,  died  Jan. 
19,  1873;  aged  63.  "Illustrious  as  wife, 
mother  and  Christian.  Our  hope,  Je- 
sus." 

Mrs.  Rebecca  Mann,  died  Feb.  7, 
1837;  at  74  years;  gn'andmother  of 
Mrs.  Hiram  Hill  and  ancestor  of  her 
descendants.  "She  died  as  she  had 
lived,  a  Chirstian.  Let  this  slab  pro- 
tect her  dust.    God  shall  bid  her  arise." 

Thomas  Hamilton,  M.  D.,  born  Mar. 
18,  1790,  died  Oct.  9,  1859.  A  Mason 
and  a  Quaker;  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Annie  Freeman  Johnson  and  Mrs.  Ju- 
lian Gumming;  moved  from  near  Car- 
tersville,  Cass  county,  to  Rome.  His 
wife,  a  Miss  Glower,  was  a  Methodist. 
Grandfather  of  Telemon  Cruger  Smith- 
Guyler,  who  lives  on  Glower  place  at 
Wayside,  Ga.  Ancestor  of  Rome  Ham- 
iltons. 

Mrs.  Malinda  Hamilton  (nee  Malin- 
da  Glower),  born  June  4,  1803,  died 
June  27,  1882.  Was  mother  of  Mrs. 
D.  Mack  Hood,  mother  of  Mrs.  Joel 
Branham. 

George  P.  Hamilton,  M.  D.,  a  Ma- 
son, born  Nov.  11,  1825,  died  June  7, 
1859. 

George  Thomas  Hamilton,  born  May 
23.  1831.   died   Nov.  5,  1851. 

Wm.  Scott,  infant  son  of  C.  A.  and 
Madeline  Hamilton,  born  Jan.  30,  1853, 
died  April  28,  1853. 


Other  Cemetery  Occupants 


631 


Rosa  Hardin  Helm,  died  Apr.  21, 
1900;  aged  45  years.  Thomas  Jefferson 
Helm,  born  April  17,  1840;  died  May  17, 
1904.  Was  from  Columbia,  Tenn.,  and 
friend  of  J.  W.  Ewing;  kin  to  Spul- 
locks. 

Rebecca  Cloud  Hardin,  died  Aug.  9, 
1880;  66  years  old. 

Peter    Reagan    and    Nancy    Reagan, 


dates  of  birth  and  death  blank. 

Mrs.  Rachel  L.  Meigs,  born  July  4, 
1816,  died  Apr.  22,  1877.  Was  Rachel 
Reagan. 

Charlotte  E.  Brown,  died  Sept.  7, 
1845;  aged  21  years.  4  months.  12  days. 

Prunella  (?)  daughter  T.  J.  and  M. 
V.  Treadaway,  died  Dec.  1,  1831;  1 
year,  16  days. 


THE  JOSEPH  WATTERS  BURIAL  GROUND. 
On  the  Calhoun  Road,  six  miles  north  of  Rome,  in  Ridge  Valley.  Watters 
District,  is  the  resting  place  of  the  rugged  pioneer,  Joseph  Watters,  and  most  of 
his  descendants  who  have  gone  to  their  reward.  It  is  near  the  Watters  and  Rush 
homes  and  Floyd  County  Model  School.  Eight  of  the  graves  are  located  by  small 
rock  markers,  and  the  other  stones  bear  the  following  inscriptions: 
Joseph  Watters,  born   Feb.  24,  1792,         1839,  died  Aug.   13,   1811;    Sarah    Cor- 


died  Mar.  1,  1866;  Elizabeth  Watters, 
(his  wife),  born  June  23,  1779,  died 
Feb.  19,  1881;  William  Watters,  born 
Mar.  20,  1820,  died  Sept.  7,  1886;  Su- 
san Antoinette  Watters,  born  Nov.  12, 


nelia  Watters,  wife  of  James  :\I.  Wat- 
ters, born  Aug.,  1850,  died  May.  1914; 
Thos.  Jackson  Davis,  born  July  9, 
1862,  died  July  23,  1909.  and  an  in- 
fant son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thos.  Jackson 
Davis,  died   Mar.  9,  1906. 


HEBREW   CEMETERY  INTERMENTS. 

A  partial  list  of  well-known  persons  buried  in  the  Jewish  Cemetery,  near 
Silver  Creek  in  South  Rome,  follows : 

Ed  J.  Esserman,  died  Dec.  21,  1907;  David  Esserman,  died  March  14.  1917; 
Moritz  Spiegelberg,  died  April  19,  1913;  Benj.  Franklin,  died  Jan.  2,  1915;  Phillip 
Cohen,  died  Nov.  30.  1886;  Henry  Kuttner,  died  June  4,  1890;  Jacob  Kuttner,  died 
May  16,  1905;  F.  Abramson,  died  April  2,  1922. 


J^gniappe 


LANGLEY  RAPS  SNOBBERY. 

By  Lee  J.  Lav y ley. 

These  be  evil  days  for  snobs  and 
snobbery.  Practically  all  the  authors 
of  the  late  popular  books  have  turned 
the  X-ray  on  the  warped  and  festering 
torso  of  the  snob,  and  the  public  has 
first  laughed  at  his  puny  soul,  and  then 
grieved  over  his  misfortune. 

The  moving  pictures  are  beginning  to 
hold  him  up  to  ridicule  and  scorn,  and 
to  portray  him  as  a  social  blight  and  a 
public  nuisance. 

His  neighbors,  at  the  risk  of  giving 
offense,  are  courageously  trying  to 
purge  the  community  of  him.  During 
the  past  week  George  Battey  took  a 
well-aimed  shot  at  his  nest,  as  did  like- 
wise my  conservative  friend.  Editor 
Clair  Rowell.  Mr.  Battey  called  the 
practice  of  snobbery  the  "old  order"  of 
things,  and  declared  we  must  abandon 
it.  Editor  Rowell  called  it  provincial- 
ism, and  said  we  must  modernize  with 
the  times. 


I  call  it  plain  damphoolishness; 
symptoms  of  a  cripi)k'(l  mentality. 

Edith  Wharton's  book.  "Tlie  Age  of 
Innocence,''  took  the  Pulitzer  prize 
of  $1,000  for  the  best  book  of  1920  por- 
traying American  character  and  tiadi- 
TJ^os.  Jackson  Davis,  born  July  9, 
Innocence"  says  of  the  snob: 

"Cultui'e!  Yes,  if  you  only  had  it! 
But  there  are  just  a  few  little  hual 
patches,  dying  out  here  and  there  for 
lack  of — well,  hoeing  and  cross  ferti- 
lizing; the  last  remnants  of  the  old  Eu- 
ropean traditions  that  your  forelx-ars 
brought  with  them.  But  you're  in  a 
pitiful  little  minority.  You've  got  no 
center,  no  competition,  no  audience. 
You're  like  the  pictures  on  tlie  walls 
of  a  deserted  house;  the  iior trait  of  a 
gentleman.  You'll  never  amount  to  any- 
thing, any  of  you.  till  you  roll  up  your 
sleeves  and  get  right  down  into  the 
muck.     That,  or  emigrate." 

Sinclair  Lewis,  in  his  "]\Iain  Street." 
asks,  "Why  try  to  reform  them  when 
dvnamite   is   so  cheap?" 


632 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


Snobbery  cost  Chas.  Evans  Hughes, 
now  Secretary  of  State,  the  presidency 
of  the  United  States.  California  was 
safe  for  Hughes,  but  against  the  ad- 
vice of  his  friends,  Hughes  went  to 
California.  When  he  got  there  he  clos- 
eted himself  with  the  silk  hat  and  kid 
gloved  crowd  and  refused  to  receive 
the  "wool  hat'"  boys.  The  wool  hat- 
ters openly  swore  vengeance,  and 
Hughes  lost  California,  which  alone 
cost  him  the  presidency.  His  campaign 
manager,  Mr.  Wilcox,  was  an  icicle 
personified. 

Correspondents  say  that  this  taught 
Mr.  Hughes  a  lesson,  and  that  today 
he  is  the  most  amiable,  approachable 
and  most  democratic  official  in  Wash- 
ington,   except   the    president. 

Snobbery  cost  the  late  A.  0.  Bacon 
the  governorship  of  Georgia.  At  a  po- 
litical speaking  at  Jug  Tavern,  now 
Winder,  a  farmer's  wife  asked  Mr.  Ba- 
con to  buy  four  pairs  of  wool  socks  for 
$1,  which  she  had  knit  herself.  Mr. 
Bacon  frowned  and  asked  her  what  on 
earth  she  thought  he  wanted  with  that 
kind  of  sock, — that  he  wore  only  silk 
socks.  That  settled  Bacon's  chances  of 
election.  Mr.  Bacon  heard  of  his  snob- 
bish "bust"  when  it  was  too  late.  This 
taught  him  a  lesson — he  reformed  and 
a  few  years  later  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  Senate  and  made  Geor- 
gia one  of  the  greatest  Senators  in 
her  history. 

It  gives  me  genuine  pleasure  here  to 
pay  high  tribute  to  the  character, 
statesmanship  and  intellect  of  the  late 
Senator  Bacon;  he  simply  made  the 
mistake  in  his  early  career  of  being 
snobbish,  or  appearing  so,  and  paid  the 
penalty  that  some  mighty  good  men 
with  political  ambitions  living  not  a 
thousand  miles  from  Rome  must  pay, 
unless  they  reform. 

It  never  offends  me  for  a  fellow  to 
make  it  known  that  he  thinks  he  is  too 
good  to  associate  with  me;  it  only 
makes  me  laugh.  It  would  not  offend 
me  if  he  should  come  out  and  tell  me 
so.     I  would  laugh  all  the  more. 

I've  got  a  trap  set  for  whatever  there 
may  be  of  snobbery  in  Rome.  I'm  go- 
ing to  catch  it  in  whichever  direction 
it  moves,  and  if  it  assays  up  to  any 
appreciable  standard,  three  or  four  of 
us  are  going  to  plan  a  snipe  party  for 
the  snob  victims,  either  political,  so- 
cial, financial  or  commercial,  accord- 
ing to  the  particular  turn  the  snobbery 
takes,  and  then  there  will  be  another 
story  to  tell. 

There  is  no  snob  in  the  world  who 
won't  fall  for  a   snipe  hunt. — 8-12-21. 


SNIPE    HUNT    PLANS. 
By  Lee  J.  Langley. 

George  Battey  asked  me  in  his  col- 
umn last  Sunday  when  I  am  going  to 
stage  my  snob  snipe  party. 

That  must  depend  on  conditions  and 
circumstances,  George.  I  haven't  got 
my  snob  covey  rounded  up  yet.  I  have 
a  little  bunch  of  about  a  half  dozen 
real  nice  juicy  ones  nibbling  around 
my  trap,  but  they  are  a  little  chary  of 
my  bait.  I've  got  a  slow  and  rather 
new  delivery  and  they  are  not  quite 
certain  just  when  and  where  my  re- 
lease will  cut  the  plate.  I  ran  across 
what  appeared  to  be  a  fine  specimen 
of  the  breed  the  other  day  and  he 
looked  sick  and  sort  of  locoed,  but  when 
I  got  him  square  in  the  eye  he  gave 
me  a  belligerent  and  defiant  stare. 

I  have  been  hoping,  and  am  hoping 
yet,  that  the  lonesome  little  school  of 
the  tribe  we  have  here  will  reform 
and  sign  up  for  life  in  the  HE -man 
league,  challenge  success  and  fortune 
on  their  own  merits  and  add  luster  and 
renown  to  the  family  names  and  con- 
nections instead  of  swashbuckling 
aiound  in  a  circle  and  trying  to  collect 
dividends  enough  to  live  off  the  capital 
of  the  good  name  left  them  by  two- 
fisted,  fighting  and  successful   fathers. 

Considerable  preliminary  prepara- 
tion will  have  to  be  made  before  we 
can  stage  the  first  snipe  party.  I  have 
heretofore  said  that  snobbery  is  a 
mental  disease,  and  there  are  several 
types  of  it,  and  each  case  demands  a 
different  treatment. 

There  is  the  political  snob  who  be- 
lieves that  by  reason  of  his  inherited 
preferment,  or  superior  ability  and 
qualifications,  he  is  entitled  to  all  the 
political  honors  in  sight.  This  chap 
is  afraid  to  let  anybody  else  advance 
or  advantage  in  any  place  or  position 
for  fear  it  would  in  some  way  inter- 
fere with  himself.  He  quietly  stabs 
his  most  promising  neighbor  on  every 
occasion. 

To  handle  this  bird  we  would  have 
to  get  some  of  my  pals  in  Washington 
to  wire  him  to  come  on  to  the  capitol 
and  sign  a  receipt  for  the  Rome  post- 
office  or  take  a  place  as  assistant  to 
Charles  Evans  Hughes,  Secretary  of 
State.  We  would  have  to  give  him  a 
big  torchlight  parade  before  he  left, 
and  otherwise  in  a  most  public  man- 
ner show  our  appreciation  of  his  great- 
ness. Also  we  would  have  a  mighty 
big  reception  committee  meet  him  at 
the  Union  station,  as  well  as  a  bunch 
of  correspondents  to  tell  the  world  how 
it  all  came  out. 


Miscellaneous — Lagniappe 


633 


Then  we  have  in  some  unfortunate 
spots  in  this  bij?  world  the  financial 
snobs  who  get  themselves  attached  to 
a  little  2x4  bank  of  some  kind,  with 
about  enough  capital  to  finance  a  good 
Chinese  laundry  and  work  themselves 
up  into  the  conviction  that  they  are 
Napoleons  of  finance.  These  are  the 
beauty  boys. 

For  this  kind  we  would  have  some  of 
the  bunch  in  New  York  wire  them  that 
their  distinction  as  bank  executives 
and  renowed  financial  abilities  had 
attracted  the  attention  of  Wall  Street 
and  that  they  had  been  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  National  City  Bank  (the 
New  York  National  City  Bank)  to 
succeed  Jim  Stillman  and  that  they 
were  requested  to  report  as  early  as 
possible  to  take  charge  of  "the  biggest 
bank  in   America." 

Now  we  would  have  to  give  this  bug 
a  big  banquet  where  he  could  hear  his 
praises  sung  as  he  has  murmured  them 
to  himself  since  his  first  infection, 
and  appoint  a  committee  to  go  with 
him  and  see  him  at  last  enter  upon  his 
own;  also  to  rescue  him  from  the  ob- 
servation ward  of  Bellevue  hospital 
following  the  close  of  his  argument 
with  the  bank  officers. 

The  social  snob  is  of  course  the 
catch-as-catch-can  champion  of  all  the 
snobs  on  earth.  He  has  been  one  of 
the  chief  nuisances  of  civilization  ever 
fcince  the  Mayflower  bumped  its  nose 
against  Plymouth  Rock.  He  has  added 
to  the  gaiety  of  all  nations,  and  we 
have  a  very  few  specimens  of  him  left, 
the  age  of  social  democracy  notwith- 
standing. 

He  has  a  brain  about  as  big  as  a 
hummingbird's  and  the  nerve  of  a 
Fatty  Arbuckle.  He  is  a  third  or 
fourth  sprout  sprung  from  a  good 
strong  original  stock  that  went  to  seed 
in  the  last  generation  and  left  only 
this  fibrous  sprig  that  is  not  strong 
enough  or  hardy  enough  to  ever  reach 
maturity. 

We  would  have  to  tip  the  boys  off 
down  in  Atlanta,  or  Athens,  to  recog- 
nize his  social  position  and  superior- 
ity by  giving  a  big  reception  in  liis 
honor  to  which  would  be  invited  all 
the  exclusive  social  queens  and  raging- 
social  lions  of  the  state.  Wouhl  he 
fall?  Say,  will  a  hobo  take  chicken 
pie? 

Also  we  have  the  church  snob.  The 
sleek,  smiling,  pawing  and  parading 
hypocrite  who  wants  to  pose  as  the  one 
big,  controlling  church  leader.  He 
arrays  himself  in  his  cutaway  or 
Prince    Albert,    gets    to    church    before 


anybody  else,  takes  charge  and  gives 
general  directions  to  all  comers  He 
cant  be  comfortable  in  a  seat  where 
be  will  not  hold  the  spotlight  all  the 
time;  he  stands  around' the  walls  goes 
from  one  department  of  the  services  to 
another  frowns  on  some  things  and 
smiles  his  approval  on  others.  His 
ambition  is  to  have  the  world  recog- 
nize and  acknowledge  him  as  the  lead- 
er of  some  big  influential  church  and 
congregation. 

This  class  of  snob  is  as  jealous  and 
envious  of  every  possible  competitor 
tor  church  honors  as  a  first  violinist 
IS  of  the  orchestra  leader.  He  would 
murder  the  best  Christian  on  earth  for 
getting  m  his  way  if  he  just  dared  to. 

I  have  never  tried  to  handle  one  of 
these  snobs  and  must  work  out  a  pro- 
gram. I  have  wanted  to  slay  a  few  of 
them. 

But,  George,  be  patient;  this  cam- 
paign is  on  to  stay.  There  is  no  room 
:n  the  good  old  world  for  anvbody 
these  days  except  real  men,  working 
men,  accomplishing  men  and  unselfish 
men,  and  if  there  are  others  they  must 
reform    or    emigrate. — Sept.    20,'    1921. 

TOWN   ANALYSIS. 
By  Robt.  H.  Clagett. 

Whenever  anybody  residing  in  a 
town  or  city  undertakes  the  analysis 
of  the  characteristics  and  peculiari- 
ties of  the  place,  he  is  sure  to  create 
considerable  comment.  Such  analyses 
provide  the  focus  for  a  subject  of  con- 
versation that  almost  everybody  de- 
lights in — a  subject  in  which"  they 
themselves  are  the  characters  to  be 
talked  about.  Lee  Langley,  ex-newspa- 
per man  and  clever  writer,  has  started 
such  conversation  in  Rome  by  his  re- 
cent articles  in  which  he  undertook 
to  reveal  some  of  the  characteristics 
of  Rome  and  Romans,  neither  shunning 
the   bad   nor   witiiholding   tlie   good. 

In  our  opinion  Lee  Langley's  articles 
have  been  good  for  Rome,  l>ecause  tliey 
have  set  many  peoi)h'  to  talking  al)out 
their  town  and  analyzing  their  rela- 
tionship to  it.  Anything  that  causes 
such  retrospection  is  healthful.  Ro- 
mans who  have  read  his  articles  may 
or  may  not  agree  with  them.  He  doe-s 
not  seem  to  care  about  that.  \ye 
cannot  agree  with  all  that  he  has  writ- 
ten, if  he  intended  to  leave  the  im- 
pression that  some  of  the  things  he 
said  are  ai)plicahle  to  Rome  alone,  be- 
cause it  has  been  our  observation  that 
the  worst  characteristics  he  attributed 
tn  this  town  are  with  equal  verity  ap- 
olicable  to  all  Southern  towns  of  sim- 


634 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


ilar  size  and  environment.  To  us  a 
distinct  characteristic  of  Rome  is  its 
similarity  to  other  smaller  Southern 
cities. 

In  substance  Mr.  Langley  said  in  a 
^ood  natured  way  that  to  become  a 
Roman  it  is  necessary  for  a  person 
either  to  be  born  into  that  hig:h  estate, 
marry  into  it  or  buy  himself  into  it. 
To  a  certain  extent  the  same  thing 
may  be  said  of  any  other  city,  North 
or  South — if  he  meant  by  that  to  rank 
high  in  social,  political  or  business  cir- 
cles one  must  achieve  his  position 
through  the  good  will  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  place  in  which  he  dwells. 
It  has  been  our  experience  that  it  is 
very  easy  to  become  just  any  kind  of 
Roman  one  has  the  desire  to  become, 
provided  he  has  sufficient  intelligence, 
social  gi'ace,  business  ability  and  in- 
dividual personality  to  deserve  the  po- 
sition or  recognition  that  he  aspires  to. 

Rome  is  not  a  Utopia.  Nor  is  there 
a  Utopia  anywhere  in  the  United 
States  or  any  other  country  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  We  have  our  ob- 
jectionable characteristics,  which  in 
most  instances  are  the  same  as  the  ob- 
jections that  may  be  pointed  out  in  any 
other  town  in  this  section  of  the  United 
States.  Likewise,  we  have  our  admir- 
able features,  some  of  which,  it  is 
pleasing  to  contemplate,  are  not  to  be 
found  in  all  other  places.  If  we  have 
any  criticism  to  make  of  the  town  that 
we  have  chosen  as  our  future  abode, 
it  is  that  it  is  too  much  like  other 
towns  in  which  we  have  dwelt.  What 
v/e  would  like  to  see  happen  is  that 
Rome  become  so  distinctly  different 
from  other  towns  either  in  good  or 
bad  qualities,  if  you  please,  that  she 
will  attract  extraordinary  attention. 

As  was  said  at  the  outset  of  this  ed- 
itorial, Lee  Langley  has  done  a  good 
service  by  setting  us  to  thinking  about 
ourselves.  He  did  it  in  a  good  natured 
way,  and  if  there  was  anything  writ- 
ten that  offended  anybody  we  feel  that 
he  did  not  intend  to  do  that  or  care 
whether  he  did  or  not.  What  we  would 
like  to  see  transpire  here  is  that  all 
inhabitants  of  this  town — old-timers 
and  new-comers,  men  and  women,  boys 
and  girls,  merchants  and  tradesmen, 
professional  men  and  manufacturers 
alike — consider  themselves  Romans  in 
every  sense  of  the  word  and  deport 
themselves  in  the  manner  that  they 
think   Romans   should   act. 

The  manner,  then,  in  which  the  ma- 
jority deport  themselves,  will  be  ac- 
ccputed  as  the  Rome  Spirit  and  all 
who  do  not  conform  thereto  will  be 
aliens,  because  have  we  not  the  classic 


admonition  that  when  in  Rome  one 
should  do  as  Rome  does?  If  there  be 
anyone  among  us  who  can  change  our 
ways  sufficiently  to  cause  a  majority 
to  conform  to  his  idea  of  what  is  the 
proper  way,  that  new  way  will  become 
the  Rome  way  for  better  or  for  worse. 
If  there  be  any  immediate  improve- 
ment in  prospect,  it  lies  in  an  endeavor 
to  make  Rome  different  from  any  other 
small  city  in  the  South. — July  12,  1921. 


"BOLSHEVIK"  DINNER  RULES. 
By    Jack    D.    McCartney. 

Every  sport  has  its  rules,  even  the 
social  sport,  and  it  is  unwise  to  vio- 
late any  of  these  strict  regulations. 

When  asked  to  take  your  hostess 
out  to  dinner,  were  you  ever  penal- 
ized with  a  cold  glance  for  being  off 
side?  Did  you  ever  invite  two  young 
ladies  to  the  same  party  and  find 
yourself  playing  doubles,  when  you 
had  meant  it  to  be  only  a  single  court? 
Did  you  ever  play  all  the  courses  at 
a  formal  dinner  and  find  you  had  the 
wrong  iron  left  for  the  last  shot?  Have 
you  ever  tried  to  steal  home  with  your 
wife  on  second  floor  and  your  mother- 
in-law  on  third?  If  so,  you  will  ap- 
preciate these  few  random  but  im- 
portant rules,  and  use  them  as  an 
amateur  in  good  standing,  says  a 
writer  in  the  Kansas  City  Times. 


1.  Approach  a  formal  dinner  party 
as  you  would  a  railroad  track,  with 
its  "Stop,  Look  and  Listen,"  sign.  You 
.<top  eating,  look  hungry  and  listen  to 
the  conversation  of  the  experienced 
lady  next  to  you  who  ate  at  home  first. 

2.  To  save  embarrassment,  never 
attend  the  wrong  party  or  the  wrong 
funeral.  Imagine  looking  into  the  face 
of  the  host  or  the  corpse,  as  the  case 
may  be,  and  finding  him  a  perfect 
stranger. 

3.  Caution  your  wife  ahead  of  time 
to  avoid  dwelling  on  your  ordinarily 
huge  appetite.  Your  hostess  may  in- 
sist on  your  taking  a  second  helping 
of  the  pickled  turnips  or  some  such 
dish. 

4.  When  seated  uncomfortably 
against  the  leg  of  a  table  at  one  of 
these  narrow  apartment  house  festive 
boards,  never  kick  irritably  against 
what  you  believe  to  be  the  obstruction. 
It  is  just  possible  the  leg  may  be  that 
of  the  lady  opposite. 

5.  The  sport  of  seating  ladies  at  a 
dinner  party  is  the  most  hazardous 
of  all.  The  procedure  urgently  re- 
quires the  detailed  instructions  which 
follow. 


Miscellaneous — Lagniappe 


635 


The  whole  matter  might  be  sim- 
plified and  accidents  avoided,  if  cus- 
tom were  not  so  fixed.  For  instance, 
the  show  method  of  seating:  the  per- 
formers would  be  splendid.  The  butler, 
serving  as  interlocutor,  should  move 
to  the  piano,  directly  all  the  guests  are 
in  the  dining  room  and  at  their  chairs. 
Then  he  should  call  out  in  a  loud,  clear 
voice:  "Ladies,  be  seated!"  (Chord). 
All  then  would  sink  into  their  chairs 
with  pleasing  unanimity,  the  hostess 
would  give  friend  husband  the  cue  for 
tiiat  humorous  little  monologue  of  his, 
after  which  he,  in  turn,  should  ad- 
dress a  guest  with,  "And  where  were 
you  last  night,  Mr.  Bones?"  and  all 
would  go  rattlingly. 


Then  there  is  the  military  method. 
Guests  form  in  column  of  twos  and 
troop  in  to  the  tune  of  a  stirring 
march  on  the  phonograph.  Reaching 
a  position  in  rear  of  their  chairs  the 
host  commands,  "In  place,  halt!''  The 
following  commands  then  are  given  in 
quick  succession:  "Chair  with  the 
right  hand  grab!"  "One  pace  to  the 
left,  march!"  "Chairs  to  the  rear, 
march!"  "Take  seats"  and  "Come  and 
get   it!" 

Custom,  however,  almost  precludes 
such  efforts.  Hence  it  is  a  question 
of  best  way — old  style. 

The  alert  gentleman  will  not  always 
seat  the  lady  on  his  right,  not  if  he  is 
a  judge  of  weights.  Pick  the  lighter 
lady.  Then,  if  the  chair  and  the  lady 
miss  connection,  the  resulting  crash 
will  not  be  so  noisy  and  even  may  be 
drowned  with  a  loud  guffaw. 


The  lady  to  be  seated  maneuvers  the 
chair  behind  her.  If  she  insists  on 
standing  too  long,  waiting  for  the 
hostess  to  sit  or  counting  to  see  if 
there  are  thirteen  at  the  table,  the 
time  has  come  for  action.  Drawing 
the  chair  still  farther  back  to  gain 
a  start,  rush  it  toward  the  lady,  strik- 
ing her  at  the  bend  of  the  knees  with 
the  chair  and  taking  her  by  surprise. 
That  IS  a  most  important  factor,  the 
surprise  element.  It  avoids  that  pos- 
sibility, already  mentioned,  of  her  get- 
ting out  of  control  and  crashing. 

With  the  lady  once  in  the  chair, 
the  clever  gentleman  will  propel  it 
instantly  toward  the  festive  board. 
Some  of  the  sex  is  just  tricky  enough 
to  attempt  to  rise  again  if  given  an 
opportunity.  Speed  foils  'em.  Don't 
cut  down  the  momentum  for  fear  of 
pushing  the  lady's  chair  too  far  for- 
ward. She  will  rebound  from  the  edge 
of  the  table  nicely. 


If  the  gentleman  has  followed  in- 
structions thus  far  faithfully,  he  will 
find  the  lady  safely  parked  at  her 
place  and  undoubtedly  somewhat  wind- 
ed from  caroming  off  the  table.  Before 
she  can  regain  the  power  of  speech, 
the  alert  gentleman  will  have  an  op- 
portunity of  making  most  lusty  inroads 
on  the  soup,  relishes  and  even  part  of 
the  fish  course,  unhindered  by  the  de- 
mands of  conversation. — Tribune-Her- 
ald,  Jan.    16,    1921. 


A    MONKEY   DOES   HIS   BIT. 

By  W.  S.  Rou-ell. 

As  a  result  of  a  very  unusual  in- 
jury— particularly  for  a  ruling  sov- 
ereign— he  King  of  Greece  is  dead 
from  the  bite  of  a  pet  money.  King 
Alexander  had  ruled  but  a  short  while, 
— about  three  years,  in  fact.  He  was 
placed  on  the  throne  when  former 
Ring  Constantine  was  deposed  by  the 
allies,  on  account  of  his  pro-German 
activities.  He  had  been  a  mere  figure- 
head, possessing  no  real  power,  and 
there  is,  therefore,  no  reason  for  any 
disturbance  in  Greece  on  that  account. 

King  Alexander  was  the  nephew  of 
the  former  German  Emperor,  as  are, 
of  course,  his  brothers,  one  of  whom. 
Prince  Paul,  has  just  been  elected  his 
successor  by  the  Greek  parliament.  The 
new  sovereign  is  the  third  son  of  Con- 
stantine, and  is  a  man  of  about  the 
same  calibre  as  Alexander,  and  will 
be  just  about  as  much  of  a  king,  which 
will  be  very  little. — Tribune-Herald, 
Oct.  27,  1920. 


WHEN  WOMEN   GO   TO  VOTE. 
By  W.  S.  Ronrll. 

Well,  won't  it  be  worth  going  miles 
to  see — when  women  stalk  up  to  the 
courthouse  to  vote!  In  the  first  place, 
lack  of  experience  will  embarrass  them 
to  some  extent.  They  won't  know  whi-re 
to  go  nor  what  to  do.  But  the  aver- 
age woman  is  (juick  to  catcli  on  and 
we  don't  anticipate  nuicii  trouble  in 
this   regard. 

The  woman  will  start  upstairs  to 
the  voting  place,  and  be  as  mad  as 
pepper  if  some  man  should  perchance 
bo  in  front  of  her.  for  naturally  all 
women  feel  that  tliey  should  go  in 
front  of  the  men.  Then,  by  the  time 
-.he  gets  fairlv  started,  an  election 
manager  will  call  her  back,  and  tell 
ber  that  she  must  first  find  out  if  she 
i«  registered.  If  she  IS.  she  will  be 
given  a  ticket  with  a  number  on  it 
and  if  she  is  not.  there  will  be  the 
dickens   to    play    in    explaining    to    her 


636 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


why  she  can't  vote  because  she  is  not 
registered. 

The  woman  will  then  take  the  ticket 
handed  her  by  the  manager  and  go  on 
up  stairs.  When  stopped  by  another 
manager  at  the  top.  she  will  protest 
against  giving  up  the  ticket  she  has 
in  order  to  receive  another  that  she 
knows  nothing  about.  But  after  ar- 
gument this  will  be  settled. 

Then  she  won't  want  to  go  into  the 
booth  to  fix  her  ticket,  and  she  is  not 
going  to  let  any  mere  man  fix  it,  be- 
cause it's  no  man's  business  how  she 
votes,  and  she  don't  want  them  to 
know  anyway. 

After  having  fixed  her  own  ticket 
in  her  own  way  (probably  having 
scratched  the  candidates  she  wanted 
to  vote  for),  she  looks  around  and 
sees  the  ballot  box.  After  some  dis- 
cussion she  will  hand  the  ticket  to 
the  manager,  who  will  call  out  her 
name  and  a  number.  This  will  bring 
on  more  talk;  she  will  want  to  know 
v;hy  hei'  name  is  called  out  without 
her  consent  and  what  the  number  is 
for. 

This  having  been  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained, she  will  start  out  the  way  she 
came  and  when  barred  by  a  police  of- 
ficer, there'll  be  another  long  discus- 
sion coupled  with  protests.  Findmg: 
that  she  cannot  go  out  the  way  she 
came  in  she  will  follow  the  advice  of 
the  officer  and  go  out  the  way  pointed 
out.  All  of  which  she  will  consider 
totally  unnecessary,  and  something  of 
an   insult. 

It  is  our  opinion  that  woinen  will 
go  to  the  polls  in  twos  or  threes,  dress- 
ed in  the  height  of  fashion,  in  order 
to  create  an  impression  on  the  men 
standing  around  the  polls.  Of  course, 
the   men   will   be   duly  impressed. 

When  the  returns  come  in  and  they 
find  that  their  candidates  are  defeated, 
a  mighty  howl  will  go  up,  fraud, 
cheating,' bribing  and  swindling  will  be 
charged.  They  will  declare  that  they 
will  never  go  to  the  polls  again,  to  be 
cheated  out  of  their  rights  by  unfair 
counters,  and  they  won't  go  again  until 
another  elections  rolls  around. — Oct. 
80,    1920. 


WOMEN  LIKE  WINNERS. 
By  W.  S.  Rowell. 
It  is  a  natural  factor  in  the  fem- 
inine make-up  that  women  like  win- 
ners, and  it  is  well  that  they  do — it 
acts  as  an  additional  incentive  to  men 
to  put  things  over. 

Women      are      tender  -  hearted,      of 


course;  they'll  stand  by  an  unfortu- 
nate man,  one  who  is  in  real  trouble, 
he  he  husband,  brother  or  friend,  to 
the  last  extremity — they  are  always 
the  friend  of  the  disabled  or  oppressed, 
but  among  men  possessing  all  their 
faculties,  they  want  winners. 

We  do  not  believe  this  is  due  to 
selfishness  or  hard-heartedness.  We 
believe  that  it  is  implanted  in  the 
woman  nature  to  make  men  work 
hf.rder  and  fight  fiercer.  Take  a  strong, 
healthy  man,  in  possession  of  all  his 
faculties,  he  had  better  succeed  in  his 
undertakings  if  he  expects  to  win  the 
favor  of  women.  They  think  he's  got 
no  business  losing,  and  he  has  not. 

We  are  not  criticizing  women  for 
liking  winners;  in  fact,  we  rather  ad- 
mire their  perspicacity,  and  as  stated 
above,  this  quality  in  their  natures  fre- 
quently acts  as  an  incentive  for  men, 
stirring  their  energies  and  ambitions 
to  greater  and  higher  things. 


"DEAR  SIR." 
By   W.  S.   Roivell. 

There  are  some  old-fashioned  cus- 
toms that  do  not  fit  into  the  modern 
scheme  of  things — they  are  out  of 
date,  and  apparently  silly.  One  of 
these  is  the  custom  of  beginning  all 
letters  with  "dear  sir"  or  "dear  mad- 
am." It  is  true  that  this  is  polite,  and 
people  should  always  be  polite.  But 
when  a  man  or  woman  writes  to  his 
or  her  deadly  enemy,  and  uses  the  pro- 
noun "dear,"  it  is  inconsistent,  to  say 
ihe  least. 

We  don't  know  how  this  custom 
started;  it  was  probably  in  the  dark 
ages,  when  language  had  a  different 
nieaning  from  that  of  the  present.  In 
some  instances  it  may  have  been  in- 
tended as  sarcasm;  it  certainly  has 
that  effect  in  a  great  many  instances. 
We  have  often  wondered  why  this  par- 
ticular form  of  address  is  used.  It 
would  have  been  just  as  reasonable 
to  say  "gentle  sir,"  "kind  sir"  or 
"hated  sir"  as  the  circumstances 
seemed  to  warrant.  But  just  why  men 
started  the  fashion  of  always  address- 
ing each  other  as  "dear  sir"  and  stuck 
to  it  whether  appropriate  or  not  we 
have  never  been  able  to  understand. 

In  a  great  many  instances,  for  a 
man  to  address  another  as  "dear  sir" 
amounts  to  about  the  same  thing  as 
two  rivals  kissing  each  other  when 
they  meet.  They  hate  each  other  to 
such  an  extent  that  their  lips  should 
burn  on  touching,  yet  they  kiss  and 
smile    most    sweetly.      This    is    equally 


Miscellaneous — Lagniappe 


637 


as    out    of    place    as    addressing    every 
man   you   write   to   as   "dear   sir." 

We  don't  know  any  reason  why  you 
sliould  not  say  ''miserable  sir"  if  that 
should  fit  the  occasion,  or  "fat  sir"  or 
"lean  sir."  Why  not  address  each 
person  you  write  to  under  an  appro- 
priate designation?  What  is  the  use 
in  calling  a  man  "dear"  when  you  hate 
him  like  a  fish?— Dec.  3,  1920. 


AT  HOME-COMING,  OCT.  14,  1920. 
From  Judge  Wright's  Address  of  Wel- 
come. 
"Rome's  Who's  Who  contains  every- 
body, with  one  man  as  good  as  another. 
There  are  roses  in  Rome  whose  petals 
wave  a  welcome  of  pink  and  white  and 
red  to  our  distinguished  visitors.  Out 
in  the  Flat  Woods  there  are  sweet 
potato  patches  containing  the  same 
'possum  tracks  which  long  ago  beck- 
oned us  to  the  hunt,  and  the  whip- 
poorwills  call  not  today  'Whip-poor- 
wil'  but  'Welcome  Home.'  Everybody 
is  happy  at  your  coming,  and  only  the 
skies  are  blue." 


From  the  Response  of  Col.  John  Tem- 
ple Gj'ctves. 
"When  I  think  of  Rome  I  recall  the 
dearest  period  of  my  existence.  Once 
a  Roman,  always  a  Roman.  It  is  bet- 
ter to  be  a  Roman  than  a  king.  This 
is  the  land  of  the  Indians  and  the 
pioneer  pale-face,  the  land  of  memory 
and  dreams.  I  learned  to  ride  a  horse 
in  Rome;  I  learned  to  ride  a  bicycle 
in  Rome;  I  have  taken  a  header  from 
all  the  hills  of  Rome  into  the  purling 
waters  of  the  Etowah,  the  Oostanaula 
and   the  Coosa." 


A   BASHFUL   BRIDEGROOOM.— 

The  following  story,  taken  from  the 
scrap  book  of  the  late  John  M.  Gra- 
ham, of  'Jennessee,  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  good  lady  of  Rome,  is  re- 
printed from  the  Rome  News  of  some 
date  in  1921.  Prudish  persons  should 
not  read  beyond  these  introductory 
lines;  all  others  are  cordially  invited 
to  wade  in : 

"Senator  Sebastian,  of  Arkansas, 
was  a  native  of  Hickman  County, 
Tenn.  On  one  occasion  a  member  of 
Congress  was  lamenting  his  own  bash- 
fulness  and  awkwardness.  'Why,'  said 
the  Senator  from  Rackensack,  'you 
don't  know  what  bashfulness  is.  Let 
me  tell  a  story,  and  when  it  is  through 
I  will  stand  the  bob  if  you  don't  agree 
that  you  never  knew  anything  about 
bashfulness  and  its  baneful  effects. 


"  'I  was  the  most  bashful  boy  west 
of  the  Alleghenies.  I  wouldn't  look 
at  a  girl,  much  less  speak  to  a  maiden. 
But  for  all  that  I  fell  desperately  in 
love  with  a  sweet,  beautiful,  neighbor 
girl.  It  was  a  desirable  match  on  both 
sides  and  the  folks  saw  the  drift  and 
fixed  it  up.  I  thought  I  s.houl(l  die 
just  thinking  of  it.  I  was  a  gawky, 
country  lout  some  19  years  old.  She 
was  an  intelligent,  refined  and  fairly 
well  educated  girl  in  a  country  and 
at  a  time  when  girls  had  superior  ad- 
vantages, and  were  therefore  superior 
in  culture  to  the  boys.  I  fixed  the  day 
as  far  oflf  as  I  could  have  put  it.  I 
lay  awake  in  a  cold  perspiration  as  the 
time  drew  near,  and  shivered  with 
agony  as  I  thought  of  the  terrible  or- 
deal. 

"  'The  dreadful  day  came.  I  went 
through  with  the  program  somehow  in 
a  dazed,  confused,  mechanical  sort  of 
way  like  an  automaton  booby  through 
a  supper  where  I  could  eat  nothing, 
and  through  such  games  as  "possum 
pie,"  ''Sister  Phoebe"  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing.  The  guests  one  by  one  de- 
parted and  my  hair  began  to  stand  on 
end.  Beyond  the  awful  curtain  of  Isis 
lay  the  terrible  unknown.  My  blood 
grew  cold  and  boiled  by  turns.  I  v.as 
in  a  fever  and  then  an  ague,  pale  and 
flushed  by  turns.  I  felt  like  fleeing  to 
the  woods,  spending  the  night  in  the 
barn,  or  leaving  for  the  West  never 
to  come  back. 

"  'I  was  deeply  devoted  to  Sally, — 
loved  her  harder  than  a  mule  can  kick, 
but  that  dreadful  ordeal,  I  could  not, 
I  dared  not,  stand  it.  Finally  the  last 
guest  was  gone,  the  bride  retired,  the 
family  repaired  to  bed,  and  I  was  left 
alone,  horror  of  horrors, — alone  with 
the  old  man.  "John,"  said  ]v\  "you 
can  take  that  candle.  You  will  find 
your  room  right  over  this.  Good  night, 
John,  and  may  the  Lord  have  mercy 
on  your  soul,"  and  with  a  mischievous 
twiiikle  in  his  fine  gray  eyes  tlie  old 
man  left  the  room.  I  mentally  said 
"Amen!'"  to  his  "Heaven  help  you." 
and  when  I  heard  him  close  a  distant 
door,  staggered  to  my  feet  and  seized 
the  farthing  dip  with  a  nervous  grasp. 
I  stood  for  some  minutes  conteni)>lating 
my  terrible  fate  and  the  inovitaltle  and 
speedy  doom  about  to  overwhelm  me. 
I  knew  tliat  if  could  not  be  avoided, 
and  vet  I  hesitated  to  meet  my  fate 
like  a  man.  I  stood  so  long  that  three 
love  letters  grew  on  the  wick  of  the 
tallow  dip,  and  a  winding  sheet  was 
decorating  the  sides  of  the  brass  can- 
dlestick. 

"  'A    happy    thought    struck    me.      I 


638 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


hastily  climbed  the  stair,  marked  the 
position  of  the  landing  and  the  door 
of  the  bridal  chamber.  I  would  have 
died  before  I  would  have  disrobed  in 
that  holy  sanctuary,  where  awaited 
me  a  trembling  and  beautiful  girl,  a 
blushing  maiden,  "clothed  upon"  with 
her  own  beauty  and  modesty,  and  her 
snowy  robe  de  n^tit.  The  thought 
was  that  I  could  make  the  usual  prep- 
arations outside  in  the  hall,  blow  out 
the  light,  open  the  door  and  friendly 
night  would  shield  my  shrinking  mod- 
esty and  bashfulness,  and  grateful 
darkness  at  least  mitigate  the  horror 
of  the  situation.  It  was  soon  done. 
Preparations  for  retiring  were  few 
and  simple  in  Hickman,  although  con- 
sisting of  disrobing,  and  owing  to 
scarcity  of  cloth  in  those  days  man  was 
somewhat  near  the  Adamic  state  when 
he  was  prepared  to  woo  sweet  sleep. 

"  'The  dreaded  hour  had  come.  I 
was  ready.  I  blew  out  the  light, 
grasped  the  door  knob  with  a  deathly 
grip  and  nervous  clutch.  One  moment 
and  it  would  be  over!  One  moment 
and  it  wasn't  over,  by  a  darned  sight! 
"  'I  leaped  within,  slamming  the  door 
with  a  loud  noise  behind,  and  at  the 
same  time  with  a  sickening  gasp  ut- 
tering the  name  of  my  sweetheart. 

^  "There,  seated  in  front  of  a  blazing, 
glowing  hickory  log  fire,  with  candles 
burning  brightly  on  the  mantel  and 
bureau,  was  the  blushing  bride,  sur- 
rounded by  the  six  lovely  brides- 
maids.' " 


TOO  LATE  TO  BE  CLASSIFIED. 
On  the  eve  of  going  to  press,  a  good 
"story"  has  been  received.  Mrs.  Mabel 
Washbourne  Anderson,  of  Pryor,  Okla., 
sends  a  book  of  poems  by  her  father, 
the  late  John  Rollin  Ridge"  (son  of  John 
Ridge,  grandson  of  Major  Ridge  and 
native  of  the  present  Floyd  County), 
in  which  is  contained  a  preface  with 
a  highly  engrossing  narrative  by  the 
poet,  which  carries  the  reader  back  to 
the  Indian  days  at  Rome.*  This  ac- 
count speaks  for  itself  in  the  main. 
It  needs  explaining  with  respect  to 
the  location  of  the  home  of  John  Ridge. 
It  leaves  for  the  reader  to  figure  out 
whether  Mr.  Ridge  lived  in  Ridge  Val- 
ley (at  "Hermitage")  or  at  the  old 
Hume  place  about  two  miles  north  of 
North  Rome,  on  the  Southern  railway. 

John  Rollin  Ridge  mentions  his 
father's  house  "on  a  high  hill,  with  a 
large  spring  at  the  foot  of  it,"  and 
another  nearby  hill,  200  yards  away. 
The  Rush  place  is  on  an  elevation,  at 
the  foot  of  which,  in  Ridge  Valley,  is  a 


bold  spring.  The  Hume  place  is 
mostly  flat,  and  its  spring  is  probably 
smaller  than  the  other  spring. 

But  to  the  article  by  the  poet.  It  is 
contained  in  a  book  called  "Poems," 
published  in  1868  by  Henry  Payot  & 
Co.,  and  printed  by  Edward  Bosqui  & 
Co.,  at  517  Clay  St.,  San  Francisco, 
Cal.  The  book  has  been  out  of  print  so 
many  years  that  copies  of  it  are  rare. 
The  publisher's  prefatory  note  pre- 
cedes the  Ridge  account,  and  both  now 
follow : 


"Most  of  the  poems  in  this  little  vol- 
ume are  the  productions  of  boyhood; 
very  few  of  them  were  written  after 
the  author  had  reached  the  age  of  20. 
As  his  career  on  the  coast,  in  connec- 
tion with  political  and  literary  jour- 
nalism, is  familiar  to  all  readers,  we 
will  add  nothing  to  this  letter." 


"  *I  was  born  in  the  Cherokee  Na- 
tion, east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  on 
the  19th  of  Mar.,  1827.**  My  earliest 
recollections  are  of  such  things  as  are 
pleasing  to  childhood,  the  fondness  of 
a  kind  father,  and  the  smiles  of  an 
affectionate  mother.  My  father,  the 
late  John  Ridge,  as  you  know,  was  one 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe,  and  son  of 
the  warrior  and  orator  distinguished 
in  Cherokee  councils  and  battles,  who 
was  known  among  the  whites  as  Major 
Ridge,  and  amongst  his  own  people  as 
Ka-nun-ta-cla-ge.  My  father  grew  up 
until  he  was  twelve  or  fifteen  years  of 
age,  as  any  untutored  Indian,  and  he 
used  well  to  remember  the  time  when 
his  greatest  delight  was  to  strip  him- 
self of  his  Indian  costume,  and  with 
aboriginal  cane-gig  in  hand,  while  away 
the  long  summer  days  in  wading  up 
and  down  creeks  in  search  of  craw- 
fish. 

"  'At  the  age  which  I  have  men- 
tioned before,  a  missionary  station 
sprang  into  existence,  and  Major 
Ridge  sent  his  son  John,  who  could 
not  speak  a  word  of  English,  to  school 
at  this  station,  placing  him  under  the 
instruction  of  a  venerable  missionary 
named    Gambol.***      Here    he    learned 


*Undoubtedly    at     Running    Waters. 

**John  Rollin  Ridge  died  in  1S67  at  Grass 
Valley,  Cal.,  and  was  there  buried  under  a 
stunted  tree  which  he  had  planted  years  before 
while  engaged  in  placer  mining.  His  wife  died 
about  1910  at  Berkeley,  Cal.,  and  was  laid  to 
rest  at  that  place,  which  is  the  site  of  the 
University  of  California.  Mrs.  Ridge  got  to- 
gether the  choicest  of  her  husband's  poems  and 
had  them  published  a  year  after  his  death. 
Among  his  best  serious  efforts  are  "Mt.  Shasta" 
and  "The  Atlantic  Cable."  He  was  often 
called  upon  to  read  his  verses  at  public  meet- 
ings   and    college    commencements. 

***  Supposed    to    have    been    at    Spring    Place. 


Miscellaneous — Lagniappe 


639 


rapidly,  and  in  the  course  of  a  year 
acquired  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
white  man's  language  to  speak  it  quite 
fluently. 

*'  'Major  Ridge  had  become  fully 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  civil- 
ization. He  had  built  him  a  log  cabin, 
in  imitation  of  the  border  whites,  and 
opened  him  a  farm.  The  missionary. 
Gambol,  told  him  of  an  Institution 
built  up  in  a  distant  land  especially 
for  the  education  of  Indian  youths 
(Cornwall,  Conn.),  and  here  he  con- 
cluded to  send  his  son.  After  hearing 
some  stern  advice  from  his  father, 
with  respect  to  the  manner  in  which 
he  should  conduct  himself  among  the 
"palefaces,''  John  left  for  the  Corn- 
wall school,  in  charge  of  a  friendly 
missionary.  He  remained  there  until 
his  education  was  completed.  During 
his  attendance  at  this  institution,  he 
fell  in  love  with  a  young  white  girl  of 
the  place,  daughter  of  Mr.  Nor- 
thrup.* 

"  'His  love  was  reciprocated.  He  re- 
turned home  to  his  father,  gained  his 
consent,  though  with  much  difficulty 
(for  the  old  Major  wished  him  to 
marry  a  chief's  daughter  amongst  his 
own  people),  went  back  again  to  Corn- 
wall, and  shortly  brought  his  "pale- 
faced  bride  to  the  wild  country  of 
the  Cherokees.  In  due  course  of  time, 
I,  John  Rollin,  came  into  the  world. 
I  was  called  by  my  grandfather 
"Chees-quat-a-law-ny,"  which,  inter- 
preted, means  "Yellow  Bird.''  Thus 
you  have  a  knowledge  of  my  parent- 
age and  how  it  happened  that  I  am 
an  Indian. 

"  'Things  had  now  changed  with  the 
Cherokees.  They  had  a  written  Con- 
stitution and  laws.  They  had  legis- 
lative halls,  houses  and  farms,  courts 
and  juries.  The  general  mass,  it  is 
true,  were  ignorant,  but  happy  under 
the  administration  of  a  few  simple, 
just  and  wholesome  laws.  Major 
Ridge  had  become  wealthy  by  trading 
with  the  whites  and  by  prudent  man- 
agement. He  had  built  him  an  ele- 
gant house  on  the  banks  of  the  "Oos- 
te-nar-ly  River,"  on  which  now  stands 
the  thriving  town  of  Rome,  Ga. 

"  'Many  a  time  in  my  buoyant  l)oy- 
hood  have  I  strayed  along  its  summer- 
shaded  shores  and  glided  in  a  light 
canoe  over  its  swiftly-rolling  bosom, 
and  beneath  its  ever-hanging  willows. 
Alas  for  the  beautiful  scene!  The 
Indian's  form  haunts  it  no  more! 

"  'My  father's  residence  was  a  few 
miles  east  of  the  "Oostenar-ly."    I  re- 

*Sarah    Bird    Northriip. 


member  it  well, — a  large  two-story 
house,  on  a  high  hill,  crowned  with  a 
fine  grove  of  oak  and  hickory,  a  large 
clear  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and 
an  extensive  farm  stretching  away 
down  into  the  valley,  with  a  fine  or- 
chard on  the  left.  On  another  hill 
some  200  yards  distant  stood  the  school 
house,  built  at  my  father's  expense, 
for  the  use  of  a  missionary,  Miss 
Sophie  Sawyer,  who  made  her  home 
v;ith  our  family  and  taught  my  father's 
children  and  all  who  chose  to  come  for 
her  instruction.  I  went  to  this  school 
until  I  was  ten  years  of  age — which 
was  in  1837.  Then  another  change 
had  come  over  the  Cherokee  Nation. 
A  demon  spell  had  fallen  upon  it.  The 
white  man  had  become  covetous  cf  the 
soil.  The  unhappy  Indian  was  driven 
from  his  house, — not  one,  but  thous- 
ands— and  the  white  man's  plough- 
share turned  up  the  acres  which  he  had 
called  his  own.  Wherever  the  Indian 
built  his  cabin  and  planted  his  corn, 
there  was  the  spot  which  the  white 
man  craved.  Convicted  on  suspicion, 
they  were  sentenced  to  death  by  laws 
whose  authority  they  could  not  ac- 
knowledge, and  hanged  on  the  white 
man's  gallows.  Oppression  became  in- 
tolerable, and  forced  by  extreme  ne- 
cessity, they  at  last  gave  up  their 
homes,  yielded  their  beloved  country 
to  the  rapacity  of  the  Georgians,  and 
wended  their  way  in  silence  and  sor- 
row to  the  forests  of  the  far  west.  In 
1837  my  father  moved  his  family  to 
his  new'home.  He  built  his  houses  and 
opened  his  farm;  gave  encouragement 
to  the  rising  neighborhood  and  fed 
many  a  naked  and  hungry  Indian 
whom  oppression  had  prostrated  to 
the  dust. 

"  'A  second  time  he  built  a  school- 
house,  and  Miss  Sawyer  again  in- 
structed his  own  children  and  the  chil- 
dren of  his  neighbors.  Two  years 
rolled  away  in  (luietude,  but  the  spring 
of  '39  brought  in  a  terrible  train  of 
c\ents.  Parties  had  arisen  in  the  Na- 
tion. The  removal  west  had  fomented 
discontents  of  the  darkest  and  dead- 
liest nature.  The  ignorant  Indians, 
unable  to  vent  their  rage  on  the 
whites,  turned  their  wrath  toward  then- 
own  chiefs,  and  chose  to  hold  them  re- 
sponsible for  what  had  happened.  John 
Ross  made  use  of  these  prejudices  to 
establish  his  own  power.  He  held  a 
secret  council  and  plotted  tlie  death 
of  my  father  and  grandfather,  and 
Boudinot  and  others  who  were  friendly 
to  the  interests  of  these  men.  John 
Ridge  was  at  this  time  the  most  pow- 
erful   man    in    the    Nation,   and    it    was 


640 


A  History  of  Rome  and  Floyd  County 


necessary  for  Ross,  in  order  to  realize 
his  ambitious  scheme  for  ruling  the 
whole  Nation,  not  only  to  put  the 
Ridges  out  of  the  way,  but  those  who 
most  prominently  supported  them,  lest 
they  might  cause  trouble  afterwards.* 

"  'These  bloody  deeds  were  perpe- 
trated under  circumstances  of  peculiar 
aggravation.  On  the  morning  of  the 
22nd  of  June,  1839,  about  daybreak, 
our  family  was  aroused  from  sleep  by 
a  violent  noise.  The  doors  were  broken 
down  and  the  house  was  full  of  armed 
men.  I  saw  my  father  in  the  hands 
of  assassins.  He  endeavored  to  speak 
to  them,  but  they  shouted  and  drowned 
his  voice,  for  they  were  instructed  not 
to  listen  to  him  for  a  moment,  for  fear 
they  would  be  persuaded  not  to  kill 
him.  They  dragged  him  into  the  yard 
and  prepared  to  murder  him.  Two  "men 
held  him  by  the  arms,  and  others  by 
the  body,  while  another  stabbed  him 
deliberately  with  a  dirk  29  times.  My 
mother  rushed  ou<  to  the  door,  but 
they  pushed  her  back  with  their  guns 
into  the  house,  and  prevented  her 
egress  until  their  act  was  finished.  My 
father  fell  to  the  earth,  but  did  not 
immediately  expire.  My  mother  ran 
out  to  him.  He  raised  himself  on  his 
elbow  and  tried  to  speak,  but  the  blood 
flowed  into  his  mouth  and  prevented 
him.  In  a  few  moments  more  he  died, 
without  speaking  that  last  word  which 
he  wished  to  say. 

"  'Then  succeeded  a  scene  of  agony 
the  sight  of  which  might  make  one  re- 
gret that  the  human  race  had  ever  been 
created.  It  has  darkened  my  mind 
with  an  eternal  shadow.  In  a  room 
-rerai'ed  for  the  purpose  lay  pale  in 
death  the  man  whose  voice  had  been 
listened  to  with  awe  and  admiration 
in  the  councils  of  his  Nation,  and  whose 
fame  had  passed  to  the  remotest  of 
the  United  States,  the  blood  oozing 
through  his  winding  sheet  and  falling 
drop  by  drop  on  the  floor.  By  his  side 
sat  my  mother,  with  hands  clasped  and 
in  speechless  agony — she  who  had 
given  him  her  heart  in  the  days  of  her 
youth  and  beauty,  left  the  home  of 
her  parents  and  followed  the  husband 
of  her  choice  to  a  wild  and  distant 
land.  And  bending  over  him  was  his 
own  afflicted  mother,  with  her  long, 
white  hair  flung  loose  over  her  shoul- 
ders and  bosom,  crying  to  the  Great 
Spirit  to  sustain  her  in  that  dreadful 
hour.  And  in  addition  to  all  these,  the 
wife,  the  mother  and  the  little  children, 
who  scarcely  knew  their  loss,  were  the 
dark  faces  of  those  who  had  been  the 
murdered  man's  friends,  and  possibly 
some  who  had  been  privy  to  the  assas- 


sination, who   had   come  to   smile   over 
the    scene. 

"  'There  was  yet  another  blow  to  be 
dealt.  Major  Ridge  had  started  on  a 
journey  the  day  before  to  Van  Buren,  a 
town  on  the  Arkansas  River,  in  Ar- 
kansas. He  was  traveling  down  what 
was  called  the  Line  Road,  in  the  di- 
rection of  Evansville.  A  runner  was 
sent  with  all  possible  speed  to  inform 
him  of  what  had  happened.  The  run- 
ner returned  with  the  news  that  Major 
Kidge  himself  was  killed.  It  is  use- 
less to  lengthen  description.  It  would 
fall   short,  far   short,  of  the  theme.** 

"  'These  events  happened  when  I 
was  twelve  years  old.  Great  excite- 
ment existed  in  the  Nation,  and  my 
mother,  thinking  her  children  unsafe 
in  the  country  of  their  father's  mur- 
derers, and  unwilling  to  remain  longer 
vv'here  all  that  she  saw  reminded  her  of 
her  dreadful  bereavement,  removed  to 
the  state  of  Arkansas  and  settled  in 
the  town  of  Fayetteville.  In  that  place 
I  went  to  school  until  I  was  14  years 
of  age,  when  my  mother  sent  me  to 
New  England  to  flnish  my  education. 
There  it  was  that  I  became  acquainted 
with  you,  and  you  know  all  about  my 
history  during  my  attendance  at  the 
Great  Barrington  School  as  well  as  I 
do  myself.  Owing  to  the  rigor  of  the 
climate,  my  health  failed  me  about  the 
time  I  was  ready  to  enter  college,  and 
I  returned  to  my  mother  in  Arkansas. 
Here  I  read  Latin  and  Greek  and  pur- 
sued my  studies  with  the  Rev.  Cephas 
Washbourne  (who  had  formerly  been 
a  missionary  in  the  Cherokee  Nation) 
till  the  summer  of  1845,  when  the  dif- 
ficulties which  had  existed  in  the  Na- 
tion ever  since  my  father's  death,  more 
or  less,  had  drawn  to  a  crisis.' 

"  'Thus  have  I  briefly  and  hurriedly 
complied  with  your  request  and  given 
you  a  sketch  of  my  life.  I  shall  not 
return  to  the  Nation  now  until  cir- 
cumstances are  materially  changed.  I 
shall  cast  my  fortunes  for  some  time 
with  the  whites.  I  am  23  years  old, 
married  and  have  an  infant  daugh- 
ter. I  will  still  devote  my  life  to  my 
people,  though  not  amongst  them,  and 
before  I  die  I  hope  to  see  the  Chero- 
kee Nation,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Choctaws,  admitted  into  the  Confed- 
eracy of   the   United    States.'  "       ^^ 

*Elias  Boudinot,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
killed  at   the   same   time   by   the   same   assassins. 

**The  reader  should  bear  in  mind  that  Ross 
disclaimed  any  personal  responsibility  in  the 
riot  and  its  execution,  and  that  the  culprits 
were  never  apprehended.  The  new  Indian 
country  was  not  amenable  to  such  laws  at 
that  time  as  would  cause  a  strict  reckoning 
to    be    had    in    the    circumstances. 


T*        O 


^ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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